CREDITON UNITED 2 - BOVEY TRACEY 2

South West Peninsula League East

CREDITON narrowly failed to keep up with leaders Okehampton after this stalemate at Lords Meadow the day after Boxing Day.

From the outset it was obvious that Bovey Tracey were going to be no pushovers as they played a brand of touch football similar to that of their hosts.

As early as the seventh minute Bovey took the lead as Ollie Aplin was allowed to turn and shoot past Jack Arthur in the Crediton goal who had absolutely no chance, 0-1.

It was all the visitors at this stage and Crediton were finding it hard to play their usual brand of passing football.

The pitch was heavy and the drizzle persisted making slick passing hard.

Then in the 12th minute Sam Stapleton equalised with a neat volley at the far post and this was hard luck on Bovey considering their dominance so far, 1-1.

Things got even better for the hosts as Sam repeated his effort in the 24th minute.

This time the ball bobbled into the Bovey net and Crediton were in the lead, 2-1.

Play went this way and that with Adam Bilcock performing particularly well in midfield, spraying the ball around with his usual guile and authority.

Then on 33 minutes home goalie Jack Arthur made a brilliant one-handed save when it looked like the equaliser was inevitable.

Bovey did score however five minutes before half-time as Josh Webber sent a spinning shot into the left hand corner with Jack unable to get near his goal bound effort.

In the closing stages of the first half, home captain Aidan Whitfield had a shot which flew over the bar so the score draw was still very much on.

The second half was another competitive affair as both sides attempted to play the passing game.

Tempers started to fray and the referee was very keen on sin binning some of the Bovey lads as well as administering bookings as he went about his business.

In the 54th minute Ollie Aplin had a great chance but scuffed his shot wide and so the moment passed.

Substitutions came and went and Leon Tootall looked to be through on goal and there was a hint of a penalty as he fell to earth but it was not given.

Then on 77 minutes as Crediton held siege to the Bovey goal, the ball fell loose to Sam Stapleton and just as you expected the net to bulge, the lad swept the ball high over the crossbar and the score stayed level.

What a chance and, of course, this would have given Sam his hat-trick.

Apart from a shot from Webber just before the end, the teams could not be separated so the score ended at 2-2.

A bumper crowd of 175 drifted home through the rain and this means that Crediton stay second in the table for the new year, which is a massive achievement considering the newness of the squad.

So, a massive well done to Ben, Jack and the lads who have given us a fantastic first half of the 22/23 season.

Crediton team: Arthur, Whitfield, Knight, Bilcock, Johnson, Gillard, Bennett, Down, White, Pike and Stapleton. Subs: Tootall and Corrick.

Man of the match: Adam Bilcock.

Paul Whittall