BUCKLAND Athletic brought an end to their four-game winless streak last weekend to keep their playoff push on track.
Substitutes Ryan Bush and Todd Hanrahan struck late at Homers Heath to complete the turnaround for Dan Hart’s side against Ilfracombe Town.
This win leaves them in sixth in the Jewson Western League with their two games in hand over fifth-placed Paulton Rovers crucial in their mission of securing a playoff spot.
A trip to Shepton Mallet (8th) awaits tomorrow, a club who themselves still have ambitions of finishing in the top five. Devon rivals Ivybridge Town may be able to do Buckland a favour when they head to seventh-placed Nailsea & Tickenham, the Greens having also won last time out in the league with an impressive 5-2 success of Barnstaple Town.
Since then, Ivybridge exited the St Luke’s Challenge Cup in controversial circumstances at the hands of Bideford AFC, manager Wayne Gamble taking to social media to vent his frustrations about the standard of refereeing on show.
Moving over to the Walter C Parson SW Peninsula League and this title race has displayed a prime example of points on the board being better than games in hand. Newton Abbot Spurs ended March with two defeats and a draw, a slip-up in form that may well have put the silverware on a plate for Sidmouth Town.
Spurs bounced back with a midweek victory of Axminster Town though and can continue to do their bit when Okehampton Argyle visit The Rec tomorrow. Sidmouth aren’t playing and so an emphatic victory against a struggling Argyle side could send a strong message.
Elsewhere in the Peninsula League, Bovey Tracey AFC and Teignmouth AFC will go on the road, taking on Middlezoy Rovers and Torridgeside AFC respectively.
In the post-Matt Hayden era for Bovey (link to article), this will be their first game under the stewardship of former Torquay United man Ben Gerring.
In the Southern Football League, a narrow defeat for Tavistock AFC against Evesham Town stunted their spell of resurgence, the Lambs having won the four previous games to move out of the relegation zone.
Ahead of this weekend’s trip to ninth-placed Westbury United, Tavi are three places and five points clear of the drop so whilst they’re headed in the right direction, they still have a bit of work to do.
On the topic of relegation and there is a local pair at the wrong end of the table in the South Devon Football League Premier Division.
Chudleigh Athletic are rock bottom on nine points whilst Beesands Rovers are one point and one place better off, although the pair do have three games in hand each on 10th-placed Elburton Villa. Games against sides in the top half present another difficult afternoon for them as they hope to end the season on a high.
South Hams duo Totnes & Dartington and East Allington United are slightly better off and they have clashes with Paignton Saints and Ilsington Villa to look forward to, respectively, tomorrow.
Also in the top-flight, there is a local derby between Kingsteignton Athletic and Newton Spurs 2nd XI with the Rams at home- the two are both on 32 points but Spurs have multiple games in hand on all of those around them and will be hopeful of a title surge when all is said and done.
Other fixtures of note in the SDFL include Newton 66 (2nd) vs Elburton (10th) in the Premier Division, Bovey 2nd XI vs Paignton Villa in the Division One Dartmouth Cup, Liverton United (6th) vs East Allington 2nd XI (5th) in Division Two, T&D 2nd XI (7th) vs Newton 66 2nd XI (8th in Division Three) and Kingsbridge & Kellaton United (9th) vs Barton Athletic (10th) in Division Four.
Finally, to the Devon Football League where time is running out for Bere Alston United and Ipplepen Athletic to escape the drop zone.
Ipplepen having an interesting clash with North Molton Sports Club, who themselves aren’t in a great position, whilst Bere Alston host Elmore. Dartmouth AFC’s trip to Appledore has been postponed.