SDFL premier division

Loddiswell Athletic 1,

Dartmouth AFC 5

Dartmouth AFC recorded an emphatic 5-1 victory away to Loddiswell Athletic to cement their place in the top three of the SDFL premier division.

Simon Webb and Daniel Lumley were impressed by their side’s performance and application from the word go as they were the team pressing the play and asking the questions.

Clever link-up play between Kirby and Robbie Chalk down the right saw the winger upended, and from the resulting free-kick the smallest man on the pitch should’ve found the target with his head when he was left unmarked 10 yards from goal.

Chalk on the right and Scott Mcroy on the left were providing a real outlet for their teammates and it was down Mcroy’s side of the pitch where the first goal was created.

Webb’s desire to chase every loose ball and harass his opponents paid dividends when he pounced on a mistake from the home defender before squaring to Rushe to tap into an open net.

Sixteen-year-old debutant Jake Self and Ben Greeno occupied and marshalled the centre of the pitch superb­ly, preventing Loddis­well from threatening the spine of the Dart­mouth side.

They looked most dangerous from set pieces and came close to drawing level when a 40-yard free-kick evaded everyone, in­cluding Sam Davies in the Dartmouth goal, before smacking the top of the crossbar and bouncing behind for a goal kick.

In truth a second Dartmouth goal was looking more likely and it duly arrived after 35 minutes. Greeno found the energetic Webb once more with an instinctive through ball and the young striker showed composure beyond his years to round the ‘keeper and guide the ball into the net.

Goal number two was followed by number three just before the half-time whistle when Rushe scored his second of the game with a clever flick into the top corner.

Loddiswell weren’t disheartened by the score and enjoyed their best spell of possession at the start of the second period.

They deservedly re­duced the arrears when the big number nine scored with a cracking header but they found the back four of Kirby, Jordan Frost, Daniel Drury and Kevin Caus­ley in no mood to allow them back in to the game.

Dartmouth took the sting out of the game after this goal and moved the ball around with an air of confidence and energy.

First Greeno shot wide when well placed inside the area and then Rushe fired over the bar when the ball decided to jump off the ground when he looked certain to score and complete his hat-trick.

Mcroy and Webb were replaced by the returning Chris Hooper and Sam Churchill who marked his arrival with a trademark full blooded tackle that earned him a yellow card.

Dartmouth eventually made their domination count when Chur­chill’s good vision and perfectly weighted ball found the run of right back and man of the match Kirby, who poked home for goal number four.

Bruckner took the place of Rushe as the lone striker and he completed the scoring with a clinical strike into the bottom right corner.

This was their third win in four and they’ll be hoping to extend that run this weekend with a tasty looking Herald Cup fixture.

Newton 66, who have made a solid start in Division One, travel to Longcross for a 2pm kick-off.

Dartmouth AFC reserves, meanwhile, were defeated 3-1 at home to Buck­fastleigh Rangers.

The young Darts competed well for the majority of the match, but found themselves trailing by three goals before Rhys Morrallee’s late effort ensured they kept up their record of scoring in every game this season.

The managerial duo of Gary Lobb and Alex Buscombe will be hoping their team respond with a positive result away to Bishopsteign­ton.

Kick-off in division two is at the later time of 2.30pm.