SDFL Division Five
and Strete 6,
Chudleigh Athletic 1
On Saturday Stoke got their season back on track with this dominant performance and excellent result on a beautifully sunny day at The Green.
From the kick-off it was the home side who passed the ball around with confidence, dominating the midfield battle from start to finish as Copeman and captain Shepherd dictated all the early play.
It was Jamie Elliott, who opened the scoring 15 minutes in as he hit a spectacular free kick from all of 30 yards that flew into the top right corner.
Minutes later man-of-the-match Dan Bastin got the first of his four-goal haul with a fantastic finish that lobbed the helpless Chudleigh ‘keeper.
Shortly after Bruckner got in on the act as he finished clinically following a Bastin knockdown.
The backline of Webber, Worthington, Clayton, Elliott, and debutant Soper, were excellent as they snuffed out any hint of a Chudleigh revival making sure Stoke went in at half time with their three-goal lead intact.
After half-time Stoke continued to pin their opponents in their own half, with wave after wave of attack.
However, against the run of play it was Chudleigh who struck back, albeit rather fortuitously, when a half-cleared cross looped over the defence and into the path of the onrushing forward to score.
Almost instantly after the Chudleigh goal Bastin got his second after finishing excellently following an Aron East pass.
East turned provider again when his whipped-in cross was met with a bullet header from Bastin to complete his hat-trick.
Bastin rounded off the scoring and an excellent individual performance when he ran in at goal and finished low into the bottom left corner for his fourth and Stoke’s sixth.
Stoke will look to build on this result in their next match away to Brixham AFC thirds tomorrow.