SDFL division five

Stoke Fleming and Strete 1,

Torbay Police reserves 3

Stoke hosted Torbay Police in division five on a sunny afternoon last Saturday.

Missing eight regular players, Stoke did well to field 11 against a good Torbay side.

Knowing it would be a uphill battle Stoke tried to contain there opponents but the golf in class started to show with torbay craving a make shift back four apart.

The first goal came after Stoke were caught out on a rare attack into the police half and after the Torbay striker lifted the ball over the on rushing Stoke ‘keeper he found his team mate at the back post un­marked to head home into an unguarded net.

It was soon 2-0 when again a long ball over the top caused trouble and after Luke Webber had called ’keeper’s ball, he connected with thin air to allow the Torbay forward an easy finish.

The scoreline became 3-0 in a matter of minutes and a turn on the edge of the area and a fine finish into the top corner left the ’keeper no chance.

Torbay then got a penalty after Webber had saved a header but only managed to push it on to the hand of Jordan Hodgson; a penalty was given, but Webber made up for his earlier error by making a fine save down to his left to push the ball away.

All this was in the first 25 minutes.

Torbay kept coming, looking like making the scoreline more, but found Webber in fine form, keeping the scoreline down to just 3-0 at the break.

Stoke wanted to show an improved performance in the second half and it almost went from bad to worse straight from kick-off, but Curtis Yeo made a brilliant last-ditch tackle to prevent it becoming 4-0.

Stoke began to put pressure on Torbay, pressing high up the pitch and starting to force mistakes.

Chances began to come for Fleming and Sam Bruckner made it two in two with a fine finish from 20 yards out.

Police had chances but again couldn’t find a way past Webber. Hodgson then raced clear, beating the ‘keeper to the ball then squaring a lovely ball, but the onrushing winger couldn’t find the finish.

Towards the end Police had the last chance but another save denied them.

The game ended 3-1 but could have been much worse with so many players missing. The man of the match went to Luke Webber.

Next up Stoke travel to Broadhempston 2.30pm kick off.