Honiton Town net home point / Honiton RFC now a single point off top spot after ‘walk-over’ win / Dunkeswell ground the Eagles in Devon Cup tie – all the local sporting action on the first Saturday of 2019

FOOTBALL

The first Saturday of 2019 saw mixed fortunes for the four East Devon-based teams playing in the South West Peninsula League Eastern Division.

Just one of the four won, but it was a terrific result for Sidmouth Town as they won 1-0 at Newton Abbot Spurs.

Honiton Town can also be mighty pleased with their afternoon’s work as they shared four goals with Mountbatten Park visitors Ilfracombe YTown.

However, there was disappointment for the followers of Axminster Town as they witnessed the Tigers suffer a 3-1 home defeat at the hands of Torridgeside.

It was also a difficult afternoon for followers of Budleigh Salterton as they went down 7-1 at home to table-topping Stoke Gabriel.

In Macron League football, the Premier Division turned up a mixed bag of results. Beer Albion won the East Devon derby at Glebe Park, Upottery, where they were 2-1 victors. That was the same score that Lyme Regis won by at Topsham Town. Feniton went down 2-0 at Clyst Valley and Seaton Town lost 5-1 at Heavitree United. Premier Division leaders Colyton played out a 0-0 home draw with Witheridge.

In other local sides in Macron League action, Sidmouth Town Reserves won their home Division One meeting with Wellington, 2-1. Tipton St John’s Division Two game at Newtown Reserves was abandoned with just over 10 minutes remaining owing to an injury. In the same division, Axminster Town Reserves were 3-1 winners at Priory,

In Division Three it was another superb day to be a follower of Ottery St Mary as the Otters chalked up a seventh successive victory with a 7-1 win at East Budleigh. A result that sees the Otters take over at the top of the table! In other Division Three games, Axmouth United lost 5-3 at home to Clyst Valley, Beer Albion beat Tedburn St Mary 3-2 and Otterton went down 2-1 in their home East Devon derby with Budleigh Salterton Reserves.

In Division Four, Millwey Rise lost 4-3 at Elmore Reserves, but there was a 2-0 home win for Feniton Reserves against St Martins and Lyme Regis won their home game with Hemyock 4-0.

In Division Five, Upottery Reserves suffered a major surprise defeat when they travelled to basement dwellers Starcross Generals, a side yet to win this season, and went down 5-3, suffering only their second league defeat of the campaign!

In the same section Cranbrook bagged a clean sheet home success, beating Awliscombe 1-0.

Another Division Five side, Dunkeswell Rovers, finally managed to play their Devon Intermediate Cup tie with Elmore thirds – and they beat the Mid Devon men on their own Bickleigh pitch, powering into the last eight of the county cup after a 6-2 success!

There was also Devon Intermediate Cup action for another Division Five outfit, Sidmouth Town thirds, but their cup run ended as they went down 7-2 to Appledore Lions.

In Division Six, Seaton Town Reserves are up to fourth in the table after a 5-2 home win over Offwell Rangers.

In Division Seven, Otterton Reserves won 4-2 at Pinhoe Reserves, Sidmouth Town fourths were 2-0 home winners over Bickleigh and East Budleigh Reserves went down 4-3 at Village Inn.

Last, but certainly not least, in terms of the Macron League, in Division Eight, Honiton Town thirds shared four goals with Bradninch Villa.

RUGBY

In the Tribute Cornwall and Devon division, Honiton claimed another win, and they did not have to kick a ball in anger as they had a walk-over victory against struggling Lanner.

Withycombe suffered a 71-0 mauling at Hayle and so stay bottom. Indeed, a 23-12 win for Pirates Amateurs over South Molton means Withy are now five points adrift at the bottom of the table. I

That ‘win’ for Honiton takes them to within a single point of joint leaders Bude and Penryn. Bude were surprisingly beaten for just the second time in the league this season, going down 15-7 at home to Torquay Athletic. Penryn were 48-19 home victors over Tavistock. Other results in the division were; Liskeard Looe defeated Topsham 19-17 while Plymouth Albion Oaks won 44-15 at Plymouth Argaum.