A round-up of local football and rugby on the first Saturday of December

FOOTBALL

Honiton Town were edged out by the odd goal in five in their South West Peninsula League Premier East meeting with Dartmouth at Mountbatten Park. Mind you, that final score reflects just how close this contest was. The Hippos trailed at half-time to a penalty and fell further behind two minutes into the second half.

They then got two goals of their own to level things up at 2-2 before losing a player to the sin bin during which time Dartmouth scored the games fifth and final goal to wrap up the points.

In the same division there were even more goals in the game that Axminster Town were involved in on the artificial Plymouth surface that is home to Plymouth Marjons. The sides each scored twice before the break and there were five more goals in the second half as the students won 5-4.

Exmouth Town's wonderful home run is over after Town were held to a 0-0 Southern Road draw by a Hallen side that has suffered just one defeat all season in terms of their Toolstation Western League Premier Division away games. Town had won 10 in a row from the opening day of the season, but they remain unbeaten at Southern Road this season.

Exmouth Town Reserves were edged out by the narrowest of margins in their Devon Premier Cup tie at Macron Premier Division side Beer Albion who progressed to the next round with a 2-1 win at their Furzebrake home.

Exmouth Town thirds suffered a rare defeat as they went down 4-2 at Witheridge thirds.

Budleigh Salterton suffered a second Scott Richards Solicitors Devon League North & East defeat in the space of four days when beaten 9-1 at table-topping Newtown. This latest result comes just three days after a 3-0 Greenway Lane defeat on Wednesday night to Teignmouth.

Sidmouth Town produced a stunning performance to secure their first South West Peninsula League Premier East victory since an August 17, 4-2 win at Torrington!

Ahead of the game Town boss Danny Burwood had said it was a 'must win' game for the Vikings and, with his side 3-0 down at half-time whatever the Town boss said in the Manstone Lane dressing room clearly worked for his side scored four times after the break to take the points!

Ottery St Mary picked up their first away point of the Scott Richards Solicitors Devon League South & West campaign as they shared four goals with hosts Plympton Athletic.

The Otters were two down after just 20 minutes but a Henry Powell free-kick sent them into the break just a goal in arrears and, in the second half, Tristan Courtney netted to make sure the Otters got that elusive first away point and it also means that the Otters are now unbeaten in two after last weeks home win over Plymstock United.

In terms of Macron Devon and Exeter League football it was a 'grim day at the coal face' for East Devon teams in the Premier Division for all five lost! Feniton were beaten 4-2 at home Lyme Regis, Upottery went down 2-0 at Glebe Park against Cronies, Colyton were beaten 7-3 at University Reserves and Seaton Town went down 3-2 at Okehampton Argyle. Completing a bad day at the office were Sidmouth Town Reserves who went down 2-1 at Whipton & Pinhoe.

In Division One, Tipton St John suffered a 10-1 mauling at home to Wellington Reserves while Lympstone were 1-0 home winners over Crediton United Reserves. In Division Two Honiton Town Reserves went down 3-0 at home to East Budleigh while, in the same division, Otterton beat Sandford 4-2 and Beer Albion Reserves were 3-0 winners at Clyst Valley Reserves.

In Division Three Dunkeswell won their derby game at Hemyock 2-1 and, in the same division, Axmouth United were beaten 5-2 at high-flying Exmouth Spartans.

There was a fine 3-0 win for Cranbrook in their Division Four meeting with Sampford Peverell at the Cranbrook Education Centre and, in the same division, Colyton Reserves lost 5-3 at University. Also in this division, Sidmouth Town III were 2-0 winners at Cheriton Fitzpaine while Feniton Reserves lost 2-1 at Central.

In Division Six, Seaton Town Reserves were 4-1 home winners over Otterton Reserves and in Division Eight, Millwey Rise Reserves were 1-0 winners at Wessex Park Rangers Reserves.

There was mixed success for East Devon Macron League teams in cup action with Exmouth Rangers thrashing Bradninch 9-0 in a one-sided game at the Withycombe pitched while Awliscombe, in the same competition, were beaten 5-1 at Exeter-based Bishop Blaize.

RUGBY

Honiton were beaten for the seventh time in nine Western Counties outings, going down 34-14 at home to Penryn.

In other East Devon rugby, Exmouth suffered a fifth defeat in six South West Premier outings when they were beaten 31-26 in an entertaining contest away at Exeter University. The Cockles will probably point to more injury woes as to why they were edged out by the students.

Withycombe march on though and they chalked up a 10th straight success in their Devon One campaign after they beat Totnes 53-14 at Raleigh Park.

Sidmouth recovered from being 19-0 down to win 27-21 in their Western Counties One West game at Bridgwater & Albion.