Stoke completed a rise of 13 places in a week with a battling victory over a Bickleigh side who will undoubtedly do substantially better than their debut season as they presented organised and resolute opposition, testament to considerable pre season work from mid Devon legend and managerial maestro Hedley Steele. A beautiful sunny day graced Broadley Lane amidst news that nearly £500k worth of building development starts in two weeks with a site meeting and presentation by the Football Foundation before the home game against Newton Spurs on 11th September. There is now no going back.
Both sides battle plan started disjointedly with possession forfeited more than either management team could have been happy about as Bickleigh's aerial assault caught the prevailing wind for a plethora of goal kicks and Stoke's ground assaults were met with poor control and surrendering of arms. However, the Railwaymen created the first clear cut chance on on 22 minutes when Lewis Robinson, Tom Armstrong and Martin Sutcliffe combined down the left and the resultant ball inside was met by Mark Newbould whose twenty yard strike grazed the visitors crossbar. This was to prove only a temporary setback as seven minutes later Robinson combined with Newbould and the latter's cross was met by Glen Palmer six yards out at the near post whose near post bullet header bulged the net before anyone else could blink. Bickleigh responded and within three minutes the ever troublesome Andy Murphy outpaced the home rearguard but was unable to beat Matt Congdon in the home goal as he struck wide of the far post. A subdued interval arrived but Stoke doubled their advantage a minute after the restart when an Armstrong corner evaded Chris Garnsworthy in the visitors goal and a gaggle of players at the near post to drop to Palmer who chested in from 1.25cm in the centre of the goal. Stoke visibly relaxed and almost paid the penalty when on 53 minutes Congdon was forced to complete a hollywood dive low to his right to catch a half struck shot which he achieved without spoiling any of his carefully arranged barnet. Beautiful. On 71 minutes the workmanlike Andy Hawkins provided a deep cross which again found Palmer at the back post but although the burly shiny topped striker's control was exquisite his shot from ten yards went over as he eagerly sought ownership of the match ball. Steele's charges were not to be outdone though as Tom Beddows found himself in a favourable attacking position down the channel and his powerful low strike was brilliantly saved low to his right by Congdon in Banks-esque 1970 stylee, again without damage to his grooming. Exquisite on this occasion.
And so three points and third place were secured as the predicted closness of the division appears to take shape with only one team not dropping points during the first week of the season. Fascinating.