Beer Albion 2nd’s 0-4 Farway United 1st’s

In front of a Furzebrake crowd of 80, Beer Albion 2nd’s slumped to a 4-0 home defeat against local rivals Farway Utd on Saturday writes Richard Honnor.  It was sweet revenge for the visitors whom the Fishermen had defeated the Farmers 4-3 in the corresponding fixture at Farway earlier In the season.

Beer had no answer to the pace and incisive football produced by the visitors on the day although they did squander a number of good chances. However, the scoreline could have been much greater but for some fine saves from Fishermen’s young keeper Leo Gribble who had a very busy afternoon. 

With just 5 minutes gone, Farway were in front. The right back hit an accurate pass down the inside right channel which was well controlled and squared into the box for Fullick to hit a clean strike into the top corner from 12 yards.

The Fishermen squandered a couple of chances to get back on level terms first when Simon Smith, in the clear, shot wide from 18 yards, and then Fraser Beamont blasted a free-kick over the bar from 20 yards. 

Harry Lawrence did test the visitor’s keeper with a decent strike on 15 minutes and was unlucky on 25 minutes with a fierce shot that went narrowly wide. But Farway went close on three occasions themselves before increasing their lead to 2-0 on 26 minutes. Beer’s defence was caught in possession near the half way line and Farway broke quickly in numbers. Gribble saved the first effort well from De Winton but could do little about the rebound which was clinically fired home by Harry Leisk from close range.

Farway had a stroke of luck on 33 minutes when their centre back Forsyth deliberately handled the ball on the half way line appearing to deny Beer a scoring opportunity. The referee however thought otherwise and awarded only a yellow card.

But there was no luck about Farway’s third goal which came on 40 minutes thanks again to Beer giving away the ball in their own half. The ensuing cross from the right wing was not dealt with in the penalty box and a clean strike by River Leisk from 12 yards gave Gribble no chance.

The Fishermen squandered a good chance to stay in the contest on the stroke of half time but Jack Prior sliced the ball high and wide from close range. This summed up Beer’s day.

After the break it was more of the same. The Fishermen battled hard enough but their tiring defence and midfield was could not cope the pace of the visitors. Beer bravely held out until the latter stages thanks in no small measure to Gribble’s goalkeeping which included one spectacular flying save on 77 minutes.

But Farway wrapped up the game on 82 minutes with their 4th goal. Again Gribble bravely parried de Winton’s attempt but could little about the rebound swept in from close range by Fullick.

Match sponsor Justin Adkin of Adkin’s Boat Boatworks picked out Leo Gribble as Beer’s best player and midfielder Reece Hales toiled hard to spark Beer’s midfield. Man-of-the-match was awarded Farway’s midfielder Harry Leisk.

 Next Saturday, Beer 2nd’s travel to their close rivals Seaton Town 1st’s, wanting to avenge the 4-2 defeat earlier in the season. Kick off at Colyford Road is at  2:15pm.