Newton Abbott FC 3rds 1-0 Malborough & Hope Cove FC

Malborough & Hope Cove went into this league game looking to give the same inspired performance against Nova two weeks ago, although losing two first team regulars through injury.

The game kicked off a little later than expected and it was Boro who, although started slowly, took the game to their opposition and had a few ambitious shots.

Abbott slowly worked there way back into the match, winning the possession and using the ball creatively. On the attack, Newton were very quick and Boro’s defense were forced into make a couple of mistakes and this led to a few one-on-ones with Boro keeper, Steve Avent who made excellent stops to keep them out.

On 30 minutes the deadlock was broken and this was blamed on the slack marking of Boro on set pieces. A swinging Newton corner was executed by the unmarked number eight. Boro kept their heads high and stepped up a gear for the remainder of the half, with strong and well timed tackles from the centre midfield pair of Nick Bowles and Danny Gregory and also centre backs Dan Batchelor and James Thomas.

Boro then created some decent chances with Bowles scrapping the post and Gregory with an ambitious lob from 20 yards out that hit the top of the bar. James Whitley also had a great chance to score, when he wriggled past two defenders and smashed the ball hard and low only to see the keeper pull off a brilliant stop with his hand.

By this time, Boro had a decent 20 minute spell and Abbott knew they were in for a battle and started to lose concentration and tempers flared between their team mates.

Minutes from the end of the half, Joe Barraclough did one of his trademark runs, skinning three players before being upended in the box by the Newton centre back. The appeals from Boro were turned down by the referee. The half time whistle came, and for Boro at completely the wrong time as they were growing in confidence.

The second half started as it did in the first, very slow and very few chances for either team, but gradually Abbott took a grip on the game and were using the wings more and putting some decent crosses in. They were also winning more of the ball in midfield and the centre midfield were putting through balls into the strikers but again Steve Avent was on hand to prevent Newton scoring a second.

Boro made their first and only change of the game, Rob Hutchings replaced the injured James Whitley and he made several excellent runs down the left flank. One excellent play involving Hutchings was where Harry Dawson and Hutchings linked up well, this led to Hutchings running onto the through ball, with the keeper on the approach, he coolly took it past the keeper and laid it off for Danny Gregory only to see the ball miss the empty net.

Boro were starting to get back into their stride with some excellent and crucial interceptions from the back four of Andy Lee, Dave Parry, Batchelor and Thomas.

With a few minutes to go, Boro had one last chance, Bowles had a shot that struck a Newton defender and the ricochet fell into the path of Barraclough, who somehow got his shot through two defenders but the keeper again made an outstanding save with his foot.

So again, a similar story is beginning to pattern as it was so close for Boro, a good performance but nothing to show for it. Next week is a must win game, as its now only one win in seven. Next Saturday (December 11) Marlborough & Hope Cove face Dittisham at home.