Barnstaple go close with this goalmouth action against Gillingham Town

Ilfracombe and Barnstaple both made progress into the quarter-finals of the Les Phillips Cup competition on Saturday.

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The two North Devon teams in the lower half of the Western League Premier Division successfully avoided potential banana skins by beating two of the league’s top Division 1 sides.

Cup holders Ilfracombe had to overcome the weather before they overcame Melksham Town 2-0.

Two hours before kick off a torrential downpour left Marlborough Park looking more like a swimming pool than a football pitch, but chairman Alan Day and club secretary Tony Alcock were in no mood to be defeated by the weather for a third week in a row. With a few other helping hands they worked tirelessly to clear the settled water off the surface and get the pitch playable.

The heavy pitch proved to be energy sapping, with both teams struggling to get to grips with the conditions. But it was the home side that mastered the conditions better.

As Combe started stringing passes together, Tom Rossiter made himself a nuisance up front and Ryan Turner found himself in some great areas. But the final ball let them down on a number of occasions in the early stages.

But they did find a breakthrough in the first half when Craig Allen clipped a ball in to Rossiter, who controlled it on his chest before being hacked to the floor. The referee pointed to the spot and Ross Middleton stepped up to give Combe a 1-0 lead at half time.

They came flying out of the traps in the second half and could have gone further ahead within the first 10 minutes. Jon Vooght had the best of the chances, breaking clear on the left with only the keeper to beat, but his shot bobbled agonisingly wide of the far post. In an almost identical situation two minutes later he rounded the keeper, but with the angle too tight, couldn’t apply the finish.

Melksham continued to try and play the ball on the ground even though the conditions were getting increasingly difficult. But home keeper Steve Oliver, was rarely tested as Melksham struggled to open up a well organised defence.

Combe made the game safe midway through the second half when Steve Holland floated a ball to the back post and Tom Rossiter headed it home.

They could have increased their lead in the final stages. Ryan Turner, Shaun Lewis and Shaun Copp, both off the bench, all missed opportunities.

They will now host Odd Down in the next round.

On Saturday they are in league action away to Wells.

Barnstaple chalked up their third successive victory with a 2-1 cup win at home to Gillingham Town, currently second in the Division 1 table.

Barum held the edge in the opening half and were rewarded when Billy Tucker again found the net for them, giving them the lead after 34 minutes.

There was an element of good fortune as the young winger’s cross from the right sailed over the visiting keeperinto the top corner of the net.

Gillingham equalised right on half time when Town keeper Luke Parnell was beaten to a long ball by visiting midfielder Ashley Clarke, who knocked it into the empty net.

The matchwinner came from Town’s other wing man Connor Clifford, who continued his recent goalscoring with a well taken chance 15 minutes from the end.

After fashioning himself an opportunity on the edge of the box he slammed home a left-footed shot.

The visitors pressed hard in the closing stages and twice hit the woodwork, but were unabgle to close the gap.

Town will visit Larkhall Athletic in the league this Saturday.