Holsworthy holding their own in a ‘Cornish’ League

The South West Peninsula League took the brunt of football postponements on a soggy weekend, a scenario that leaves Holsworthy AFC with eight league games to play over the next two months.

Placed in the West section of the league, the Magpies have been flying the North Devon flag against what is essentially a Cornwall division, and they have flown it with a fair amount of distinction.

The story of the Holsworthy season has been one of stringent defence alongside a slightly blunt attack, as demonstrated by just 25 goals conceded and 21 scored in their 22 fixtures to date.

In the past few weeks, the Magpies have suffered a 1-0 loss at home to leaders Newquay but then won by the same slender scoreline at Wadebridge, thanks to a Callum Mconie strike.

Max McDonald was the the man on target in a 1-0 triumph over Truro City 2nds, which was followed by a 0-0 stalemate with cup semi-finalists Penzance. Goals are not always on the menu at Upcott Field but fans are guaranteed a tight encounter.

In the hope we’ve had the worst of the bad weather, Holsworthy resume hostilities with a visit from Dobwalls on Saturday and then a trip to Liskeard. The other remaining games include Camelford (H), Sticker (A), Wendron (H), Bude (H), Bude (A) and Wendron (A).

On the East side of the division, Torridgeside and Torrington were involved in two of the four matches given the green light to play.

The T-Siders, undoubtedly still recovering from their heartbreaking cup loss at Penzance, hosted Honiton Town in an entertaining encounter that ended in a 2-2 draw. Tyler Evans-Loude and Blake Shapland were the scorers for Torridgeside.

It should have been an away trip to Teignmouth for Torrington but with the Teigns now forced to play all their remaining fixtures on the road due to a landslip at their home ground, the Super Greens staged the game in tricky conditions.

The first half did not go entirely to plan, as a foul in the area led to a red card for Jacob Mardling and Ryan Tresidder converted the penalty to give the Teigns a narrow half-time lead. Ten-man Torrington fought back bravely, however, levelling through Brad Williams but the ‘visitors’ pinched a 2-1 win with a goal from substitute Harry Payne.

The other two games saw lowly Middlezoy surprise Stoke Gabriel & Torbay Police with a 2-0 victory and Bishops Lydeard won 1-0 at Bridport. This weekend, Torridgeside host Middlezoy and Torrington travel to Bridport.

Five games survived the deluge in the Devon Football League and one of them resulted in a frustrating 1-0 home loss for Appledore against visiting Ottery St Mary.