Double over University
Dawlish Town Reserves 5 University of Exeter 1
For the first time in many weeks Manager Richard Woods was able to field a near full strength side for this Monday night game against the University of Exeter who were sitting six places above Dawlish in the Devon and Exeter League table at kick off with Exeter University were out for revenge for the 5-2 loss to Dawlish earlier in the season at their home ground.
Both teams started well looking to dominate the midfield, 10 minutes into the game 16 year old Damien Furnivall picked up the ball on the edge of the University area, turned the defender and hammered the ball past the outstretched keeper to give Dawlish the lead. Dawlish continued to pressure the University and started to play some great football, Liam Jones collected the ball on the edge of the centre circle in his own half from defender James Spence and weaved his way past five defenders to the edge of the University area to crack the ball home for the best solo goal of the season. This gave the home side a 2-0 lead going into the half time break.
Both sides came out looking for the advantage after the break and it paid off for the University when 10 minutes into the half they pulled a goal back. From the kick off Dawlish Town forward Gary Hodgeson passed the ball out to the left wing where Dave Walker, who was having an excellent game, he took the ball around two defenders and let fly with a shot that found it’s way passed the keeper to restore the two goal cushion. Dawlish Keeper Niall Herbert pulled off two excellent saves to keep the University at bay, but Dawlish settled on their lead and continued to play great football, The two Dawlish wide players, Dave Walker and Sean Stoneman began to supply the two front players Gary Hodgeson and Damion Furnivall which continued to pay off when Hodgeson added to his seasons tally with two more goals before the end of the game to give Dawlish a 5-1 victory.
“I am proud of the way the team played today” Commented Manager Richard Woods, “All of them worked hard for each other, and the second half showed what good football they can play. The average age of the tem tonight was 18 which’s shows how our youth system is starting to pay off. We had three sixteen year olds out there tonight and they excelled themselves.”
General Manager, Derek Spence added, “On tonight’s showing Chris Myers has decided to take three of the youngsters to Frome for Wednesday nights first team game in the Western League Premier Division, now we have secured the runners up position we want the youngsters to experience football at the higher level, on tonight’s showing we could take all 14 players. Joe Crooks who has been a regular in the first team squad for the last 10 weeks will be going, alongside Liam Jones and James Spence, all three are only 17 which speaks volumes of the youth set up at Dawlish Town. Next season we will be building on this and the football in the Community programme when we will hopefully see more players come through from the youth system and progress to higher levels.