Beer Albion 4, Heavitree Soc Utd 2 BEER Albion were one of the few East Devon clubs to get any action on Saturday, writes Stephen Birley

Beer Albion 4, Heavitree Soc Utd 2BEER Albion were one of the few East Devon clubs to get any action on Saturday and it paid massive dividends as they beat Heavitree Social United 4-2.The win was all the more remarkable for the fact that the hosts had, just seven days earlier, knocked Peninsula League opposition out of the Devon Premier Cup and the Fishermen twice trailed in the contest. But despite their previous week's heroics the visitors arrived at Furzebrake without a single point on their travels to date this top flight term and, if Albion were to begin some sort of a great escape from the foot of the table as the year draws to an end, then this was exactly the sort of fixture they needed to launch their charge.That is most certainly what they did. It has been a tough time for all at Albion since the start of the season with senior members at the club citing the fact that, owing to summer defections, the hard fact is that the side are battling to simply retain Premier status. But, on Saturday, it all came together with a display of genuine spirit and they weren't short on enterprise either. Luke Bartlett, Pedro Fontes, James Melville and Mark Anning netted the Fishermen's goals and the result sees them climb two places up the table and, perhaps far more significantly, they also vacate the bottom spot.Club secretary Roger Hoare only managed to see the first half as he had to get off to do a night shift, but what he saw pleased him immensely. He said: "It was a really good all- round display by everybody in an Albion shirt. I think the basis of the final result was the display by the three centre back system in front of a very capable Steve Jones in goal."The three-man central defensive unit was Phil Arbourne, Danny Rowson and Martin Adkin. Sadly one of the goalscorers, Fontes, may well have played his last game for the side as he is set to return to his native Portugal before Christmas. Hoare says that if Saturday was the last the team see of him then he signed off in grand style. Hoare said: "He's a smashing lad and it will be a shame if we have seen the last of him."There is no game for Albion this coming weekend which, given the result against Heavitree United, is not something that boss Phil Crabb would have wished for. Scheduled opponents Bickleigh will be trying for the third time to get their Graddon Vending Devon Premier Cup game against Brixham Villa played.Beer Albion Reserves are currently flying the local flag in the top Intermediate Division and they will regard Saturday's trip to second-from-bottom Culm United Reserves as a genuine chance to consolidate their third place behind unbeaten leaders Wellington 3rds and second placed Cullompton Rangers 3rds.