Beer Albion Reserves were trounced 7-0 away at Uplowman on a wet and miserable Easter Saturday, writes Richard Honnor.

Having only dropped four points so far, the home side are favourites for the Division Five title and are by far and away the best side the Fishermen have encountered this season.

The conditions were extremely difficult with a strong wind blowing straight down the pitch.

Also most of the playing area became waterlogged due to heavy rain just minutes after kick off.

Nevertheless, it was Beer who started brighter and they were denied the lead on five minutes when the keeper pushed Sam White’s 25-yarder on to the bar. Two minutes later Billy Long’s effort was saved by the keeper.

Thereafter, as the pitch got heavier the Fishermen’s valiant attempts at passing football got bogged down in the middle of the park.

Uplowman handled the conditions much better by regularly getting the ball out wide to the drier areas of the pitch and then delivering quality crosses which their eager forwards were able to capitalise on.

Uplowman went 1-0 up after 20 minutes against the run of play when a shot from 20 yards skidded in after good wing play down the left. Beer keeper Chris Driver was under constant pressure but made some goods saves to keep his side in the game. However, he was beaten again on 35 minutes to make the score 2-0 following yet another marauding run down the left wing.

Any hopes of the Fishermen getting back into the game after the interval were shattered by a three-goal blitz in the first 10 minutes of the second half, the home side scoring on 46, 55 and 56 minutes.

All the goals came from direct wing play and dangerous crosses. After bringing on Sam Phillips, Adam Brewer and Shaun Denslow, Beer produced some fleeting moments of good football and Brewer was extremely unlucky on 71 minutes to hit the underside of the bar from close range after a great run from Jacob Clode.

However, the home side finished with a flourish adding two more goals on 72 and 82 minutes for a final tally of 7-0.

For Beer, skipper and centre back Josh Moughton battled extremely well but on the day the Fishermen were outplayed by a very strong side.

Next Saturday (April 2), Beer Albion first team entertain their local rivals Honiton Town at the Furzebrake in the Fresha Premier Division whilst the Reserves are at Exeter-based Priory in a Division Five match.