Beer Albion had to work hard to secure a point at Upottery on Saturday, drawing 1-1 at Glebe Park in a Macron Devon and Exeter Premier Division game, writes Richard Honnor.

It was not one of the Fishermen’s most fluent performances as the home side dominated possession, playing some lovely football. Yet Beer did create as many chances and went close to stealing the three points in the final minutes.

The Fishermen were missing regular centre backs Andrew Foster and Kieron Love and with Martin Adkin also unavailable, player manager Richard Walker stood in at centre half.

Consequently, Beer missed Walker’s presence up front and they offered little offensive threat. But Walker and co-centre back Joe Adkin were superb at the heart of Beer’s defence as they dealt with almost everything that Upottery threw at them.

Upottery should have been two up at half-time, but spurned good chances.

First, on 14 minutes their striker miscued wide from six yards after Beer failed to clear a corner.

Then keeper Jones made a good save from close range on 28 minutes. The Fishermen were unable to get the ball down and play and their frustration showed just on half-time when skipper Sam Phillips was sin-binned for dissent.

Despite being down to 10 men, the Fishermen started the second period brightly and took the lead on 50 minutes when Jack Harwood controlled a long clearance from keeper Jones and laid the ball to Simon Smith.

The midfielder hit a spectacular strike from 25 yards into the top corner. At last the Fishermen began to play with some confidence, but Upottery responded well and after a succession of corners, the home side equalised on 61 minutes with a clean strike from 12 yards out from their left back.

Four minutes later, the Fishermen had a lucky escape when Jones dropped a cross at the feet of the Upottery striker, but Adkin cleared off the line.

The Beer keeper made amends on 72 minutes when he pushed a fierce 20-yarder around the post for a corner.

As the home side pressed hard for a late winner, the Fishermen started to find space to create some chances themselves.

On 76 minutes hard-working Jack Harwood went close and then the unmarked Chris Long failed to control a far post cross.

Upottery then went close in added time with a header just over the bar and then Long fired just wide at the other end.

This coming Saturday (November 4), Beer meet unbeaten Premier Division new boys, Cronies, at the Furzebrake. Kick off is at 2.15pm and the match sponsor is The Cloth Shop, Seaton and Crewkerne.