Fluxton were 3-0 winners in their latest Fresha League outing, writes Alex Paget.

Andi Davies was the Tomahawk TE-416 exorcet cruise missile, Matt Clothier-Smith’s 40-yard pass the laser-painted target. Davies met ball on the brink of the box, heels afire, a vision in tight-fitting green. Time slowed, the lineman’s flag shimmered at his side, ball momentarily frozen on sweet spot, full of latent kinetic energy. And then bam! In off the underside of the bar, before settling into the net like a tamed meteor!

What an opening goal! For the previous minutes, Fluxton’s ten men – one sacrificed to the line-running gods – had toiled against an organised Halwill side who possessed a fleet-footed hulk up top.

All lined up to try to match his stride, all failed. Except wise old Tristan Long who blocked, lunged and salvaged for 90 minutes and a man-of-the-match award in front of belle and boy. If he faltered, Matty Sercombe had his best glue-gloves on. Halwill were kept at bay, but easily the better side!

Davies only got the call at 30 minutes to kickoff and arrived with just 5 to spare. Dragged off his sickbed to forage the right flank, he would surely have got the MOM vote any other game. Or would he? Debutant Jim Godfrey broke his wrist (we suspect) five minutes before half time. Two minutes on the touchline with not even a magic sponge to douse the pain and he was back into the fray, picking up all the scraps in front of a gelling back four. (It was later discovered that Godfrey did indeed suffer a fracture, but the injury was not confirmed until a post match visit to hospital so he played 50 minutes with what a broken and dislocated forearm!

Not long after the first, perked-up Fluxton got their second: A long, swirling throw nicely faced in by the relentless Hayden Figures. One more scare and Fluxton reached the break with a generous cushion of two. Another last-ditch saviour, Chris Bowden, had arrived just before the turn to release Will Boyd from his shackles. A full compliment at last. (Anyone willing to run the line in return for the odd curry, please apply).

The second half was better. John Ashley started getting forward from full back to link with Boyd down the left and the game was played mostly in Halwill’s half. Chances were thin, though, and a Halwill goal might have panicked the Fluxton ranks. The excellent ref was getting plenty of time requests but just into the nervous eighties it was Fluxton who got a relieving third. Boyd was released down the left and tried his luck only for the ball to find Figures who smashed into the corner to bag his third brace in three.

Ottery’s Volunteer Inn served up a great curry for all except Davies who found himself contemplating his strike alone in Sidmouth’s Volunteer.

Fluxton (4-3-2-1): M.Sercombe; Long, Ashley, C.Sercombe, Chapman (Bowden ‘86); A.Paget, Clothier-Smith, Godfrey; Boyd, Davies; Figures.