Fluxton win thanks to Figures double

Fluxton were 5-0 winners when they hosted Sandford in a Fresha League Division Five game, writes Olly Paget.

The pre-match foray to the East Devon Point-to-Point taught the Fluxtonians to ignore a horse’s form at your peril. Having never raced against each other, the Sandford stallion and Fluxton filly could only go by the one point that separated them at the top of the table; this mutual respect lasted for sixty goalless minutes until Fluxton cracked the whip and thundered to victory.

The goalless first half saw missed chances for both teams, but perhaps it was the visitors who deserved to nose ahead having hit the inside of the left post and had to desperately watch the rebound bobble along the goal line. Fluxton were playing positive, disciplined football and reassured themselves at half-time that the goal would come if they continued with their pragmatic approach.

It was Figures who broke the deadlock on sixty minutes with a dainty overhead kick to convert Champan’s delicately flighted cross following his serene trot down the right flank.

An invigorated Figures tasted blood. He got his brace just five minutes later with a powerful header from Clothier-Smith’s pinpoint cross. Sandford rallied and longed for a reply, butt heir long ball approach was bread and butter for Durrant and C Sercombe at the back. Any Fluxton angst was dispersed in the 74th minute when A Paget hoofed home his little brother’s corner.

Whilst Sandford were finding it heavy going, Fluxton in contrast were frolicking towards pastures new; they got the deserved fourth - and goal of the game - when Devereux’s French pedigree shone through as he latched onto O Paget’s pass and calmly curled the ball into the bottom right corner. This was turning into a one horse race. In the final furlong Clothier-Smith made a late run to the far post and converted A Paget’s very long, long-throw.

Fluxton stay at the top of the table and can begin to think about a step up in class.

Fluxton: M.Sercombe; Long, Ashley, Chapman, C.Sercombe; Hughes, A.Paget, Durrant, Clothier-Smith; O.Paget; Figures