On another rain-hit weekend for local football, Beer Albion’s Furzebrake pitch again defied the weather gods to stage an entertaining Macron Division Four game between the Fishermen’s second string and Sampford Peverell, writes Mike Adkin.

Following last week’s victory against Winkleigh, the Albion ran out 4-1 winners to consolidate their position in the top half of the table.

On a heavy, but playable surface, both teams took time to settle to the conditions, but it was Beer who got their noses in front after 10 minutes, with a fine Tom Neale strike from outside the box into the bottom corner of the visitor’s net. However, the Zebras were back on terms five minutes later, a shot into the Beer box taking a couple of ricochets, before a wicked deflection left keeper Rooke stranded.

Clear-cut chances were few and far between through to half-time, the best of which saw Neale blasting a good opportunity over the bar on forty minutes.

The second half saw an increasing number of chances falling Beer’s way, with good efforts from Jay Catley and Ollie Padget, and they deservedly took the lead in the 63rd minute when a slide rule pass from Neale saw Jack Harwood drill a low shot into the net between the keeper and near post to make it 2-1.

As the second half wore on, the Zebras started to tire against the more youthful Fishermen, and it was no surprise when, in the 70th minute, Jamie Walker latched onto a pass from Ryan King to make it 3-1. Beer wrapped things up on 82 minutes when Harwood took the ball through two defenders and round the keeper for his second, completing a fine 4-1 victory.

Despite the cold and wet conditions, and a few puzzling refereeing decisions, the game was played in good spirit, and both teams provided the crowd of around sixty excellent value for their £1 entrance fee. The match sponsors were Kenworthy and Arbourne Builders of Beer and they opted for midfield dynamo Kevin Drummond as the pick of the Sampford players, but they presented the Man of the Match award to to Beer’s Ryan King for a faultless display at left back.

The Fishermen’s first string will hope to get some Premier action this coming Saturday (February 17), with a tough looking away game at high-flying Cronies. The Reserves are at home again, against University 5ths and the match sponsors are The Beer Coastguard Rescue Team.