Mid-table opponents Beer Albion and Newton St Cyres shared the spoils in a tight Macron Devon and Exeter Premier Division contest at a bitterly cold and windy Furzebrake, writes Richard Honnor.

The difficult conditions were not conducive to flowing football and defences dominated a very even, albeit somewhat dour, contest.

With the wind at their backs, St Cyres shaded the first half, but were often guilty of over-hitting the final ball.

The Fishermen competed well but were penned in their own half for much of the period.

There was no real goalmouth excitement until the 43rd minute when Beer keeper Steve Jones was called on to make an excellent save from a swerving 10-yard effort. But the visitors were finishing the half strongly and fortuitously took the lead one minute later after Beer’s defence had casually given the ball away on the left side of their penalty area.

The resulting cross hit the bar and with the assistance of the wind bounced down and blew back just over the goal line, despite Joe Adkin’s valiant attempt to clear.

After the break, the Fishermen had the better of the conditions and were unlucky not to equalise on 48 minutes when George Harwood’s 20-yarder rattled the Newton St Cyres cross bar.

Goal scoring chances came for both sides as the game opened up and Beer had good opportunities both from open play and free kicks around the box, but most attempts were poorly executed and missed the target. Quality in the final third was distinctly lacking from both teams on the day.

Just as it seemed that St Cyres had smuggled the three points, the Fishermen had one last throw of the dice when they were awarded a free-kick in the 87th minute after substitute Ed Karajev was brought down just outside the penalty area.

Pedro Fontes, who had been prominent in most of Beer ‘s attacking play, floated the free-kick to the near post where the Newton St Cyres centre back, under pressure from Richard Walker, looped a header over his keeper into the goal to give Beer a deserved point.

The Man of the Match award, chosen by match sponsors Rock Villa Off-Licence and Post Office, went to Beer midfielder Pedro Fontes, but he was run close by defenders Joe Adkin and Jack Prior, who played well at the back for the Fishermen. Newton St Cyres’s best player was forward Sam Johnson.

On Saturday (March 24), Beer Albion first team have another mid-table clash against Clyst Valley in the Macron Premier Division. Kick-off for the Furzebrake game is 3pm.