WESTERN FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Ivybridge Town 3 Portishead Town 0

SUBSTITUTES Owen Pritchard and Sean Thomson were both on target for Ivybridge Town in their 3-0 win over league leaders Portishead Town in the Jewson Western League at Erme Valley on Saturday afternoon (Sept 7), writes Graham Hambly.

Pritchard scored three minutes after being introduced when he was perfectly placed to apply the finishing touch to an excellent cross from the left by the lively Thomson in the 71st minute, while Thomson, who came on at the start of the second half, scored with a cracking shot that rifled into the net in the 75th minute.

Those second-half goals wrapped up victory for Ivybridge who had taken the lead five minutes before the interval when striker Rory Busby connected with a header despite the attention of visiting skipper Toby Lawrence following a well-directed free kick by goalkeeper Kane Gregory from deep in the Ivybridge half.

It was Portishead’s first league defeat of the season and was the second time in successive matches that Ivybridge had toppled a team from top spot in the table following their 2-0 win away to former league leaders Brislington the previous Saturday.

Ivybridge have now put together a run of four successive victories, starting with a 2-0 win away to Newton Abbot Spurs in the FA Vase, and have kept four clean sheets in the process.

Ivybridge joint manager Wayne Gamble said: “Now we need to keep the consistency going. We are scoring goals and keeping clean sheets. We have a confident bunch of players.”

Gamble admitted that his side was a little fortunate to be one-up at the interval, adding: “Neither team created anything much during the first half.”

Ivybridge showed their true form in the second half, however, with some lively attacking play and created enough chances to have added to their goal tally.

They benefitted from the experience of Chris Wright in midfield. He was the team’s man of the match with Gamble explaining: “He was 37 during the week, but he plays like he is 27. He has played at the top level as a striker but is so important for us in a holding role in midfield.”

Next up for Ivybridge will be a trip to St Blazey on Wednesday evening (Sept 11) followed by two home matches in quick succession with Shepton Mallet due at Erme Valley on Saturday (Sept 14) while Torpoint visit the following Wednesday (Sept 18).

Ivybridge will travel to St Blazey boosted by their 3-1 victory at Blaise Park in the FA Cup last month, but Gamble warns: “Despite our recent results, we will not be taking St Blazey for granted.”

Pictured is the young Rio Daly, who was named as Ivy’s Player of the Month for August, with Gamble heaping the praise on him: “He’s still a young lad but a very tough lad who has put in some top performances.”