PSF: Bovey Tracey v Torquay United 14th July 2010

Line up was: Potter, Udoji, Palmer, Charnock, Rowe-Turner; Macklin, Lathrope, Wroe, Stevens; Yeoman, Benyan. Subs Kee (for Yeoman) Halpin (for Macklin) and Kudi (For Wroe) all came on within 10-15 minutes of the second half.

I'm sure the intention was probably to give a few more of the kids a game as well, but I guess Bucks wasn't that happy with the scoreline and didn't want to risk any embarassment by throwing them on and so Parrish, Taylor, Spear and Lang never got to make an appearance.

It finished 6-0 with goals from Yeoman (after 3 minutes) Charnock a couple of minutes into the second half, Benyon on the hour and a flurry in the last 15 minutes (as you might expect) with further goals from Kee (penalty), Danny Stevens and a second for Benyon.

I would guess there were about 300 or so of us pour souls stood there in for what was the most part pouring rain - the showers were really heavy at times! I felt a bit sorry for the organisers at Bovey Tracey FC as clearly they had hoped for better weather with a live band laid on pre-match and a BBQ on the go - unfortunately it wasn't the balmy summers evening they were probably hoping for, shame.

I suppose the biggest shock was that we only went in 1-0 at half time and that after Yeoman had given us an early goal inside three minutes.

It's fair to say BT battled very well and gave a very good account of themeselves it really was only in the last 15 minutes that inevitably they tired and we really started to open them up.

We certainly created enough chances to have won by double the score we did - we were denied a couple of clear penalties, hit the woodwork a couple of times and their keeper made a couple of great saves. The best save though came from one of their defenders after it looked for all the world as though we had added to our tally in the first minute of the second half when Danny Stevens was clean through having beaten the keeper only to be denied by a fantastic goalline clearance. Never mind though as from the resulting corner, their keeper let the greasy ball slip through his hands and Charnock thumped in a header.

Whilst a 1-0 lead at half time was a little too close for comfort given the gulf in class between the two sides it shouldn't be forgotten that we had a very young team out, as apart from Potter there were only four in the squad of outfield players that competed tonight that have passed their 21st birthday by my reckoning (Charnock, Wroe, Stevens and Benyon).

I thought both trialists acquitted themselves well with Udoji in particular showing some decent touches in the fiirst half. I also thought Rowe-Turner did well too.

No sign of any other trialists so I guess we may never know who the mystery man (Mr Pelentrides) from last night was and whether or not he was any good!

A little surprised that the likes of Charnock, Benyon and Stevens were given 90 minutes and it will be interesting to see whether or not they feature again on Friday - if they do you could forgive them for tired legs!

Finally, I thought Saul Halpin showed his class tonight - skipping past their defenders with ease on many occasions. He was only denied by a brilliant tip over by the keeper on one occasion and was narrowly too high with another. He won us the penalty (that was one that the referee did spot - although he really couldn't deny us this one!) when he was bundled over with 15 minutes to go and picked himself up with the intention of taking the penalty himself ... only to be denied by a shout from the bench from Bucks for either Billy or Elliot to take it ... shame! Mind you, Billy Kee was very quick to nip in ahead of EB !

Halpin though linked very well with the likes of Benyon in particular and you can see why the club felt the need to protect their interests in getting him on a long contract,

An enjoyable, if rather damp night and well done to everyone connected with Bovey Tracey for putting the game on and for making it such a good workout for the team.

300 hundred sounds a good number on such a wet night and it does seem a real shame that Bovey hosting a league two club and trying to make it a really special occasion for them , should have such bad luck and find the weather after being so nice for so long, finally breaks.

Its no surprise the fitness of professional players will always end up a deciding factor as such a game wears on, but its good to hear Bovey gave a very good account of themselves.