SWPL EAST Dartmouth AFC 0 Ivybridge Town 4
- Details
- Created on Thursday, 11 August 2022 12:51
- Last Updated on Thursday, 11 August 2022 13:16
- Published on Thursday, 11 August 2022 12:51
- Written by GRAHAM HAMBLY
SOME attractive football earned Ivybridge Town an impressive 4-0 away win at Dartmouth.The result meant Ivybridge continued their successful start to the season following a 1-0 home win over Bridport on Saturday.
Winger Luke Forward gave his side the boost of an early lead when he scored the opening goal in the fourth minute and striker Jordan Ewing added the second in the 28th minute.
Dartmouth were given a possible lifeline in the 58th minute when they were awarded a penalty, but Robbie Bowker saw his spot kick rebound off an upright.
Ivybridge took full advantage of that escape by adding further goals through substitute Callum Murphy (68th min) and summer signing Ryan Smith (77th min).
Overall, it was a confident performance by Ivybridge with Josh Zimmerman having a commanding game at the heart of defence in place of skipper and central defender Scott Pocock, who was unavailable.
The measure of the Ivybridge performance was that, despite scoring four goals away from home, they were also reflecting on a number of missed opportunities.
Ivybridge manager Darren Stewart said: “We scored four tremendous goals that were really clinical, both individual and team goals. Dartmouth are a good side, and they will be there or thereabouts at the end of the season.
“They finished one place below us last season, so it was good to come here and score four and miss a lot of chances as well.
“We created some one-on-one situations where nine times out of ten you are looking for the finish to go with it. But we are not going to be greedy. Four goals is a good score although we probably missed five or six easier chances.”
Commenting on the enforced change in defence, Stewart said: “If we are going to achieve what we want to achieve we need to have a decent squad. Scott was away tonight so Josh Zimmerman came in and did a fantastic job.
“The way pitches are at the moment people are scared to play through the midfield so that suited Josh, who is fantastic in the air, and he did really well.”
Stewart admitted that his side benefitted from Dartmouth’s penalty miss, commenting: “I think the only time we stepped off the gas was between 55 to 70 minutes. That was a 15-minute spell where we gave the ball away too cheaply. Dartmouth got on top and had a penalty. They missed the penalty and we got back on to it.
“If they had scored the penalty at 2-1 you are in for a pretty frantic last 20 minutes. That miss took the wind out of their sails and gave our lads a little reminder of what they should be doing.
“We got back to playing football. The third goal from Callum was a touch of quality 10 minutes after he came on to the pitch which sealed the game really.”
There was also praise for Smith, who completed the scoring in the closing stages with Stewart adding: “Ryan has done really well. He is a young lad I have known through youth football and we are pleased to have him.
“He is not 100 per cent match fit yet but I thought he and Owen Raven, as our two central midfield players, were fantastic and for him to get a goal will do his confidence a world of good.”
Ivybridge will look to continue their winning start to the season when they host Torridgeside at Erme Valley on Saturday (1500ko).
SWSN star Fletcher Williams (Ivybridge Town)
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