SDFL division one

Beesands Rovers 3,

Salcombe Town 5

The second local derby of the season took place on Tuesday evening and, despite this being a home match for Beesands, the game took place at Malborough as their pitch continues to be unavailable after winter storm damage.

With Rovers third in the table and Town fourth, a tight game was expected and the early exchanges were pretty even, with chances for both sides, James Haslam hitting the post for Salcombe.

Beesands were denied an early penalty when a foul, which looked to have been in the area, was adjudged to be outside and the subsequent free kick was cleared.

Salcombe took the lead when Kieran Stallard fired home a low free kick from the edge of the area. But if Town thought they could build on that lead, they were sadly mistaken, as Matt Bodman netted an equaliser for Beesands within a minute.

With the game really open at both ends, further goals were inevitable, and it was Salcombe who struck again 10 minutes later. Haslam took advantage of a poor clearance to record his first goal for the club.

Town than began to press for further goals and ­managed another two before half-time, with Ashley Yeoman firing in the third and Luke Milton, up for a corner, getting the fourth.

Going into the break, Salcombe looked comfortable, but there always seems to be a wobbly 20 minutes – this came at the start of the ­second half, with Fin Bullen getting the goal to get Rovers back into the game.

This was followed by a very soft penalty awarded for handball, which was converted by Bullen for his second of the game. It now looked like anyone’s game, with chances coming at both ends.

Town had a good shout for a penalty when Yeoman was brought down, but this was waved away by the referee.

Salcombe grabbed the ­decisive goal 10 minutes later, however, when Yeoman got his second and Town’s fifth to make the game safe. Despite Beesands pushing forward to get back into the match, the Town defence held firm to claim a deserved three points.

Salcombe play their ­penultimate league game of the season tomorrow, when they face Stoke Gabriel Reserves at Malborough in an earlier 1pm kick-off.