SDFL division four
Dartmouth reserves 6,
Chudleigh Athletic reserves 1
Dartmouth reserves claimed their first league win of the season with a comprehensive victory over Chudleigh reserves.
In a must-win game for the Darts, the emphasis was on quick, positive forward play, and they started the brighter of the teams, with Chris Collett and captain Dan Drury at the centre of defence dictating the tempo of the game.
In the 15th minute Dartmouth deservedly opened the scoring; Charlie Smith broke from midfield and showed great composure to finish well from a tight angle.
This goal seemed to give the home side confidence, and full-backs Carl Woodgate and Richard Yeo began to work the ball nicely with wingers Robbie Chalk and Rhys Morrallee.
The visitors were clearly struggling to match the high levels of energy displayed by Dartmouth, and after Holmes and Morrallee combined on the edge of the box, it was Smith who popped up once again to dispatch his effort to the right of the 'keeper and into the net.
Within minutes a dangerous cross from Chalk fell kindly to the feet of Morrallee at the back post, and he clinically struck past the 'keeper's near post to make the score 3-0.
The hosts continued to hunt for more goals, with Ben Greeno and Ed Armitage going close with shots from distance.
Dartmouth were really beginning to enjoy themselves, and this was reflected when the next goal of the game arrived after half an hour.
Goalkeeper Dylan Wild was a spectator for much of the half, but he did well to kick downfield to Greeno, who fed a perfectly weighted through ball to midfield partner Smith to finish superbly for his first hat-trick in men's football.
Just before the interval a fifth goal arrived; Morrallee's hopeful volley wriggled through the hands of the Chudleigh goalkeeper and trickled over the goal line.
Terry Chalk and Paul Morrallee would have been more than happy with their team's first-half display, and they returned sensing more goals and a greater margin of victory.
It must be said that Chudleigh came out fighting in the second half, but they could do nothing about a brilliant improvised header from Armitage that nestled into the far corner of the net.
Soon after, Greeno latched on to a Smith pass to go past two defenders before being denied by a brilliant save.
James Lee and Ross Little were introduced with 15 minutes to play, and it was Lee who miscued his effort with the goal gaping after Chalk had played the ball back to edge of the box.
The goal of the game arrived with little time remaining; the Chudleigh striker placed his 30-yard free kick beautifully into the top corner, giving Wild absolutely no chance in the home goal.
Wild pulled off a couple of saves near the end to ensure the scoreline reflected the complete dominance that Dartmouth had throughout the game.
This was an excellent victory for the home side, and they now climb to 10th in division three.
This week they travel to Teign Village in the league for a 2.30pm kick-off, with the first team hosting league rivals East Allington in the Herald Cup. The match gets under way at 2pm at Longcross.