Verde Recreo Men’s League
Championship
Plymouth Marjon A 4, Taunton Vale 2

VALE men’s 1sts travelled to Plymouth with ambitions of maintaining their unbeaten start to the season.

Following a number of slow starts, Vale were keen to get on the front foot and scored first, with Andy Taylor threading a ball through to Ethan Williams, who finished well on the reverse.

This woke the hosts up, and Vale were soon forced onto the back foot.

Few chances were created, as the visitors defended well, until Ed Eminson was surprisingly adjudged to have deliberately stopped the ball with the back of his stick, resulting in a penalty flick and yellow card.

Plymouth scored the flick and capitalised on the disarray that followed, scoring twice more to end the half 3-1 up.

Vale regrouped and came out a much better side in the second half.

From a short corner Martin Johnson beat the keeper with a drag flick, but could only find the inside of the post, and to make matters worse the hosts executed a well-worked counter-attack from the loose ball to make it 4-1.

The visitors continued to push and Johnson reduced the arrears with a neat drag flick 10 minutes later, but the home side saw out the win.

Man of the match: Ivo Maxwell

This Saturday, Vale host second-places Truro, starting at noon.

Southern 1
Taunton Vale A 4, Truro A 1

THE 2nd XI faced Truro A at home, and after the previous week’s sterling performance Vale were determined to make Gipsy Lane their fortress.

The hosts dominated the opening 15 minutes, putting constant pressure on the opposition goal, but to no avail.

Truro then scored on the counter-attack, against the run of play, but Vale soon equalised through a well-worked team goal that was neatly finished by Jonty Lawford.

Truro then had a number of short corners but these were well dealt with by the defence, and the scores were level at half time.

Vale started the second half as they had played in the first, controlling the possession and territory.

It wasn’t long before space opened up across the pitch, leaving Adam Veitch unmarked and able to collect a long ball into the D, before taking it around the keeper for an easy finish.

This boosted the hosts’ confidence and they scored a third through a short corner, tucked in by Karl Trunks.

Vale were able to pick up another goal through opening scorer Lawford, who beat the keeper one-on-one to make the final score 4-1.

Man of the match: Ben Hembrow

Vale go to North Devon on Saturday (2.30pm).

Central 1
Team Bath Buccs C 7, Taunton Vale B 5

VALE B were on the losing side of a 12-goal thriller at Bath Buccs last weekend.

They found themselves two goals down after 10 minutes but then pulled a goal back through Rich Edwards from a penalty corner.

Vale conceded another goal but Freddie Stevens pulled a goal back, his first in men’s hockey.

Kyle Wheaton scored another but the visitors conceded again just before half time.

The second half continued as the first, with goals galore – Bath picking up their sixth goal and Vale replying through Stevens.

Bath broke at pace to make it 7-4, but the Taunton side did not give up and Matt Osmant scored their fifth from close range.

Man of the match: Freddie Stevens

This Saturday they host City of Bath A (3pm).

South East 1
Taunton Vale C 11, East Devon C 1

A RAMPANT Taunton Vale C had plenty to celebrate as they ran out 11-1 winners against East Devon C.

Three goals inside the opening three minutes set the tone for the hosts, who dominated from then on.

East Devon hit back but Vale led 4-1 at half time.

Seven unanswered second-half goals from the home side wrapped it up.

The scorers were Jon Pike (3), Ben McElroy (2), James Dakin, Ashlee Barclay, Will Venn, Liam Elliott, Jonathan Jackson, and finally James Hebditch, with an audacious lob over the goalkeeper.

Man of the match: Will Venn

On Saturday Vale are at Yeovil and Sherborne A (1pm).

South East 2
Chard B 0, Taunton Vale D 1

THE 5ths took on Chard B, and began slowly, but made amends for their poor first half with a goal early in the second, as Freddie Wolfenden took a great first touch to direct the ball into the corner.

Vale had other chances but had to see out a nervy finish to the game, for their first clean sheet of the season.

Man of the match: Freddie Wolfenden.

Vale entertain ECV Hornets B on Saturday (4.30pm).

South East 3
Bridgwater D 1, Taunton Vale E 2

VALE’S 6th XI continued their impressive start to the season with a hard-fought victory at Bridgwater.

The visitors conceded early on but restored parity midway though the half, Daniel Donovan slotting home.

The second half was a scrappy affair, but a moment of magic on the breakaway from Tom White secured the three points for league leaders Vale.

MOM: Kieran Warren, Ellis Lake and Tom White

Vale E are without a fixture this coming weekend.

***

TAUNTON Vale ladies 1sts picked up their first win of the season at the sixth time of asking on Saturday.

They beat Bournemouth 2-0 to move up to ninth in Premier Division 1.

Vale’s 2nds went down 5-2 at Newquay in the South Division.

In Sedgemoor Division 1, the 3rd XI beat Chard 3-2 while the 4ths drew 3-3 at White Eagles 2nds.

In Sedgemoor 2, Vale 5ths won 3-0 at Winscombe 4ths and the 6ths lost 1-0 at home to Taw Valley 2nds.

Fixtures
Sat, Nov 10: Yate v Taunton Vale (1pm); Taunton Vale 2nds v Tavistock (1.30pm); Taunton Vale 3rds v Yeovil & Sherborne 2nds (10am); Chard v Taunton Vale 4ths (12.30am); Taunton Vale 5ths v Taunton Civil Service 2nds (10am); White Eagles 3rds v Taunton Vale 6ths (noon).

***

TAUNTON Civil Service men’s 1sts continue to go well in South East 1, sitting in second spot after a 4-0 win over Yeovil & Sherborne A.

Their 2nd XI suffered a first defeat in South East 2, 5-3 at North Devon A.

This Saturday the 1sts go to Chard A (2pm), and the 2nds host Yeovil & Sh. B (noon).

As for the Civil Service ladies sides, their 1st XI are still without a win in the Central Division, after losing 6-2 at Weston-super-Mare.

The 2nds thumped White Eagles 3rds 8-1 in Sedgemoor Division 2.

The CS 1sts entertain Old Bristolians (1.30pm) and the 2nds are at Taunton Vale 5ths (10am) this Saturday.