Carlsberg South West Peninsula division one East
Stoke Gabriel 7
Okehampton Argyle 0
DUE to injuries, suspensions and player unavailability, Argyle turned up at high-flying Stoke Gabriel with only 12 players and no recognised goalkeeper. Joint manager Stuart Cann had to play in goal and veteran joint manager Neil Agnew was the only substitute available.
Okehampton showed they were still able to play some good football in midfield but the home side created most of the scoring chances and took the lead on 13 minutes. With the Argyle defence appealing for offside, a Stoke player got round the back of the Okes' defence wide on the right and played the ball in. In the resulting goalmouth scramble, Liam Moseley forced the ball home. Argyle generally matched their hosts for the next half-hour and 10 minutes before half-time, almost equalised when a fine midfield movement put Colin Marshall in with a shooting opportunity on the edge of the box. His powerful shot passed inches wide of the post with the Stoke keeper beaten. Unfortunately, Stoke immediately came back and Sam Green increased their lead with a fine header four minutes before the interval.
With Ben Harris unable to start the second half due to an injury, Neil Agnew had to come on for his first league match of the season. He showed that he still has all his old skills and sprayed some fine passes around, playing with good positional sense, but the advantage now definitely lay with the home side and they began to dominate.
Liam McAuley increased their lead within a minute of the restart and went on to complete his hat-trick; further goals were added by Richard Whatman and David Worthington to complete an embarrassing afternoon for Argyle.
• On Saturday Argyle at home in the South West Peninsula league to Teignmouth, kick-off 3pm.
In the Devon and Exeter intermediate three Okehampton Argyle thirds are away to Follygate, kick-off 3pm.