Uplyme 2

Beer Albion Reserves 2

ON AN unbearably hot evening Uplyme entertained Beer Albion Reserves in a pre-season friendly.

Following the decision to enter the first team into the Devon and Exeter League for the upcoming season,  it  was interesting to see how the Swallows faired against a much higher placed team,  Beer being in Division 1 and Upyme competing in Division 6.

Uplyme set their team  up to play to their attacking strengths, with three at the back and two wing-backs, and  started brightly, matching their  opponents, but fell behind inside five minutes to a slick Beer move.

Undeterred, Uplyme pressed for an equaliser and midway through the half a ball pulled back on the far side fell to Daley Holmes whose whipped-in delivery beat the keeper to level things up.

More pressure led to Holmes' second, a clever curling finish from outside the box, making it 2-1 at half-time.

 Beer piled on the pressure in the second half as Uplyme started to lose the midfield battle so they changed formation to counter.

Beer had a few chances, denied by the excellent Bayley Alner, making his debut in goal. Chances still came Uplyme's  way with three strong shouts for penalties  and Ollie Alner almost scored direct from a corner, just clipping the bar.

Beer eventually equalised with a goal that showed their quality, a one-two putting their player through to clip it over the advancing Alner.

This proved to be a great work-out in searing heat for Uplyme against a side five divisions higher.

Manager Pete Blandamer  thought his side played well from front to back with a special mention for Bayley Alner in goal. Man-of-the-match was Daleyy Holmes  for his all-round contribution and workrate, capped with two goals.