SDFL division one
Buckland Athletic thirds 2
The Bees' ninth game in 28 days, versus one of their nearest league rivals, was always going to be a big ask.
With eight players unavailable from the Herald Cup final squad, the Bees were lucky even to get a side out.
The first half could easily have ended with the visitors finish 1-4 up, but they misfired in front of goal and the Bees were plucky and dogged.
The Bees scored 10 minutes before the break when Danny Tucker, having had his first free kick disallowed, found Rob Niblett, who scored with a powerful header into the corner of the net for 1-0.
At the start of the second half Bees groundsman Terry Patey was commended by a Bucks official commenting that their first team didn't play on as good a surface as The Cellars.
Bucks pressed relentlessly but Luke Broad headed every ball in and advanced with the ball at every opportunity.
However, Bucks put a free kick into the area and the ball bounced a couple of times and was headed into the goal for the equaliser.
Bees felt they were hard done by in the second half, firstly when Tucker's shot was blocked by raised hands but nothing was given. Similarly Lee Morgan, felled in the area, was waved away.
The cruellest blow came when, after lovely play between Tucker and Guy Watson, a cross in saw Niblett clearly head the ball over the line before the 'keeper scooped it out and cleared it.
The referee, following confirmation from his assistant, waved play on, leaving the Bees players and supporters flabbergasted.
Shortly afterwards a Bucks free kick on the edge of the D was clipped into the corner of the net, with 'keeper Carl Hoare left rooted to the spot to give Bucks the advantage.
The Bees were second best for much of the game but felt robbed of a share of the points by the decision not to award what they felt was a clear goal.
The man-of-the-match award was given to Luke Broad.
Beesands play tomorrow, away, versus Ipplepen Athletic in a vital game, kick-off at 2pm.
All are welcome to come along and support the Bees.
Babbacombe Corinthians 1,
Beesands Rovers 3
BEESANDS picked up another valuable three points in their push for promotion against a stubborn Corinthians side on the previous Wednesday night.
With little time for a proper warm-up, the visitors started a little off the pace but once they took the lead the result was seldom in doubt.
Man-of-the-match Danny Tucker created the first goal, threading the ball through to Rob Niblett, who won the race with the 'keeper to flick the ball over him and run the ball into the empty net.
Tucker then chipped the 'keeper from the corner of the 18-yard box, only to clear the bar by inches and then had another goalbound shot blocked by a defender.
Lee Morgan made space for himself in the area before hitting the post and as Tucker went to poke in the rebound a challenge from behind went unpunished and the 'keeper dived in to claim the loose ball.
The half ended with Niblett rising to meet a Dave Lang corner but his header was cleared off the line.
Ten minutes into the second half Tucker finally got on to the score sheet with a left-footed shot from 25 yards proving too strong for the 'keeper to keep out.
Almost immediately Corries pulled a goal back when slack marking from a corner allowed a free header to find the back of the net.
Niblett then headed just wide from a Tucker corner before the latter scored a peach of a goal to restore Beesands two-goal advantage.
As the Corries defence struggled to clear a Dave Harvey throw-in, the ball reached Tucker almost 30 yards from goal. This time his chip was inch perfect, going in off the underside of the bar.
Moments later Beesands lost Joe Bailey to a serious-looking injury when his knee gave out running for the ball.
With the game entering its latter stages, that man Tucker had a golden chance to score his first Beesands hat-trick when a penalty was awarded for hand-ball and he stepped up to the spot.
Opting for placement rather than power and with the 'keeper guessing correctly, his shot was comfortably saved.