STOKE Gabriel & Torbay Police are now seven games without a win in the Walter C Parson SW Peninsula League.

Their latest disappointment came in the shape of a 5-2 win away at Bovey Tracey AFC, the defeat at Mill Marsh Park being a sixth in their last seven with a draw at Okehampton Argyle the only positive.

This has been a remarkable season for Stoke as, after a mixed start, they went on a tear, losing just once in the league from the beginning of October to mid-February. This began with an eight-game winning streak and they began to enter the conversation at the top of the table, only for their recent run to cut that short.

Stoke took the lead in South Devon only for goals from Tom Burt and Levi Landricombe to flip the script before the visitors found an equaliser at the end of the first half. Thomas Dunlop and Jed Roberts were the scorers for the Bees.

Jack Brimming restored Bovey’s lead in the second 45 and he was then joined on the scoresheet by Landricombe again and substitute George Bills. This makes it two wins in two for their new boss, former Torquay United player, Ben Gerring.

Whilst these two went to battle on Saturday 19, the majority of the football in the Peninsula League took place in the driving rain on Good Friday.

Sticking with South Devon first and a clash between local rivals Teignmouth AFC and Newton Abbot Spurs ended honours even. Despite being played at The Rec, the home of Spurs, this was actually a home game for Teignmouth owing to their ground issues.

Owen Green put Spurs ahead as Tyler Joint’s dangerous, in-swinging corners finally paid off but Danny Carroll then hit back with a looping effort for Liam Jones’ side.

Spurs came close to winning it on a couple of occasions but were unable to breakthrough the resolute Teigns defence for a second time.

Results over the weekend confirm a second-place finish for this young Spurs side, second only to the deserved champions Sidmouth Town. Sidmouth guaranteed the title with a 5-1 win over Spurs the week prior and this time out, Craig Veal and Louis Spalding scored to secure them a 2-0 victory away at Honiton Town.

Elsewhere in the division, Middlezoy Rovers overcame Bishops Lydeard by two goals to nil plus there was only a single goal in it for both Okehampton Argyle and Torrington AFC, beating Crediton United and Torridgeside AFC respectively. Also, Stefanos Stavrianos, Riley Weedon, Harry Burwood and George Geraghty netted for Bridport FC as they beat Axminster Town 4-2 whilst Cullompton Rangers won 3-1 against Elburton Villa at Adopstar Park.

Looking ahead to the final weekend of action and Stoke welcome Honiton to Broadley Lane. A win for them and a loss for Okehampton at Bishops Lydeard would see Stoke move up to sixth whereas, at the very least, they know if they avoid defeat then seventh place is theirs in the final standings.

Other fixtures include Bovey Tracey vs Crediton United, Newton Spurs vs Torrington AFC and Torridgeside AFC vs Elburton Villa.