Showing no signs of “ring rust” after a five-week lay-off, Devon League Leaders Beer Albion maintained their 100% record with their best performance of the season to overcome second-in-the-table Budleigh Salterton by an impressive 4-1 margin, writes Richard Honnor.

After surviving an early scare when they conceded a free-kick inches outside the penalty area, Beer went 1-0 ahead on seven minutes. Josh French, who was looking really sharp up front, was brought down just outside the box and up stepped Giles Basson to evade the defensive wall with a perfectly executed free-kick low inside the left corner.

Budleigh responded strongly and their forward line led by Jack Hocking put the Fishermen’s defence under pressure for a while, forcing an Elliot Driver save at full stretch. 

On 17 minutes, the Fishermen went 2-0 ahead, once again from a set-piece after midfielder Jake Rowe was brought down just outside the box. This time, Basson floated a teasing cross to the far post for Josh French to slide the ball back across the goal into the path of Tony Pinder, who finished well from close range.

But sloppy defensive play allowed Budleigh back into the game on the 24th minute. Beer failed to deal with a long ball down the middle and Charlie Skinner forced the ball home past Driver, coming off his line, to make the score 2-1.

After the break, Beer began to get the upper hand and created more chances. The Robins were now relying on counter attacks and were getting some success from balls long balls out to the left where they were being given too much space on occasions. Driver needed to be alert a couple of times to deny the visitors.

The Robins’ defence was finally unlocked on 61 minutes by a goal of real quality. A swift interchange of passes between French and Rowe created the opening and Rowe confidently stroked the ball home with the outside of his foot. 

The result was put beyond doubt on 70 minutes by another magnificent goal from a swift counter. French broke from midfield and released a ball for Tony Pinder to chase down the right. The Budleigh defender slipped under pressure from Pinder, who then pulled an inch-perfect ball back from the byline for French to slam home.