By Dick Sturch

Upottery 2ndX1 3, Millwey Rise 1stX1 1

The final game in the 1965-66 season was possibly the last time Millwey Rise and Upottery football teams met . The match was an evening game at Upottery. The prize was promotion to the Premier division of the Perry Street & District League for the winners. Millweywon the game 4-1 with a forward line that included Perce Downton, Roger Hurrell (1) Ian Galloway (1) and Ray Tiller (2). Oh how they would have been welcomed today.

The weather was perfect, the pitch was a credit to Axmouth FC for this Golesworthy Cup semi-final but what came as a great disappointment was the game, which promised much but delivered little. It started brightly with Upottery going ahead after 12 minutes but Millwey equalising through Luke Thurlow from an assist by Sam Dibling. Upottery added a second after twenty minutes when, an intended cross, struck the inside of the goalpost and bounced back into the net. 'Rise' came back and produced one or two half chances but Upottery went further ahead when a powerful free-kick from 25 yards out left keeper Flynn Smith flat footed and the score 3-1 at the break.

The longer the second period went on the more and more scrappy and disjointed the game became. Neither side provided any threat on goal. The nearest Millwey came to scoring was a Thurlow cross that was bundled out for a corner by the keeper. Although play swept from end to end no further clear cut chances were created and Upottery moved on into the final where they will meet Axmouth who have had two byes to get there.

On the day Upottery deserved their victory but oh how that forward line from 50-odd years ago would have been a welcomed inclusion by Rise.