Barnstaple Diet

North Devon Raiders v Exeter Centurions

Barnstaple Town 0 v Exmouth Town 3

Headed down to sunny Devonshire to watch the local rugby league derby, North Devon Raiders v Exeter Centurions in the South West Premier. Barnstaple based Raiders have lost all their games, whilst Exeter need to win their two remaining games to catch league leaders Cornish Rebels (evil looking gull vice confederate flag).

Normal service had resumed on the trains so first one down to Exeter for the Barnstaple branch. Barney down to one GBG entry so extravagant pensioners shopping bus move to Chittlehampton for the Bell Inn, then back into town to the Reform Inn for their in-house Barum Ales.  Dai puts £14 worth of Springsteen on the dukebox.

Headed down to the rugby ground, which was looking suspiciously quiet.  I have no idea what Dai is doing, but he is dressed in a 2013 Cook Islands away shirt, as only he could be. 

In the clubhouse, we were ushered into a wedding reception, obviously shorts, jeans, flip flops and 2012 Cook Islands away top is normal wedding attire in North Devonshire.

A quick check of twitter revealed the following:-

As we wandered out of the ground, a shrill whistle and shouting could be heard from the adjacent football ground. Standing on a speed hump with arms aloft meant we could just get a picture over the fence, which revealed there was a game on.

Pre-season friendly involving Barnstaple Town who won the Western League div 1 last year, much to the joy of the Bristol based premier league clubs who now have another Devon journey, and Exmouth Town, also in the Western.
  

Headed round and into the ground, which was its usual tidy self. On the turn Tribute was £2.50 a pint. Disappointed to see that the most wonderfully named player in the whole of football, Exmouth’s “Ace High” wasn’t playing. 

Game finished 0-2, with Aaron Sowden, who I’d previously seen scoring hatfuls for Stoke Gabriel, scoring both.

A cracking article in the programme, I for one propose more games v evacuees to fund Spitfires.

Then headed back to Exeter to clear recent GBG additions the Fat Pig and the Hour Glass, before a stroll back along the Exe to the Mill on the Exe and the last train back to civility.