THE BIG kick-off has arrived as quickly as summer came and went, writes Alastair Muirden.

60 teams and 2000 registered players start the long campaign of another football season hoping to bring honours and silverware to their clubs.

For last season's league and cup winners the challenge is clear, retain those honours, and for the promoted teams, can you make a mark in a higher division? For relegated teams, win some games and rebuild confidence and for the new teams joining the league, remember it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

When looking at the divisions, the Premier and Division One are very strong if not equal and the new teams that have joined from the Plymouth and West Devon league have added some extra spice to what should be a strong competition.

No teams from the South Devon League moved into the football pyramid last season but that could change over the next two years as the competition improves and the players get used to travelling a bit further afield on a Saturday.

The season officially kicked off last Friday with the Torbay Clearance Services-sponsored Charity Shield fixture at Homers Heath. This turned out to be a very tight affair that swung one way and then the other to the enjoyment of the large crowd.

An end-to-end first half ended in a stalemate but just as Ilsington Villa stepped up a gear in the second half, were caught with a breakaway from the Newton Abbot 66 forwards, the first shot on target produced a great save from the Villa keeper but he could not hold on to the ball and Liam Ashwell was first to the rebound and put the sixes in front.

From the kick-off, the Moorlanders stepped up another gear and began to take control of the game. It did not take game changer Luke Pilkington and last season's club top scorer Dan Langford very long to put Ilsington in front and whilst 66 were still in the game, victory seemed beyond them.

The Newon Abbot-based side was not able to add the Charity Shield to the Herald Cup that was won last season. The South Devon League Charity Shield, sponsored by Torbay Clearance Services, will no doubt be on display at the Carpenter’s Arms.

Of course, the big winner on the night was the player's benevolent fund which benefited by some £500 and the league would like to thank everybody who supported this great event as the season opener.