THE RACE for the Intermediate One championship turned out to be one of the closest in the history of the North Devon League.

Not since Shamwickshire famously pipped Fremington to the Premier Division title in 1997 had two top teams met for a last-day decider.

In the end, Landkey held off the challenge of Bude Town after battling to a 1-1 draw in sweltering conditions at Broadclose.

Fittingly, skipper Kieran Heywood, so prolific throughout the season, grabbed the vital early goal to settle their nerves.

Despite an equaliser from Jason Stewart and some nail-biting moments around Pat Dunlop's goal, the visitors held on for the point they needed.

Few would have predicted such a close finish when Landkey thumped the same opponents 6-1 on the opening day of the season. Mark Rippon, Jamie Hutton and a hat-trick from Heywood set the tone for some sparkling early success.

It was the start of a seven-game winning streak in which they stormed clear at the top, scoring 37 goals in the process.

Bude gradually began chipping away at that lead, inspired by prolific strikeforce John Clayton and Steve Thompson.

Their emphatic 11-2 win over Northam Lions at the end of April highlighted the goal threat — particularly as the sides were locked at 2-2 at half-time.

While the Seasiders claimed the consolation of the second promotion place, North Molton went desperately close to the top two.

Losing just four games out of 28, they took four points off the eventual champions, including the 4-1 win at home earned by Tim Perry, Tom Marsh, Kemal Tas and Simon Loosemore.

Defeat at Bude just six days before Landkey's crucial trip to Cornwall finally ended their hopes.

Thompson's rare header gave Bude a narrow win and by beating Northam 5-0 two days later, they went into the last game level on goal difference with Landkey and three points behind.

It was a nervy last few weeks for the eventual winners, shown by their slip-up at Anchor when a draw would have guaranteed the title.

Steve Parish and Damian Shaddick gave the Bideford boys a surprise 2-1 triumph at Victoria Park. That same scoreline had been good enough for High Bickington in November when Frank Stone and Darren Avery inflicted a first defeat on the leaders.

Avery's effort came from near the halfway line but he wasn't the division's only player to forge a reputation for surprising strikes.

Park United goalkeeper Ben Stephens stunned opposing defences by scoring twice from open play in the same season.

In October, he netted with a massive clearance against Braunton, then topped that with a bullet header during the remarkable 6-5 win over Anchor in March.

Since stepping up to the Premier Division with Appledore, Stephens is yet to find the target for his new side.

The two Torrington clubs looked the most likely challengers to Landkey in the first half of the campaign.

Both ultimately slipped away, but Admirals could be delighted with their Arlington Cup triumph, while Torrington's fifth place was a decent show on their first season after promotion.

Intermediate One was an excellent starting point for some promising young teams. Braunton, Merton and Woolsery have all earned praise for the football they play with predominantly teenage line-ups.