hedges win

Queen & Constitution 1 - 3 Hedges FC - Swiftprint Devon Sunday Senior Cup Final 2018

Swiftprint Devon Senior Cup Final

Hedges FC 3 – 1 Queen & Constitution

Coach Road, Newton Abbot (29/04/2018)

pre match qcvh

This was Queen and Constitution’s second consecutive visit to Coach Road for the Swiftprint sponsored Sunday Senior Cup Final and unfortunately for them they were once again on the wrong end of a 3 – 1 scoreline

This time to Hedges FC, mostly down to a man of the match performance from Vincent Wight-Harper-Inniss who, despite having to cope with some vigorous tackles was a continuous thorn in the side of the opposition defence. 

His ability to pick himself up and travel at pace with the ball at his feet was just too much for Queen and Constitution to cope with and when he fired a cross shot into the opposite corner to make the game safe it was no more than he and his team mates deserved. 

The game was open right from the start and as early as the 1st minute Ashley Kelly, in the Queen and Constitution goal, was called upon to push a rasping shot from Hedges Matthew Fulton for a corner with the help of a post. 

Within minutes Wight-Harper-Inniss had his first attempt blocked and the ball was soon at the other end where Anthony Davey’s goal bound shot was blocked by Hedges captain, Warren Smith.

hedges freekick

It seemed that Queen and Constitution were starting to get on top and from their first corner, swung in by Davey, Ashley Piggott saw his effort punched clear by Hedges custodian Simon May. 

Two minutes later Connor MacAuley saw his snapshot fly just wide of May’s left-hand post. 

However, in their search for the opener they left gaps at the back and Hedges Alex Henniker almost took advantage, only being foiled in the act of shooting by a last-ditch tackle from Sean Lapping. 

Play went immediately to the other end where Danny Zallick put MacAuley one on one with May who was able to parry clear. 

Hedges then started to get a grip of the midfield and in the 14th minute they took the lead, Lee Doel getting around the blind side of the Queen and Constitution defence to convert a cross from the right giving Kelly no chance from close in.

hedges goal

MacAuley was proving to be Queen and Constitution’s most effective attacker and was again foiled by May when put through by Piggott. May was fortunate to remain on the pitch in the 35th minute as he raced out of his goal to take MacAuley down with a crude tackle, referee Ross Wilcox brandishing only a yellow. 

With 3 minutes to go to half-time Hedges were given the chance to go in two up when Kelly inexplicably picked up what appeared to be a back pass inside the penalty area. 

The resulting free kick was smashed against the bar and cleared and so the score remained 1 – 0 to Hedges at the break.

The second half started with Hedges on the front foot, a rasping shot from Doel on 47 minutes bringing the best out of Kelly. 

Two minutes later Wight-Harper-Inniss just failed to make contact with a cross from Luke Robinson, a miss he must have regretted as within a minute Queen and Constitution were level. 

Zallick was given the freedom of the park and his cross shot from the left was turned in by Ashley Richards racing in at the far post. 

Hedges lead was restored practically straight from the kick off when Henniker fired home the rebound after Wight-Harper-Inniss had seen his first time shot on the run well saved by Kelly. 

The heavy pitch was starting to take its toll, and despite a double substitution, Queen and Constitution were finding it difficult to find a way through the Hedges defence. 

One such opportunity fell to Zallick who appeared to be taken down on the edge of the box when clean through. Wilcox held up the yellow card and the free kick came to naught.

The clincher came in the 71st minute, Wight-Harper-Inniss, gleefully blasting home from wide out on the left to kill off the opposition and make the final score 3 – 1 to Hedges, formed in 2013 in memory of James Hedges who died in a road traffic accident earlier that year and now deserved winners of the 2018 Devon County Sunday Senior Cup.  
  
Star player Vincent Wight-Harper-Inniss (Hedges FC)

hedges win

The next final is the Edenvale Turf Ltd St Lukes College Challenge Cup, Bideford v Plymouth Parkway at Coach Road on Tuesday 1st May kicking off at 7.30pm. That will be followed on Thursday 3rd May by the Throgmorton Devon Premier Cup Final, Teignmouth v Torridgeside kicking off at 7.15pm.

To view a full match gallery please click the link below:

Queen & constitution 1 - 3 hedges fc - match gallery

*photos courtesy of Miracle PR & Photography