Argyle Ladies Retain Their Crown
Westward Developments Devon Women’s Senior Cup Final
Plymouth Argyle Ladies 3-2 Buckland Athletic Ladies
Played on Friday 12th April 2019
Plymouth Argyle Ladies retained the Westward Developments Devon Women’s Senior Cup by after beating Buckland Athletic Ladies 3-2 on Friday evening at Coach Road.
In front of a crowd of over 500 people, a fast start from Argyle put them in pole position. A 20 minute blitz saw the Pilgrims go 3-0 up, after an electrifying start.
Argyle started brightly with Helen Bleazard putting some fantastic crosses in from the right hand side, causing havoc in the Buckland defence.
The early pressure paid off in the 10th minute as the lively Bleazard teed up Kayley Lane, who arrowed her right footed shot across goal and into the top left hand corner, leaving Abigail Bond in the Buckland goal helpless.
The Argyle pressure continued as Cunningham set up Bleazard, who could not keep her shot down.
Lane and Knapman both had penalty appeals turned down by referee, Steve Pearce, before Jess Jones saw her shot brilliantly saved by Buckland’s keeper, Bond.
Argyle doubled their lead minutes later as Jess Jones was set free down the left hand side, and her deflected cross fell kindly for Natasha Knapman to tap in from a couple of yards out to increase Argyle’s advantage.
A couple of minutes later, Argyle made it 3-0. Bleazard again with a surging run down the right hand side and fizzed a ball across the face of goal, and Knapman was again in the right place at the right time, to get her second of the game and top off a rampant first 20 minutes for Argyle.
Argyle continued to press and Stephanie Beck’s shot was fantastically saved by Abigail Bond, who was once again forced into action.
The half-time whistle blew and Buckland would have been relieved to get back into the changing rooms, after a dominant Argyle first half display.
Buckland emerged in the second half and looked revitalised. Argyle seemed to take their foot off the gas a little, and Buckland began to see much more of the ball.
Buckland controlled the midfield a lot more in the second-half, as Argyle became a little bit sloppy in possession.
Argyle looked to have killed the game off, but with 20 minutes to go, from an Argyle corner which they made a mess off, Buckland hit them on the counter attack and won a free kick 30 yards from goal. Buckland’s Leah Brookes stepped up and rifled the free-kick off the underside of the crossbar, leaving Sarah Prior with no chance.
Argyle looked dangerous on the counter-attack as Buckland continued to pour players forward and reduce the deficit.
In stoppage time, Brookes caused havoc with another free-kick which came off the crossbar, only to fall to Buckland’s Sarah Stacey who prodded in from close range to give Buckland a glimmer of hope.
Referee Steve Pearce blew his whistle as the play restarted, to see Plymouth Argyle Ladies beat Buckland Athletic Ladies 3-2, to retain the Westward Developments Devon Women’s Senior Cup Final.
Player of the Match - Jess Jones (Plymouth Argyle Ladies)
The next Cup Final at Coach Road is on Thursday 18th April 2019, as we host the Firewatch Devon Senior Cup, with Kentisbeare taking on The Windmill. Kick-off is at 7:15pm.