Scott Richards Solicitors Under 13 Boys Cup Final

AFC Plympton Youth   1 - 0    Marine Academy Plymouth Junior

Played at Coach Road, Newton Abbot 26/04/2019

As storm Hannah approached Coach Road these two teams worked hard to provide 70 minutes of entertaining football for the 123 spectators who had braved the driving wind and rain to support their favourites. The real surprise of the night was that there weren’t more goals as, particularly in the second half, chance after chance went begging for AFC Plympton.  

AFC Plympton kicked off into the wind and had the lions share of possession until, in the 5^th minute, a needlessly conceded free kick was driven into the six-yard box by Marine Academy Junior’s Travis Newton and flicked into the net by J-Jay Honeywell, the referee ruling it out for hand ball. That was as good as it got for Marine Academy as Plympton slowly took control of the game with Honeywell finding it difficult to get away from Archie Wall in the centre of their defence.

Both teams were having difficulty creating clear cut chances until an inspired 26^th minute substitution by Plympton brought Casey Moss on down the right. The effect was almost immediate as the ball was played in to Finley Walker who coolly slotted past Kori Truscott in the Marine Academy goal to give his side the lead with what proved to be the only goal of the game. Marley Baverstock had two good chances to put the game out of sight before half-time but scuffed his first effort, off a low cross from Moss and then, in added time, hit a 25-yard free kick just past Truscott’s far post. So, both teams headed for the warmth of the dressing rooms with AFC Plympton holding that slender one goal advantage.

The second half started with the wind blowing the rain into the faces of the Marine Academy defenders who were finding it difficult to cope with the pace of Moss who, in the 41^st minute, cross low to Walker who lost control on the edge of the six-yard box and the chance was lost.

In the 48^th minute Marine Academy had their best chance to equalise. Honeywell was put through one on one with the Plympton custodian Thomas Hodder who raced out the block his goal-bound effort. A goal then might have made all the difference but Plympton, with the wind at their backs, put continuous pressure on the Academy defence and only the profligacy of their strikers and Truscott’s agility prevented a landslide. Moss had an effort tipped over the bar in the 53^rd minute, Rhys McShane had his effort blocked, De Gea like by Truscott three minutes later and in the 63^rd minute Oliver Walker had his effort from 15 yards tipped onto the bar and over.

Marine Academy were clearly tiring but, they were only a whisker away from an equaliser as a 25-yard free kick from Tarun May in the 58^th minute flew just wide with Hodder struggling to get across his goal.

The last ten minutes it was all Plympton and the final whistle couldn’t come soon enough for Marine Academy who had given their all but just came up short, that 26^th minute goal being enough to defeat them.

Star Player - Casey Moss (AFC Plympton Youth)

The next final on Monday 29^th April is the Edenvale Turf Ltd Devon St Luke’s Challenge Cup Final between Exeter City and Plymouth Parkway is also taking place at Coach Road, Newton Abbot.