Devon Hit Seven in FA Youth Cup
FA County Youth Cup 2nd Round
Devon FA 7 – 2 Middlesex FA
Played at Coach Road, Newton Abbot 23/11/19
A hat trick from Mani Skett (Buckland Athletic) plus singles from Josh Baxter (South Devon College), Joe Wylie and Ollie Holman (both Wellington Town) and Charlie Miller (Bovey Tracey) saw a strong Devon side comfortably through to the last eight of this national competition.
Devon were on top as early as the 3rd minute when Baxter deftly nodded home a floated cross into the box.
Both teams were finding the Coach Road pitch difficult and, given the amount of rain we have had in Newton Abbot over the past 48 hours, in can only be to the credit of the ground staff that the match went ahead.
Chances were being created at both ends as both defences were having difficulty with heavy conditions under foot and the 18th minute Holman found himself alone in the opposition penalty area but shot wide. Three minutes later Skett burst through but was forced wide. His low cross was allowed to pass wide of the far post without any Devon player near enough to get a touch.
In the 30th minute Middlesex mounted their first real attack to test Josh Nicol (Bovey Tracey) in the Devon goal, who dealt well with a low shot from Nyarko and a floating header from Morgan. That seem to galvanise the Devon lads who quickly got themselves three nil up by half time. In the 37th minute Wylie got on the end of a lovely passing move to score the second and the third came in the 44th minute, Skett skipping past the last Middlesex defender to round the keeper and finish into the empty net.
Devon’s fourth goal came in the 50th minute from the penalty spot, Skett making no mistake in punishing the Middlesex defender guilty of a poor tackle. Seven minutes later it was five as Holman coolly slips the ball under the keeper to put Devon within sight of the quarter final.
With 12 minutes left Middlesex get one back but it proves to be too little too late as Devon went on to score twice more through Skett and Miller before, in the 88th minute, Lindell Stewart scored a second for Middlesex who had been soundly beaten on the day.
Player of the Match – Mani Skett (Devon)
Match Report by Dennis Smith - Devon FA
Below are some photos from the game, courtesy of Chris Benn from Middlesex:
