Devon Premier Cup Final

Mount Gould 0 (10) – 0 (9) Bampton FC

Played at Coach Road, Newton Abbot 28/08/2020

Mount Gould captain Danny Brook slotted the 22^nd kick of an enthralling penalty shoot-out to send the Premier Cup down the A38 to Plymouth on what was a wet evening at the County FA’s new 3G facility. What went before was somewhat less enthralling as tight, well organised defences, dominating throughout the 90 minutes.

Bampton, who were given a walkover to this final as, due to Covid 19, Exeter University were unable to play in the semi-final, started on the front foot and, in the 2^nd minute, Dan Chalk cut in from the right to let fly a fierce left foot shot from 25 yards that flew just wide of Mount Gould custodian Dean Turner’s right hand post.

In the 17^th minute Chris Yeates had a really good chance to put Bampton ahead but headed wide a cross from the right when well placed in front of goal.

Mount Gould got the message and, with the defence being marshalled well by centre back Taylor Scarff, started to close down the space and drive their team forward. In the 20^th minute, they had their first sight of goal. Bev McIlvaney drove a long free kick into the Bampton six yard box which was punched clear by keeper Alex Muchmore, the ball dropping to Chris Wright on the edge of the penalty area whose shot went just the wrong side of the far post.

The Greens of Mount Gould were now well on top but the final ball into the their forwards was often wayward and in the 25^th minute Bampton almost took the lead, Rhys Parsons latching on to a long clearance, racing clear only to see his 20 yard shot deflected wide by Scarff, the ensuing corner coming to naught.

Mount Gould started to pour forward and in a five minute spell on the half hour had three good chances to take the lead. Twenty nine minutes and McIlvaney shoots just over from the edge of the box. Three minutes later and Muchmore denies Brook, diving to push his fierce half volley over the bar and then in the 34^th minute Bailey Gamble, up from the back, received a poor clearance out of defence only to fire his 20 yard shot over the bar.

Bampton, having weathered the storm started to push back and in the 41^st minute wasted a great chance to go ahead. Substitute Brandon Parsons, on for the injured Chalk, cut through the left side of the Mount Gould defence with a jinking run to find his namesake Rhys whose tame shot was easily dealt with by Turner.

Right on half time Bampton were awarded a free kick in a good position wide right, which Rhys Parsons drove towards the far post and just out of play to leave the half-time score at nil-nil.

Mount Gould started the second half on the front foot but couldn’t find the final pass that would lead to a goal scoring opportunity. Two minutes after the restart DJ Moore found a way around the left side of the Bampton defence to slide a low cross into the box and was disappointed to find that there was no one following up. However, they should have taken the lead in the 52^nd minute. Jamie Grinrod, a half time substitute, linked up well with Brook and after a couple of return passes found himself one on one with Muchmore, only to shoot straight at him from 10 yards.

The game was becoming somewhat fractious with tackles coming in thick and fast and Mount Gould were still on top but, despite all their pressure and a number of corners they were unable to trouble Muchmore in the Bampton goal and, in the 77^th minute, were almost made to pay as Brandon Parsons cut inside two defenders only to rush his final shot from 8 yards which slid wide after a block from James Fuller.

Bampton’s chances were not improved when, in the 80^th minute, Jordan Hewitt was shown a red card by referee Eddie Green, after following through with a bad tackle on DJ Moore.

With ten minutes left plus stoppage time both teams were finding it hard to keep up the tempo and, despite having the extra man advantage, Mount Gould were unable to make it count. With seven minutes of added time completed referee Green blew the final whistle with neither team able to break the deadlock, the score remaining at nil-nil.

There being no extra time to be played the match was decided by kicks from the penalty spot, but no one could have predicted that it would take so many spot kicks to decide the destination of the Devon Premier Cup.

Man of the Match - Taylor Scarff (Mount Gould).