Graddon Vending Devon Under 15 Boys Cup Final

Heavitree Youth U15  2 - 5    Plymstock United Colts U15

Played at Coach Road, Newton Abbot 13/09/2020

Plymstock thoroughly deserved their victory, ultimately proving too strong for their opponents

with a nap hand of goals from different players, Jacob Smith, Charlie Castlehouse, Jamie Ball, Darren Gopaul and finally Joe Cook ensuring that the cup went down the A38 despite a fighting display from the Heavitree team.

Heavitree kicked off but Plymstock were soon on the attack with a corner from the left in the first minute being picked up by Jacob Smith who raced into the six yard box where Callum Saxton in the Heavitree goal managed to smuggle the ball off the line. In the 7^th minute Plymstock should have gone ahead when Saxton misjudged a cross from the right, the ball landing at the feet of Noah Maund, who put his shot just wide of the near post with the goal gaping.

In the 15^th minute Colby Collier had a great chance to open the scoring for Plymstock when he ran on to a long ball out of defence, chipped it over Saxton, who was stranded on the edge on the penalty area, only to watch in despair has the ball dropped just wide. Within a minute Plymstock went ahead when Collier fired in a left foot shot that Saxton couldn’t hold and Smith, following up, placed the rebound into the far corner. Virtually from the restart Plymstock got their second, Charlie Castlehouse racing down the right to cut in and finish from 20 yards giving Saxton no chance.

Heavitree, who had had very little of the play, almost got a goal back when, in the 20^th minute, Vinnie Brockington got on the end of a through ball from AJ Turner only to hit the post from the edge of the box. The ball was soon worked through to the other end where Saxton did brilliantly to keep out a close range drive from Smith following good work down the right wing.

Plymstock were now in complete control but were unable to score the third that would kill the game off before half time. They couldn’t afford to be complacent however as, in the 36^th minute, Max May picked up a loose ball on half way, cut through the their defence like a hot knife through butter and laid a pass in front of Brockington, whose shot was comfortably dealt with by Alfie White in the Plymstock goal. Back to the other end where Saxton did well to deny Maund who had jinked through the Heavitree defence to get his shot away.

The half ended with a free kick to Heavitree which Alfie White did well to pluck out of the top corner to deny AJ Turner, the score remaining 2 – 0 to Plymsock.

The second half started with Plymstock quickly increasing their lead through Ball who, in the 43^rd minute, got around the left side of the Heavitree defence to blast home from 8 yards, giving Saxton no chance. In the 48^th minute May pounced on some slack defending to race into the box and slide the ball past Alfie white to pull one back for Heavitree.

A minute later Plymstock’s 3 goal cushion was restored as Darren Gopaul got in the end of a six pass move down the left to calmly slot past Saxton. 4 – 1 now and no way back for Heavitree who, to their credit, kept their heads and continued to take the fight to their opponents. In the 60^th minute the hardworking centre forward Vinnie Brockington, who had largely been feeding off scraps, won a corner on the right. Whilst both benches were making substitutions, he made his way into the box and when the corner was eventually swung in was completely unmarked to head home from six yards. 4 – 2 now with 20 minutes left and all to play for Heavitree, lifted by that goal, came more and more into the game.

Despite their best efforts they were unable to find a way through Plymstock’s now five man back line and, indeed, it was Plymstock’s Cook who had the last word, in the 72^nd minute, racing into the six yard box to get on the end of a floated free kick from the left, to cleverly flick the ball over Heavitree’s substitute keeper Ben Speak and into the net from a tight angle.

To their credit Heavitree still kept fighting and in the 74^th minute May drew a good save from White diving to his left to smother his right foot drive from 22 yards. In the last minute of normal time May had another chance to reduce the deficit, racing down the right and into the box inly to be denied by brave goalkeeping from White. There were 10 minutes of added time during which the Plymstock boys were largely able to run the clock down and, when the final whistle blew, were deservedly crowned Devon Under 15 Cup Winners.

Player of the Match - Joe Cook (Plymstock)