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SB Frankfort Win Under 13 Girls Cup

SB Frankfort won the Great British Confectionery Devon Under 13 Girls Cup after a thrilling game against Plympton Girls

Great British Confectionery Under 13 Girls Cup Final

SB Frankfort Youth U13 Girls  4 - 1    Plympton Girls U13

Played at Coach Road, Newton Abbot 27/09/2020

SB Frankfort Girls did well to overcome adversity to eventually run out comfortable winners of this enthralling contest played out in bright sunshine on the new 3G surface at County Headquarters. They had to start the match in the knowledge that their goalkeeper, Lily Felgate, had broken her arm in a friendly match leading up to this final, outfield players Melissa Yabsley and Lexie Preston sharing the job between the sticks. They needed have worried however, as between them they were only beaten once.

 Plympton kicked off but were soon on the back foot as within 90 seconds SB were ahead, Taya Pomfret, picking up a loose ball 25 yards out, beating Kelsey Down in the Plympton goal with a fierce low drive into the bottom corner of the net. Plympton fought back and, in the 4th minute, almost equalised as Jasmine Barker’s 25 yard drive from the right flew just past Yabsley’s far post.

Defences started to get on top and clear cut chances were few and far between. Brooke Ellis had a chance to increase SB’s lead in the 7th minute but placed her shot just wide and, two minutes later, it was the turn of the Plympton number 9, Izzy Rogers, who drove her powerful shot into the side netting. In the

13th minute SB’s Olive Endacott had a snap-shot well saved by Down who also dealt well with a shot fired in by Erin O’Shea.

SB started to push forward and put more pressure on the Plympton back line but couldn’t find the breakthrough. With thirty minutes gone Gracie Procter got on the end of a cross from Jessie Welch but poked her shot just wide and, as half-time approached, put her header from an inswinging corner wide from inside the six yard box. As the half-time whistle blew would SB rue missing those two chances to make the game safe.

They found out to their cost as, within two minute of the restart, the scores were level, Libby Williams firing into the top right hand corner of the SB goal giving Preston, replacing Yabsley for the second half, no chance and levelling the score at one goal each.

SB were stung into action and had four good opportunities in the space of six minutes. The first fell to Ellis who, in the 40th minute, took a pass from Thomas on the edge of the box but shot just wide. Two minutes later it was Ellis again, this time denied by the post and a minute later Pomfret fired just wide. Still they weren’t testing Down but, in 46th minute, a fierce drive from Yabsley, now on the pitch, was kicked off the line.

In the 57th minute Down was called into action again, saving well from Ellis and then, in the 60th minute Plympton had a chance to go ahead. Libby Williams firing in a free kick which was well saved by Preston. Both teams were giving their all, but it was a tactical switch more than anything that made the difference. Pomfret pushed forward into midfield where, with less than ten minutes remaining, she pounced on a wayward pass and blasted a shot from 20 yards into the top corner to restore her team’s lead.

Plympton’s resistance was broken and in the 65th minute O’Shea made it three, bursting through from midfield and giving Down no chance from 15 yards. in the last minute, it was O’Shea again who got on the end of a pass out of defence from Bella Brown-Tunnell to slot from close range and make sure that the trophy went to the girls of SB Frankfort Youth and that young Lily was able to join the celebrations.

Referee Amelia Zarazadeh and her two assistants, Lucy O’Malley and Lottie Burrows are to be commended for their handling of the match, allowing the play to flow such that the socially distanced crowd of around 150 were given the opportunity to enjoy the spectacle.

Star Player - Taya Pomfret (SB Frankfort Girls)