A & S Paving Devon Intermediate Cup Final

Witheridge AFC 2nds 2 v 1 Brixham Town

Played at Coach Road, Newton Abbot 12/06/2021

On a very hot afternoon at Coach Road Witheridge, celebrating their centenary year, came out on top in this match in which defences were largely on top.

Brixham kicked off towards the clock end and had their first attempt within a minute, blazing a shot well wide.

The first real chance of the half fell to Brixham’s Josh Piper who, in the 18^th minute, unmarked in the Witheridge penalty area, got on the end of a floated free kick from Rhys Dallow but placed his header wide of the far post. Brixham had settled more quickly and kept Witheridge pressed back without really creating any clear cut opportunities.

Witheridge opened the scoring in the 30^th minute, Joe Southcott getting a tap in at the far post following good work by Macauley Broom on the right. In truth it was Witheridge’s first chance and Southcott took it well.

Brixham continued to press forward but their work in the final third just didn’t have any real quality. That was until the 45^th minute when substitute Harry Chastney blasted home the equaliser following good link up play with Piper. With 3 minutes added and no further scoring both teams were looking forward to the half-time break, with the score at one goal apiece and a chance to take on some fluids.

Brixham started the second half on the front foot and in the 48^th minute Chastney broke into the box but couldn’t get any power into his shot. Two minutes later Scott Walker blasted a free kick through the Witheridge wall and found Stuart Pointon whose shot was well saved by Aaron Lewis.

Witheridge, having weathered the storm, gradually started to make inroads into the Brixham defence but still chances were few and far between at both ends of the pitch. The best chance fell to Witheridge in the 73^rd minute when a Danny Lane drive from just outside the box brought a good safe out of the Brixham stopper Cameron Atkinson who, up until then had barely been called upon. Two minutes later at the other end a 22 yard free kick drifted harmlessly past Lewis’s far post.

Both teams were giving their all and the game started to open up as they went in search of that elusive winning goal. The defences were holding sway and the lack of clear cut chances spoke volumes for the organisation of both sets of defenders. Brixham were still having the lion’s share of possession but the lack of a good final pass was giving the forwards nothing to feed off.

With five minutes left a Witheridge free kick was not properly cleared by the Brixham defence, the loose ball was played through into the path of Daniel Koita who slotted from just inside the box giving Atkinson no chance.

In the first of three added minutes Koita raced clear only to be brought down by Atkinson who giving referee Tony Cloak little choice other than to brandish a red card. Two more opportunities came Koita’s way but he was denied by two excellent tackles. The final whistle blew with Witheridge coming out on top by two goals to one. 

Man of the Match – Anthony Vigus (Witheridge)

Dennis Smith

Devon County FA.