Bayside Graphics Devon St Luke’s Challenge Cup Final

Willand Rovers  4  -  0  Ilfracombe Town

Played at Coach Road, Newton Abbot 03/05/2024

Two goals from Owen Howe, one from the penalty spot, coupled with singles from Doug Camillo and Josh Baker were enough to emphasise the difference in the two sides, Willand Rovers from the Southern League, and Ilfracombe from the Western League. Ilfracombe kicked off but were soon on the defensive with Willand’s Doug Camilo constantly marauding down the left and putting pressure on the opposing defenders.

The town defence were coping well but were undone in the thirteenth minute by a freak goal. A through ball bounced over goalkeeper Laurence McCormick to land at the feet of Howe who placed his shot into the empty net.

In the twenty-second minute Town had their first chance, Jack Margarotto firing in a thirty yard free kick with was comfortably dealt with by George Burton in the Willand goal.

On the half hour Willand went two up, Camilo racing past Margarotto in the penalty area to lift a long angled cross from Josh Ford over McCormick from just outside the six yard box. In the thirty seventh minute he could have made the game safe, hooking a cross from the right past a defender, only to see McCormick collect.

Willand were well on top now and, in the fortieth minute, Howe should have done better with a cross from Josh Searle but put his shot wide. Two minutes later, Ilfracombe broke through the Willand defence, but Liam Short’s left foot shot from the edge of the eighteen yard box was saved by Burton, and so at half-time the score remained two goals to nil.

The second half began with Willand flying out of the blocks and, within three minutes they were three goals up, Baker scoring with snapshot from sixteen yards. That was after Howe had a twenty five yard shot saved and Ash Hewitt had seen his effort cleared off the line by Sam Wright. Five minutes later Willand could have had a fourth but for a fine save by McCormick to deny Josh Searle.

Ilfracombe were clearly struggling to deal with the pace of the Willand attackers but nevertheless were able to create chances of their own. In the fifty-seventh minute Kyle Paine crossed into Jack Jenkins who was just off target with his shot. Two minutes later Short put a chance from twenty-five yards wide but their best chance to pull a goal back came in the sixty-fifth minute. Rory Paine was fouled just outside the penalty area on the Willand right. He took the free kick from which Jenkins headed wide at the near post.

Willand had the chance to wrap things up in the seventieth minute when a cross from Howe wasn’t cleared and substitute Nathan Byrne’s shot was pushed over by McCormick.

Two minutes later Howe hit the fourth and final goal of the match from the penalty spot. A cross into the box from Callum Laird down the right came off the foot of Charlie Wright onto the hand of Ilfracombe’s  Ed Jenkins resulting in referee Mark Hickson awarding the spot kick which Howe converted with aplomb.

Ilfracombe kept trying and in the seventy-ninth minute Dan Wilson saw his header saved by Burton who was determined to protect his clean sheet and, in the second minute of added time, Margarotto pulled a free kick just wide. That was a close as it got for Ilfracombe in the six minutes of added time, Willand happy to close out the game and take the trophy with the final score being four-nil

Player of the match - Doug Camilo (Willand).

Dennis Smith
Devon County FA