Report and photos contributed by SDFL
The first cup final of the season went ahead courtesy of the hard working ground staff at Buckfastleigh Rangers where Watcombe Wanderers Reserves took on Paignton Saints Reserves for the Fred Hewings Cup; this is the knockout competition restricted to all reserve teams in the league, and this year’s competition was kindly sponsored by Combined Roofing Services.
The game could have gone either way as both teams had chances that were not taken; it was end to end play and at times a bit frantic; the referee had a busy evening, issuing six yellow cards for mis-timed challenges, and the game had extra-time written all over it; that was until the 60th minute when George Keates received the ball 25 yards from goal, saw the Watcombe ‘keeper off his line and took his chance with a fine strike.
Watcombe continued to push and chance after chance went begging – just a reminder that last season, Saints were in the Premier Division and Watcombe were in Division Four, and that bit of extra experience held out for Saints to celebrate the first South Devon League cup final of the season with a firework display.