CLOUD NINE: Kingsteignton celebrate winning their ninth Herald Cup after a late Paget strike ends Windmill’s bid to become first Plymouth side to lift it. © Al Macphee/MiraclePR
A late Aaron Paget strike won Kingsteignton Athletic their ninth Herald Cup, and their first for 20 years, while Buckfastleigh Rangers scored three away at Elburton Villa to clinch the Premier Division title.
The Herald Cup, sponsored by Torbay Clearance Services, pitted together two in-form teams at The Rec last Friday night. Kingsteignton had already secured the Division One title, while Premier Division outfit The Windmill had narrowly missed out on the Premier Division crown following a remarkable run of 12 straight league wins.
Lee France’s side were aiming to become the first Plymouth side to lift the Herald Cup but they made a nervous start to the game. In contrast, Kingsteignton went for the jugular from the start and soon found themselves with a chance to go in front after Tom Reeves was felled in the box. Up stepped Sam Barnes whose seventh minute penalty epitomised the confident start the Rams had made.
The Windmill began to settle into the game as the half wore on, and hauled themselves level with a penalty of their own, seven minutes from half-time. Goalkeeper Jay Osborn guessed the right way, but couldn’t prevent the goal as Windmill captain Mike Neal tucked the ball into the bottom left corner.
The second half was a much more entertaining affair with The Windmill ramping up the pressure and creating the majority of the chances. With eight minutes remaining, their cup hopes took a huge blow following a controversial incident on the touchline. Kingsteignton had played the ball forward only for Brennan Moore to catch the ball. Despite vigorous protests that the ball had gone out of play, the referee gave the free-kick to Kingsteignton and pulled out the yellow card. With Moore having already been booked in the first half, The Windmill found themselves a man down. Nevertheless, they continued to push for a winner, Ryan Walton’s low shot forcing Osborn into a save two minutes later.
With three minutes remaining, Walton attempted to play substitute Ben Woodman through. Kingsteignton intercepted the pass, broke away and put their sub Aaron Paget through on the right side of the box. With goalkeeper Dan Cork charging out towards him, Paget slid in and got his shot away. The ball crept in at the far post, and the Rams erupted in celebration.
As tempers frayed, Windmill lost first Neal, to the sin bin, and then Sam Doyle, to a straight red card, ending the game with eight men. Nevertheless, the team regrouped to sportingly applaud the winners at the end of the game.
Kingsteignton Manager Steve Workman admitted that he had gambled on a formation change at the end, putting three up front. “We were on the ropes round about the sending off and I thought if we couldn’t get hold of it, we were going to get caught at one stage or another. I thought, if we’re going to win it, let’s do it in 90 minutes. And that’s basically what we did.”
“We’ve had an amazing season, winning the league with a game to play,” said Kingsteignton captain Jason Jones. “These boys are a fantastic group of lads who work hard for each other. I couldn’t be prouder.” Kingsteignton will now play Chudleigh Athletic in each of their final three games, once in the league, once in Saturday’s Devon Senior Cup Final, and for a final time in the Dartmouth Cup final on 24th May at the Duckspond, home of Buckfastleigh Rangers.
Buckfastleigh travelled to Haye Road, Elburton on Saturday, knowing that only a win would be good enough for them to take the Torbay Clearance Services Premier Division title away from league leaders Brixham AFC Reserves. Despite early pressure from Elburton Villa Reserves, Ryan Lucassi opened the scoring for Rangers. Scott Allen then hit the bar for Villa, before Sam Lang gave Brixham hope with an equaliser before the break. But further goals from Josh Zimmerman and Luke Brown in the second half finally saw Rangers over the line.
The consolation for both Brixham and The Windmill is that their promotion to the Devon Football League has now been confirmed.
At Coach Road, also on Saturday, Ivybridge Town Development put on an impressive display as they recovered from a nightmare start to cruise to a 7-2 Devon Intermediate Cup victory, ending a seven year SDFL county cup drought.
A Sam Haggar header and an own goal saw Exeter side St Thomas Social Club two up after seven minutes. But the unfazed young Ivybridge outfit pulled one back on 29 minutes when Matt Goodwin beat the offside trap to slot home. Kai Foster scored a superb equaliser three minutes before the break, and Ivybridge took full control of the second half, Harley Battle, Craig Brenton (2), Ben Endean and Jamie Rose wrapping up a well-deserved win.
Earlier in the week, Bovey Tracey Reserves also enjoyed an emphatic cup win, beating Brixham Town Reserves 5-0 at Ipplepen’s Moor Road to lift the Les Bishop Cup. Captain Alistair Chuchuk broke the deadlock in the first half, rifling the ball into the bottom left, but both sides hit the woodwork before the break. The Moorlanders doubled their lead a minute after the restart, Ben Moyle doing well to find the net from just outside the box despite being off balance. Liam Halliday had a chance to narrow the deficit just after the hour mark, but his penalty was high and wide. Soon after, Jamie Farrer got in behind for Bovey and guided a superb lob over the onrushing Town goalkeeper. Ali Chuchuk wrapped up the win with a fourth on 76 minutes, and Brixham were denied even a consolation when a last minute effort was tipped over the bar by the Bovey goalkeeper. The fifth came in stoppage time, Brad Rooney’s out-swinging cross-cum-shot finding its way into the roof of the net.
The final divisional title will be decided at Abbrook Park on Friday evening, with Watts Blake Bearne Reserves hosting Brixham Town in a ‘winner takes all’ clash. Two goals apiece from Nathan Williams and James Moxon earned WBB the three points they needed at home to Totnes and Dartington on Monday night. Victory on Friday will win them the Division Three title. Any other result will see Brixham Town celebrate a league and cup double.