Devon Intermediate Cup semi-final Horrabridge Rangers B 2 Okehampton Argyle Seconds 1 Okehampton second team went into this cup semi final against the Plymouth league side with great ambitions of reaching a county cup final for the first time in their history. The prospect of playing either Buckland Athletic, winners of the south Devon section or Bideford, winners of the north Devon section in the final made it even more appealing. It was always going to be a difficult challenge and having to enter the game with strikers Darren Prouse out injured, James Callaghan away and with the first team deciding to call Adam Mortimore back to the fold, it was going to make their job even harder. The game started in wet and windy conditions and it was apparent from as early as the fifth minute that Horrabridge's front two were going to cause the Argyle's defence problems with their ability and pace and twice early on keeper Harry Geering was called on to make good saves. It wasn't until the 10th minute that Okehampton created their first opening with Rob Sandercock cutting his way through the Horrabridge defence and pulling the ball back across the goal, but unfortunately no Argyle player was there to slot the ball into the begging open goal. From then on it became end to end football with chances at both ends and it was from an Okehampton corner that Horrabridge scored their opening goal. Their keeper collected the ball and kicked it long up field catching the Argyle defence up on the half way line flat footed and the pace of the Horrabridge striker took him clear and coolly slotted the ball home. The rest of the half saw more chances at both ends but Okehampton missed a couple of really good chances before Horrabridge opened up a two goal cushion and it stayed that way till the half time whistle. The second half saw a different 45 minutes in which Okehampton dominated for long periods and there was a 20 minute spell where they played some excellent flowing football on a surface which generally makes that quality of football impossible. But again chances came and were missed and the Horrabridge defence were outstanding with some last ditch clearances. There was always the chance as the game went on that with Okehampton now playing three at the back they might get caught on the break with the pace of the front two Horrabridge strikers but when those opportunities did happen tired legs and good goal keeping kept the score to two. Okehampton used five different strikers through the game with chances falling to them all but it was centre back Aaron Ditchburn who rose at the far post to head home a powerful header. With the clock running down Argyle just did not have enough time to get their deserved equaliser. It was an excellent game in the poor conditions between two very good sides and Okehampton wish Horrabridge all the best in the final.
