Devon & Exeter Senior 3
South Zeal Utd 1
Oakwood 3
Zeal?s first game of the New Year saw them go down 3-1 at home to a competent Oakwood side that scored three rather fortunate goals.
Oakwood took the lead after ten minutes, against the run of play when Tom Reilly, who otherwise had a great game deputising at centre back for Reg Wonnacott, had the ball taken off him near the left hand corner flag, then brought the Oakwood player down in the penalty area. Oakwood converted the penalty and turned round at half-time one up.
Oakwood started well in the second half as Zeal struggled to keep possession, and went two up after 15 minutes. A shot from the edge of the Zeal penalty area was deflected past Adam Cann in the Zeal goal by a defender.
Zeal pushed more players forward and after a few narrow misses Alan Vile reduced the deficit when Harley and Redd Cann combined to set him up to score well from close range.
Zeal pushed for the equaliser but again the visitors had a slice of good fortune when a shot from the edge of the penalty area by an Oakwood midfielder spun out of Adam Cann?s hands into the net.
Zeal pushed forward again in the last 15 minutes but could not get back into the game as several chances went just wide.
l Zeal went down to a heavy defeat at Heavitree in their last game of 2003, after leading at half-time 1-0, thanks to a Reg Wonnacott free kick.
But the home side overwhelmed them in the second half to score five times without reply.
This week, away to Culm, kick-off 2.30pm.