Devon Premier Cup

Okehampton Argyle 3

Bradworthy 1

ARGYLE were too strong for their North Devon League visitors in this first round match and with better finishing would have won by a wider margin. Credit though to Bradworthy who never gave up and showed that they are capable of playing good flowing football.

Argyle dominated the early exchanges and pushed the visitors back, building several good attacks down the left flank. They took the lead on 12 minutes when a right wing corner from Brad Ausden was met by Dale Chadwick. A Bradworthy defender blocked his effort but central defender Kris Dawson volleyed home the loose ball to give Argyle the lead.

Ten minutes later and a ball from Ausden saw Steve Madge time his run perfectly to slot the ball past Bradworthy keeper Matthew Oke. Argyle dominated the remainder of the first half and should have increased their lead but found Oke in brilliant form in the visitors' goal. A great interchange of passes down the left put Ed Squire in with a chance but the keeper blocked his effort and Luke Alden had a strong shout for a penalty waived away. When Bradworthy did break out, they found Dawson in commanding form in the centre of Okehampton's defence.

After the interval, the visitors began to get into the game more but Argyle were still in command and stretched their lead on 70 minutes when a fierce shot from Ausden was parried by Oke and as Alden tried to fasten onto the rebound, he was brought down by a visiting defender. Dale Chadwick made no mistake with the spot kick.

Ten minutes from time Bradworthy got a deserved consolation goal when the visitors played the ball out wide to Richard Hudson who fired a tremendous shot into the net of the home crossbar.

Argyle came with substitutes Steve Kinsey and Adam Mortimer both going close to extending the lead. Kinsey was unlucky when his header came back off the crossbar and into Oke's hands and Mortimer expertly lost his defender before firing a fierce shot across the face of the visitors' goal.

Kris Dawson was man of the match for Argyle but the whole team put in a solid performance. Harry Geering played his last match for Argyle for about three months and was his usual reliable self between the posts.