Devon Intermediate Cup

South Zeal United 11

Bampton seconds 2

AGAINST Devon and Exeter division eight side Bampton seconds South Zeal started the match at maximum tempo.

The match kicked off. Less than ten seconds later Zeal had the ball in the net. A long through ball split the defence allowing Samuel Jones to square to Adam Clark for the easiest of finishes. As soon as Bampton had restarted, Zeal had poached the ball, broken through the back line as Samuel Jones hit his first of the game, quickly followed by another from Harry Smith.

Zeal were fluid on the ball, passing their way through their opponents. Tom Boother sent incisive passes through the defence to find the home side’s attacking players. Harry Smith ran the Bampton right back ragged all through the half while Tom Reilly and Redd Cann dictated the play in the centre of the park.

Goals came thick and fast now for Zeal. Samuel Jones fired in from an acute angle to beat the keeper for his second; Ryan Dennis took a smart finish for 5-0 and Samuel Jones completed a first half hat trick, linking up nicely with Ben Davey and Ryan Dennis to make it six.

A break for Bampton gave them the fanitest glimmer of hope, as stand-in goalkeeper Matt Dennis struggled to clear his lines, gifting the away team a goal.

Harry Smith once again weaved through the defence before sending a dangerous cross into the Bampton area. After a scramble and a flurry of shots, the ball eventually found the net again, this time a Bampton centre back the scorer in his own net. Samuel Jones cemented the title of man of the match when he knocked home his fourth first half goal. Zeal went into the half time break with an 8-1 lead.

In the second half the visitors pressured forward but again Zeal broke and scored, through Tom Reilly for 9-1. However, a quick break for Bampton handed them their second of the game.

Zeal closed out the game with a final two goals. Sub George Jeffrey headed home a rebound from Harry Smith’s freekick which came off the bar and the final goal came from the penalty spot as Redd Cann was brought down after a clumsy challenge. Adam Clark stepped up, coolly slotting the ball low and hard into the bottom right to complete the whitewash.