Football Express Cup

South Zeal United 8

Halwill 2nds 1

WITH the pitch in fine condition, South Zeal Recreation Ground saw some top quality football played out as South Zeal United hosted Halwill 2nds in the opening fixture of the Football Express Cup.

Zeal kicked off down the slope and immediately went on the attack. Fast flowing football gave Zeal several early chances through Samuel Jones and Darren Gilbert who almost opened the scoring.

Less than ten minutes were played before United broke the deadlock. The lightning quick running of Darren Gilbert down his favored right flank opened up the Halwill back line and his pinpoint cross was met by the onrushing Samuel Jones, whose deflected shot found the far corner of the net.

Halwill got a foothold in the game as Zeal took their foot off the gas. Their swift wing play created a few worrying moments for the home defence. It came to nothing as Tom Reilly and Redd Cann made their presence felt in midfield for South Zeal.

A well worked corner routine brought Zeal’s second goal as Darren Gilbert’s whipped ball was headed home by Harry Smith. The home side were now rampant and they won a flurry of corners. Another great ball in from Gilbert was met by Tom Reilly for a 3-0 lead.

Tom Boother had another solid performance at left back and his well weighted through ball was met by Harry Smith who unleashed a ferocious shot into the net to bag his second of the match and Zeal’s fourth.

With only a few minutes left before half time, United were not done. Arguably the best move of the match came as almost the whole team were involved in the build up. Tom Boother found Adam Clark who played the ball around the Halwill defence into the path of Harry Smith. He jinked his way into the box before laying the ball off to eventual man of the match Samuel Jones who finished emphatically for his second of the game.

The opening exchanges in the second half were scrappy and the referee was forced to reach into his pocket on numerous occasions, with both sides picking up some yellow cards.

A long cross field pass from the heart of the Zeal defence found Darren Gilbert down the right flank. He beat his man before coolly passing the ball into the far corner past the goalkeeper to make it 6-0.

A rare moment of joy for Halwill soon followed as they won a set piece. Zeal were unable to fully clear the ball from their own box and the ball sat up kindly for the Halwill striker to thunder the ball into the net for 6-1.

Redd Cann was able to find Harry Smith inside the area and his tricky run drew the tackle from the helpless Halwill defender to give away a penalty. Adam Clark stepped up for the second week running. In trademark style he fooled the keeper with his eyes before sending the ball low and hard into the right hard side of the goal.

South Zeal made a few tactical changes at this point bringing on George Jeffery and coach Garry Smith for the already booked Tom Reilly and injured Harry Smith.

It was this change that gave Zeal their final goal of the match as Garry’s perfectly weighted through ball was met by striker Adam Clark who sent an audacious strike just inside the right hand post to give the home side a comfortable 8-1 victory.

South Zeal’s next fixture is at home in the Devon Intermediate Cup against Exwick Village on Saturday, kick-off at 2pm.