St. Lukes Challenge Cup
Cullompton 0
Torquay United 0
(Cullompton win 3-2 on penalties)
A mixture of trialists and first team players, plus students from Torquay Academy turned out for United in the opening round of the St. Lukes Challenge Cup. Despite having the best of the first half and creating a few very good chances, United eventually lost out 3-2 on penalties.
United fielded trialists Jayden Corbridge, ex-WBA youngster Wes Atkinson, and forward Ashford Dawkins came off the bench in the second half. The squad was supplemented by four players from Torquay Academy. Jay Osborn, Harry Bell, Javan Wright, and Connor Stewart.
New loan signing Rhys Murphy started for United, he played just behind strikers Rory Fallon and Ruairi Keating. United played a 3-5-2 formation, with Atkinson and Mitchell playing in front of the back three. Andy Haworth played on the right and Jennison Myrie-Williams on the left of midfield.
United started the better of the two sides. Rory Fallon raced away from his marker to prod the ball past goalkeeper, Nathan Whatley. Unfortunately, the ball hit the bottom of the far post.
Minutes later Andy Haworth delivered a dangerous cross into the box which was headed out by a Cullompton defender. Keating was the recipient just inside the 18-yard box, but his shot went over the bar.
Keating then got behind Cully’s backline and fired a low shot towards goal. Whatley again, scrambled a save to keep it scoreless. United should have been three up.
United made a triple substitution in the second half. Harry Bell, Javan Wright, and trialist Ashford Dawkins came on as the game struggled to produce much drama. Dawkins did add some pep to the left wing.
United came close, but not close enough to creating any more substantial efforts on goal. Cullompton were kept at arms length, but the best effort of the second half from United was a deflected effort from Haworth that had Whatley scrambling, but it went just over the bar.
The final whistle blew, and it was straight to penalties to decide the match.
United scored their first, Fallon finding the back of the net, but Keating’s was saved by Whatley, and Haworth hit the post. Ashford Dawkins scored his penalty to put United back in with a chance. Donohue and Riggs scored theirs to leave it up to trialist Jayden Corbridge to keep United in the game. Unfortunately, Whatley dived down to his left to deny the defender and send Cullompton Rangers into the next round.
Thank you to the fans that turned up to support the team.
Cullompton Rangers: 1 Whatley, 2 Riggs, 3 Orchard, 4 Langabeer, 5 Beech, 6 Newman, 7 Donohue, 8 Ansell, 9, Kelly, 10 Baily, 11 Greening Subs: 12 Hill, 14 Reed, 15 Fry, 16 Riggs, 17 Raybould
Torquay United: 1 Neal Osborn, 2 Jayden Corbridge, 3 Myles Anderson (12 Harry Bell TA 61’), 4 Chinua Cole, 5 Wes Atkinson, 6 Tallan Mitchell, 7 Andy Haworth, 8 Rhys Murphy (14 Dawkins 61’), 9 Rory Fallon, 10 Ruairi Keating, 11 Jennison Myrie-Williams (15 Javan Wright TA 61’) Subs Not Used: 13 Jay Osborn (TA), 16 Connor Stewart (TA)