Torquay United Women 1
(Brookes 90+7’)
Exeter City Women 1
(Pengeley 85’)
(Torquay United Women win 5-4 on penalties)
Torquay United Women produced a remarkable performance against the odds on Friday night to defeat Exeter City on penalties and win the Devon Premier Cup for the first time in their history.
In what was to prove a tight game, it wasn’t until the 85th minute that the deadlock was broken, and when Exeter’s Connie Pengeley struck, it looked like all of United’s efforts would be left unrewarded. However, with almost the last kick of normal time, Leah Brookes showed nerves of steel to level things up via the penalty spot, serving as a precursor to the shoot out that followed, with stand-in goalkeeper Sasha Mole making two saves in the shootout to seal the silverware for Torquay.
The main talking point to take from manager Steve Elswood’s line-up was the inclusion of Mole as ‘keeper for the yellows, with United not granted permission to register a new goalkeeper for the Devon FA showpiece final.
With their role as underdogs going unquestioned, Torquay began the game strongly, giving little clue to the fact that The Gulls ply their trade a division below their opponents.
It was actually Elswood’s side that carried the greater threat in the early stages, with Ellie Bishop, Esme Kilburn-Thompson and Bethany Everson all forcing City’s backline to remain alert in the face of some pacy and clever attacks.
It took until the 20th minute for Exeter to force a save from United’s stand-in stopper, with Mole responding by producing a good parry to deny Sarah Stacey from a narrow angle.
As the match headed towards the halfway point though, it was Torquay that started to create the clearer openings.
One in particular – a superb run and cross from Bishop down the left saw an inviting cross sent across the goalmouth, however the onrushing Kilburn-Thompson couldn’t quite make up the extra yards in time.
It was to their great credit that those in yellow had maintained parity at the change of ends, and once things got back underway, they showed no signs of letting up.
There was a close-call on 48 minutes, as a deep free-kick from the left found Connie Pengeley at the back post, however her flick struck the bar – and crucially – bounced in front of the goalline, rather than behind it.
In the 56th minute, United produced their best moment of the match.
Using her pace and trickery to run at a retreating backline before getting in behind the last defender, Everson sent a wonderful low ball to the far post where Kilburn-Thompson met it with an instinctive shot, forcing City ‘keeper Abbi Bond to scramble across her goalline to keep the scoreline blank.
The resulting corner was just as dangerous, as the ensuing goalmouth scramble so nearly saw the ball bundled home.
The woodwork was undoubtedly favouring Elswood’s charges though, as it again came to his team’s rescue on 68 minutes, with a cross from the right picking out the unmarked Steph Beck, whose header struck the post before bouncing behind.
With the minutes beginning to tick down, Torquay began to show signs of tiring for the first time – perhaps unsurprising, given the huge amounts of effort being exerted.
United continued to stifle their opponents though, and apart from a ball prodded wide from a half-cleared corner with twenty minutes remaining, they appeared to have the measure of City.
However, with five minutes remaining, Exeter struck what looked to be a decisive blow.
With a ball bouncing around a packed penalty area, the loose ball fell kindly for Pengeley, who duly slotted it past the floored Mole to make it 1-0.
Summoning up all their last reserves of energy, United refused to give up, and in the last of the six additional minutes added, their break finally came.
A deep ball into the box from Tracey Cox fell for Everson, and although her route to goal appeared blocked, a rash challenge from Baker saw the winger upended, with the referee perfectly placed to point to the spot.
Brookes stepped up to slam the ball past Bond in-between the City sticks, and it was to be a rivalry that would be renewed moments later, as the match went to penalties.
Mole, not content merely to face spot-kicks herself, was the first to step forward, and gave her team the perfect start – 1-0.
Her dream evening got even better just after, as she saved from Beck to maintain The Gulls’ advantage.
Danni Wyatt, Anthea Kaptein, Brookes again, and Sarah Stacey all exchanged successful kicks for their respective sides, before a Bond save from Emma Hunt, followed swiftly by a Mollie Taylor strike for City, levelled things up.
Kilburn-Thompson – against her former club – Pengeley and Cross all saw their efforts find their intended target, before Jess Sandland stepped forward, knowing a miss would prove decisive.
And so it proved, as her scuffed effort left Mole with the simplest of tasks, and she could barely believe her luck as knelt down to claim the ball, and with it, the silverware for Torquay United Women.
An achievement that the team – and the whole Club – can rightfully be proud of.
Well done, girls!