Cullompton Rangers LFC
County Cup Semi-Final v Totnes
The long awaited County Cup Semi-Final versus Totnes was played today thanks to Uffculme FC allowing the game to be played on their pitch. With Speeds Meadow still drying out after weeks of rain the girls played their first game in over a month. Despite the lack of match practice the girls started brightly, playing slightly up the slope and battling a strong wind. The conditions weren't ideal but Cully managed to make their mark early on with a well taken goal from Laura Gough. After winning the ball on the edge of the area she cooly slotted the ball past Catrina Dunn in the Totnes goal. Emma Redwood was unlucky not to make it two soon after when she met a cross put in from Jess Hooper on the left. Her header went straight into the keepers hands.
Totnes attacked with promise and forced two corners in quick succession, but both were cleared without troubling Maxine Coupe in the Cully goal. Redwood doubled Cullys lead after eighteen minutes when she drilled a low right footed shot into the corner of the goal. Strikers Emma and Goughy ran endlessly, hassling the Totnes defence supported well by wingers Hooper and Kim Betlam and the two central midfielders Curly (Catherine Wright) and Titch (Laura Carpenter). The combination of Jess and Goughy was successful again on 30 minutes, when they won the ball and found Emma on the edge of the box. Emma doubled her tally when she curled a perfect left footed shot past Dunn. The score remained 3-0 at half time.
Despite having the slope and wind advantage in the second half Cully failed to capitalise on this and lacked the killer instinct in the final third. Totnes played well, with good resilience and battled in all areas of the pitch. When Cully did create their chances they were either denied by the keeper or the woodwork. Curly turned well on the edge of the box but saw her right footed shot drift onto the cross bar and away to safety. Emma was unlucky on two occassions not to get her hat-trick. Her first chance she beat the keeper with a one on one, but the ball trickled the wrong side of the post and her next effort rattled the crossbar. The second half was interupted alot with stoppages from the referee, this affected the Cully girls more than Totnes. They were unable to put their passes together and play attractive football, but this was also a credit to the young Totnes side who hassled and closed down quickly. The two wide players for Cully ran well in the second half, Gabby Trays replaced Kim Betlam and made some penetrating runs. Jess, as ever, running up and back on the left. Cullys second substitute Angie Pope scored the final goal of the game when she beat the offside trap in the final 5 minutes. Jess and Emma exchanged the ball on the left and a pin point cross found Angie unmarked in the centre, ten yards from goal. She finished well making the final score 4-0.
At the final whistle the players acknowledged it was a poor team performance and that they must improve dramatically before travelling to Team Bath next week. However they are in the County Cup final, in their inaugral season, a credit to all involved. The date and venue are yet to be set by the Devon F.A.