Devon and Exeter three

Dolphin 1

WITH both teams having good starts to the season this was always going to be a tight match and in the end although both teams had chances to win the game a draw was a fair result.

The visitors started well and had most of the early possession but never really looked like scoring as South Zeal's excellent back four of Dan Wakeham, Tom Reilly, Graham Soby and Lee Gilbert thwarted their attacks.

However, Dolphin took the lead after 15 minutes when, a mis-hit shot, eluded Oliver Holman in the Zeal goal and dropped in under the bar. This misfortune galvanised the home side and they started to expose the Dolphin's defence with Darren Gilbert and Phil Evans attacking down the flanks and Scott Hooper and Jamie Atherton providing good hold up play through the middle.

Eventually the pressure told after some good play between Harley Cann and Stuart Entwistle which resulted in the former winning a corner; Tom Reilly pushed forward and headed home Scott Hooper's corner kick for a well deserved equaliser.

The second half started as the first with Dolphin having the best of the possession and only some great defending and some good saves from Oliver Holman in the Zeal goal kept them from taking the lead. However. Zeal started to get back on the attack and both Darren Gilbert and Harley Cann went close but neither team could break the deadlock and a point each was a fair reflection of the game.