Devon and Exeter six

East Budleigh 0

South Zeal United 7

SOUTH Zeal started strongly almost going through with their first attack but it was not until the half hour mark that they broke the deadlock.

Ben Davey’s long free kick was met by Adam Clark who poached the ball from the outrushing keeper before stroking it home for 0-1.

The away side grew in confidence and saw a strong performance in centre midfield Tom Reilly and Ben Davey. The pair fed the flanks for Tom Boother and Darren Gilbert. Boother had space on the ball, allowing him to find the runs of Samuel Jones and Ryan Dennis. Darren Gilbert’s pace brought Zeal’s second as he was sent down the wing by a Ben Davey before cutting across the face of goal for Clark to tap in.

When Zeal’s solid back line of Spencer Stallion and Lee Gilbert cleared a corner it led to a Darren Gilbert finish, which was the goal of the game as he lifted the ball over the keeper and into the top corner for 0-3 at half time.

In the second half Zeal began to play good passing football. Darren’s pace once again proved too much for the Budleigh back line as he burst through on goal and finished with another stunning strike. Another end to end goal for Zeal came as they cleared their lines; Ryan Dennis switched flanks and beat his man before firing at the keeper, who was only able to push the ball into the path of Adam Clark who completed his hat-trick.

Darren Gilbert found himself with time on the ball after a lovely passing play from Samuel Jones, and Ben Davey; he scored his third with a lovely shaped finish into the far right corner. The final goal was scored by Tom Reilly who latched onto a pass from Adam Clark and nestled the ball in the bottom left of the goal.