Devon Trophy semi final

Okehampton 3

ISCA 2

AFTER the effort and energy the home side used the previous day this encounter was always going to be a tough game against a good ISCA side.

Welcoming back goalkeeper Andy Harvey and Leon Oxenham to the starting eleven the hosts struggled to deal with the visitors in the opening 20 minutes. They soon found themselves 2-0 down in no time at all and were struggling to create anything. Chris Luxton had a half chance before sub Brett Lawson saw his shot go over the keeper but cleared off the line. Harvey then got a tiniest of touches to turn a drag flick onto the post and Joff Stephens cleared off the line.

The hosts were two goals behind at half-time but still had a chance. After the break Oke reshuffled their squad with Oxenham moving into a deeper midfield role and Mark Parsons going back to his favoured forward role and things started to improve for them.

Okehampton won a couple of short corners and scored when Josh Speak made the most of some poor goalkeeping to flick the ball home from the top of the area. Simon Bourne then thought he had scored an own goal but his deflection was from outside the area.

Brett Lawson was reintroduced for the tiring Luxton. The hosts were looking fresher and had more desire and with ten minutes to go they scored an equaliser when some good play from Sam Whalley found Bourne, whose right wing cross was slotted in by Lawson.

The away side started to lose their composure and were a man less when the umpire sent their forward off for swearing and Oke took full advantage. Okehampton had pace on their side and a long ball forward found Parsons who beat his man and left a two on one chance and he unselfishly passed to Lawson who fired the shot beyond the helpless goalkeeper.

The many supporters and players went wild as Okehampton were on their way to the Devon Trophy Final. They held on to beat a disappointed ISCA side who thought they had the game in the bag, but the team spirit and belief of the hosts showed just how much they have improved as a team in the last two weeks.

Southern one

Okehampton 3

North Devon 2

OKEHAMPTON faced top of the league North Devon with only ten players available.

Things started brightly for the visitors and they took an early lead but that seemed to kick the ten men hosts into action.

Finding space all over the pitch they started threatening their opponents' goal and a good build up from the Captain and Simon Bourne led to Sam Whalley slotting home an equaliser with a composed finish.

Whalley continued to torment the away side's defence and he set up a quick second when his run and hit into the area was deflected home by Chris Luxton. Okehampton soon added a third just minutes before half time when Whalley twisted and turned in the area to win a short corner; skipper Mark Parsons slotted the ball home to make it 3-1 at half time.

Thinking North Devon would rally and come out fighting Oke knew they had to give everything for the cause. Hayden Bond in goal made some crucial saves and some superb last ditch defending from Jonny Aylen, Luke Liversidge and Will Cooper kept the visitors out.

North Devon scored a consolation goal before the end but Okehampton then had chances with Josh Speak and Joff Stephens which they could not take.