Fresha Devon and Exeter division three

Newtown 1

SOUTH Zeal started the new season well at Newtown on Saturday with a disciplined display coupled with some great counter attacking football which enabled them to take all three points.

For the first 25 minutes Newtown had most of the possession but could not break down an excellent Zeal defence with Lee Gilbert, Tom Reilly, Dan Wakeham and Oliver Holman in the Zeal goal exceptional.

As the half wore on South Zeal started to give the home defence some problems with dangerous counter attacks, this pattern of play continued into the second half.

Apart from an early flurry of attacks by Newtown, in the second half, Zeal created all the clear-cut chances.

The visitors took the lead when Harley Cann, Daniel Gibbs and Nick Pollard combined to leave Ben Davey free 15 yards from goal. Davey hit a great chip over the keeper into the far corner of the net.

The visitors had several chances to increase their lead but conceded an equaliser ten minutes from time after a close range effort gave Oliver Holman no chance.

Darren Gilbert got the winner five minutes from time, after some great work by Wakeham, Gilbert went past three defenders and the home keeper and slid the winner into the net from an acute angle.