Ressies Go Down Fighting

Clive Olney Cup Final 

14/04/08 Stoke Gabriel

Brixham Villa 3rds 3 - 2 Foxhole United Reserves

‘9                                          S. Rooney ‘15

‘55                                        Highfield '23

‘63

                                                                               H-T 1-2

In what was described by South Devon League officials as the best Division 7 Cup Final ever. Where a brave Foxhole United Reserve side went down to a very good Brixham Villa 3^rd side.

The game broke down into three parts really. The first half was pretty even to start, with both teams looking to attack and counter and it was Villa who opened the scoring after ten minutes. With Rob Highfields pace up front, United had the better of the scoring thanks to his 23^rd minute strike, after Sean Rooney had pulled the Foxes level with a beautifully struck free kick from 25 yards on 15 min.

The Foxes worked very hard in the first half and probably deserved the lead, with Zola and Rob a constant threat, Bennett who covered a lot of ground and Sean Rooney dominating at the back.

After the break Villa came on the offensive and had Foxhole on the rack for a good 20 minutes, in which Foxhole only managed 1 attack, Villa had scored twice and the Foxes looked dead on their feet. Then, when Paul Applegarth, on for the injured Paul Hoggarth, got in behind the villa defence, the keeper was out of his box and quite simply took him out. The referee had no alternative than to send him off. Rooney tried for another stunner but only managed to balloon it over the bar. With Villa down to ten the Foxes got a lift and pushed for an equaliser. The roughness kept coming from the Villa rear guard and at least 7 Foxhole players cramped up after heavy tackles and fouls. All the die were cast, as Craig Cunstone and Geoff Taylor joined Oggie on the injured list. Foy and Highfield ordinarily would have been pulled off by that stage but the boys pushed on to final whistle. Simon kept us in it as Villa looked to hit us on the break, but to no avail, time had run out......... 

Villa had won and the Foxes were gutted.

With hindsight, you can't argue with the result. Ultimately the Foxes lacked the fitness and were carring to many niggles, to pull through on Stoke Gabriels wide pitch, despite being equally, if not more talented.

Next year we'll be alot fitter and hopefully we can get to another final and come away with the right result.

Torbay Rangers on Saturday so get rested up.

MOTM:- Sean Rooney