After the disappointment of successive season curtailments, Exeter City Women go into Sunday’s Devon County Cup Final with the hope of ending a frustrating fourteen months with a Trophy.
Here is all you need to know:
- Match: Plymouth Argyle vs Exeter City
- Trophy: Devon Women's Senior Cup Final
- Venue: Coach Road, Newton Abbot
- Date: Sunday, May 30
- Kick-Off: 2pm
- ADMISSION: £5 Adults | U18/Conc: £3
COVID SANCTIONS:
Track and Trace, Temperature Check on entry and Social Distancing will all be precautions in place on the day. We wish to make your afternoon a safe and enjoyable one.
MATCH PREVIEW
The Grecians were due to compete in last year’s Final but sadly that fixture was not fulfilled, the two Devon rivals now meet in 2021 as they should of in 2020.
Plymouth Argyle have had a difficult past year. Playing in the National League Premier South, a Division above City, the Pilgrims lost all seven of their League fixtures before the season was curtailed. Despite that disappointment, Ryan Perks’ young side have responded well on the return to football. Bideford were comfortably dispatched in Round One of the County Cup, Emily Mousley scoring twice in a 5-0 victory. In a fiercely contested Semi Final at Buckland Athletic’s Homers Heath, a late Wensday Wise equaliser took the tie to penalties. Heroics from Poppy Soper in the Argyle goal set up Rosie Shipp to score the winning spot kick and seal a place in the Devon Showpiece on Sunday.
There will be many familiar faces in the City ranks to those who have followed the Pilgrims progress in recent years. Jaydee Seaman joined Exeter from Plymouth in April, whilst her fellow new recruit Mollie Taylor played over 150 times in Green. Steph Beck has spent the vast majority of her career as a Plymouth player, whereas Phoebe Baker was at the Club before heading to Bideford. Beck, Baker and Taylor have all been in winning Argyle sides in a Devon County Cup Final, with Steph and Mollie having scored in some of those victories. It will be that experience that may play a crucial role in how City compete at the Weekend.
Whilst the Grecians have been in fine form since their return to football, winning all four fixtures, they go into the Final as underdogs. Facing a Team from a higher Division is a significant challenge, accentuated by the fact that Plymouth are a side used to winning this competition. With victories over Buckland Athletic and Torquay United, the Greens have won three of the last four County Cup Finals they have participated in. For Abbie Britton and Aaron Wakley’s side, this will be the Club’s first Final since 2015, a year in which marks the last time City won Devon’s Premier Competition.
Whilst our friends from down the A38 have led the way in Devon Women’s Football for most of recent history, the gap between the top tier sides in the County has, perhaps, not been as narrow as it currently sits. This will be a fiercely contested Final and one that City will have realistic hopes of coming out on top of. For such a big occasion, support will be crucial, so get down to Coach Road this Weekend and lend your voices to the Team as they seek to make it a memorable afternoon.
HOW TO FOLLOW:
If you can't make it to Coach Road. To keep up to date with the action, make sure you are following Exeter City Women on Twitter: @ExeterCityWFC