A young City side stormed into the quarter-finals of the Devon Bowl with a commanding 11-0 victory over Torquay United at the Cliff Hill Training Ground.
Theo Cutler stole the show with a remarkable six-goal haul, while Kieran Wilson shone on the right flank with several assists and a goal of his own. Gabe Billington, Tom Dean, Charlie Cummins, and George Birch also found the back of the net in a dominant display.
Dan Green and David Perkins took charge for this Devon Bowl clash, fielding a youthful team blending scholars with first- and second-year professionals. Harry Lee captained the team from goal, while Gabe Billington anchored the midfield. Charlie Cummins, Tom Dean, Mitch Beardmore, and Santino Ohanaka all temporarily returned from their loan to start, while under-18 top scorer Theo Cutler led the line.
First half
Both teams began brightly, eager to attack at every opportunity. Harry Lee was quickly called into action, rushing to the edge of his box to claim an early through ball before Charlie Cummins tripped his man on the edge of City’s penalty area.
The Grecians defended the resulting free kick effectively and launched a swift counterattack. Santino Ohanaka weaved his way into the box, only to see his shot blocked for a corner. From the resulting set piece, Tom Dean almost scored directly, but the Torquay goalkeeper managed to punch the ball clear from under his crossbar.
A minute later, Exeter made their pressure count. Dean drove to the byline on the right wing and delivered a fizzing cross into the box, where Theo Cutler was waiting to fire home and give City a 1-0 lead.
Exeter’s dominance down the right flank soon paid off again. Within a minute of the restart, Kieran Wilson cut inside and fired a shot from the edge of the box, which the Torquay keeper held. Sensing a vulnerability, the Grecians exploited the same wing once more in the 13th minute to double their advantage. Wilson charged down the right and whipped in a low cross, finding Cutler again, who smashed the ball into the roof of the net for 2-0.
The visitors sought to respond but struggled to create meaningful chances, with Jonah Shaw firing wildly over from range after gaining some territory in Exeter’s half.
Attacks kept coming for City though, Wilson drove another ball across the box, which Ohanaka met with a powerful shot, but the Torquay keeper made a strong save to deny him.
After a spell of possession, the Grecians added a third in the 26th minute. Wilson, once again influential, cut inside but, crowded by defenders, laid the ball off to Ohanaka. The forward returned the pass, and Wilson teed up Gabe Billington, who rifled a first-time effort into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
Dan Green’s side refused to relent, and two minutes later they struck again. Ohanaka’s low shot from the left was parried by the goalkeeper into Wilson’s path. The Scotsman had work to do but kept his composure, drilling the ball across the keeper to make it 4-0.
Tom Dean, a consistent scorer in the Premier League Cup, joined the Devon Bowl scoresheet just past the half-hour mark. Finding space on the right side of Torquay’s penalty area, he took his time before placing a precise shot into the bottom corner, the ball narrowly crossing the line.
Exeter dominated the remainder of the half, creating several more chances, but the referee brought proceedings to a close without any additional time.
Second half
The Grecians made a double change at half-time, and one of the substitutes wasted no time making an impact.
George Birch broke free of his marker in the box and was brought down, earning Exeter a penalty just five minutes into the half. Theo Cutler stepped up, coolly slotting the ball low to the keeper’s left to complete his hat-trick and continue City’s dominance.
Torquay’s defence, already struggling to contain City’s front line, left Cutler in space again just two minutes later. Oakes found the in-form striker on the edge of the box, and Cutler had the time to turn and pick his spot, firing low past the goalkeeper to notch his fourth of the evening.
City’s next goal came in a manner reminiscent of the first half, as Kieran Wilson once again wreaked havoc down the right flank. Driving into the box, he delivered a precise low cross into the six-yard area, and there was Cutler to tap home his fifth and City’s eighth, with more than half an hour left to play.
Though the flurry of goals began to subside, the Grecians kept creating chances. Wilson continued to find joy on the right wing, flashing another dangerous ball across the face of goal. Ohanaka came close to connecting but appeared to be held back as the chance went begging, no penalty though, said the referee.
The Grecians kept piling on the pressure down the right, and it was Liam Oakes who provided the next assist for Cutler. Overlapping Wilson, Oakes received the pass and delivered a perfect cutback for the striker to tap home yet again, bringing the tally to nine.
Wilson came close to adding a second goal to his name late on, breaking through only to see his shot saved. Oakes pounced on the rebound, but a deflection kept it out.
City, however, weren’t finished. Max Edgecombe’s pinpoint corner to the back post found Charlie Cummins, who rose highest to head home for number ten. And with mere seconds remaining, George Birch capped off a stunning performance by smashing home a low drive from the left of the box, sealing an emphatic 11-0 victory.
The Grecians now march into the Devon Bowl quarter-finals, where a trip to Barnstaple awaits. It was a dominant display from Exeter, who will take plenty of confidence into the next round.
Exeter City: Lee (C), Cartwright (Anthony, 62'), Cummins, Oakes, Edgecombe, Billington, Dean (Birch, 46'), Wilson, Ohanaka, Beardmore (Crees, 46'), Cutler.
Substitutes not used: Shanahan (GK), Graham.
Goals: Cutler 8', 13', 50' (pen), 52', 55', 73', Billington 26', Wilson 28', Dean 33', Cummins 87', Birch 89'.
Torquay United: Adams, Ballard, Price, Palmer, Cole, White, Ellis, Shaw, Herbert, Robinson, Wellington (C).
Substitutes: Yeates (GK), Hullance, Crooks-Lawal, Hard, Drew.