Exeter City Women won their third county cup in as many years as they confirmed Devon is red with a crushing 6-0 win against Plymouth Argyle.
The Grecians started strong, with a Sarah Stacey penalty opening the scoring just two minutes in, before Ishbel Zuurmond notched her first goal in Devon this season. On her first start, Beth Everson tapped home her debut Grecian goal, and Stacey made it 4-0 before the break.
It took just three minutes of the second half for Stacey to complete her hat-trick, before Zoe Watkins sealed the rout at Coach Road, crowning Exeter the inaugural Devon Challenge Cup champions.
For this cup final, Abbie Britton made four changes from City’s 2-1 win against Cheltenham Town, with the headline coming as Beth Everson’s first start for the club. Mollie Taylor and Jess Sandland came in at centre-half, while Fearne Slocombe slotted into midfield, partnering Beth Ireland.
First half
City set out on the attack early and were rewarded after just three minutes with a penalty. Everson smashed a fierce shot against the post, and as Stacey attempted to reach the rebound, she was flattened by a defender, leaving the referee no choice but to point to the spot.
Argyle’s keeper, Lily Felgate, guessed the right way, but Stacey’s penalty was too well-placed, nestling into the bottom corner for 1-0.
The Grecians continued to press, with Zuurmond playing in Stacey ten minutes later, only for Felgate to hold her well-struck effort. Sophie Gillies then fired over the bar, before meeting an Everson cross just before the half-hour mark, though she couldn’t generate enough power to trouble the Argyle stopper.
The second goal was coming, and it arrived in style. A driving run from Zuurmond took her to the edge of the box, where she played a one-two with Gillies before slotting home beyond Felgate.
City’s dominance continued, and ten minutes later, a fantastic cross from Sandland found Everson at the back post, where she tapped home for her first goal in red and white.
There was still time for a fourth before the break. Maya Kendall burst down the left and threaded the ball through a defender’s legs to Stacey inside the box, who smashed it home for her second of the match.
Second half
City came out from the interval raring to go, and had a series of early corners, the second of which came the fifth goal. Sandland’s initial ball into the box was worked back out to her on the left, and she then swung in an inch perfect ball for Stacey, who headed home to seal her hattrick in the cup final.
Shots kept coming from players in red and white, with Gillies and Fearne Slocombe firing over. Abbie Britton then made a double substitution, and one of those changes – Zoe Watkins – poked home City’s sixth.
A fierce strike from Gillies crashed off the top of the crossbar into the path of Watkins, who timed her follow-up to perfection and netted against Argyle, again, before jumping into the crowd behind the goal to celebrate.
City kept threatening, with another change Zoe Cunningham seeing a free-kick dip just over the bar before Zuurmond hit the side netting, but it was to remain at six for Exeter.
Four out of four in the Devon Derby this season, and a new trophy to bring back to St James Park, the Grecians have set themselves up perfectly for the final two games of the season with a rout against their nearest neighbours.
Next up for City is a trip to Hashtag United, before we look to Pack The Park against Watford. Get your tickets for that one now!
Exeter City Women: Bond, Kendell, Sandland (Toogood, 83’), Jackson © (Seaman, 61’), Taylor, Everson, Slocombe, Ireland (Cunningham, 75’), Zuurmond, Stacey (Watkins, 61’), Gillies (Pollock, 83’).
All substitutes used.
Goals: Stacey 3’ (pen), 45’, 48’ Zuurmond 34’, Everson 43’, Watkins 64’
Attendance: 371