MARINE Academy Plymouth will have taken plenty of positives from their performance in a 3-1 Devon Challenge Cup defeat against higher league Exeter City at the Exwick Sports Hub on Sunday.
A goal by Exeter City’s Sarah Stacey just four minutes from time settled the contest.
The Grecians struggled to break Marine Academy down and they had to wait until two minutes before half-time to take a 1-0 lead courtesy of a strike by Fearne Slocombe.
Exeter did double their lead immediately after the break when former Argyle player Amber Pollock headed home from a corner.
But Marine Academy hit back with a goal from Sophie Pearce from close range.
And Samantha Drewery had a great chance to level late on but her header was cleared off the line by Exeter, who then went up the other end just a minute later and scored to seal the win.
Meanwhile, SB Oak Villa have reached the Devon Premier Cup final after they hammered higher league Appledore 10-1 at Manadon on Sunday.
Their reward is a final against South West Premier Division leaders Torquay United at the County Ground.
Appledore had beaten Oak Villa in pre-season, but the home side dominated the cup semi-final.
They took the lead after just two minutes and never looked back.
Oak Villa scored four goals in the first half and then added a further six in the second period.
The experienced Rachel Finch led the way for them with four strikes, including two in the first seven minutes.
Mia Jones scored twice, while there were also goals for Saskia Brisley, Mia Dulling and Amy Pridham to go with an own goal.
In the Devon Women’s League South & West Division, Elm Fusion increased their lead at the top with a 7-2 home victory over fourth-placed Drake FC.
Elm led 2-0 at half-time thanks to a long-range effort by Maisie Lovell and a low strike from the far post by Rachel Javan.
The Drake goalkeeper made some fine saves, but Elm made sure of the game with two quick-fire goals from Lucia Webb and Jade Bryan in the opening 20 minutes of the second half.
Abigail Hyndman then bagged a late hat-trick with three goals within just 12 minutes.
Amy Neale and Erin Rumble scored for Drake FC.
All the other matches in that division were postponed due to waterlogged pitches, as was Saltash United’s Cornwall Cup match against St Dennis, while Saltash Borough handed Sticker a walkover.
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