Final four in the South Devon Football League Herald Cup for 2026

The Herald Cup has reached the semi-finals with pain for some and joy for others and the last 100% record was blown away by Corries.

There were some great Herald Cup fixtures in this season’s quarter-finals and apart from Paignton Saints v East Allington United having to be abandoned on 38 minutes due to a serious injury, the other three games could have filled a page each with a match report.

The lowest ranked team left in the cup were Galmpton United, who took on the might of Ilsington Villa and it was the visitors, who came away with a 4-1 victory thanks to goals from Daniel Langford, Matt Warman and Mike Summers in a pulsating cup game that will give the home team a good measure of where they are at the moment but the Moorlanders go into the hat for the semis. (full report on Davesworld).

The Newton Abbot derby game was a lot closer and a bit more scrappy but Spurs managed to find the net twice to get the advantage and progress into the semis, which seems to becoming an annual event.

The Plymouth derby between Lakeside Athletic and True Blues was far more straight forward, A 5-0 win for the home team thanks to goals from JJ Honeywell, Adam Carter, Steve Rogers and Sam Cameron makes Lakeside only the second team from Plymouth to reach this stage ever, Windmill being the other.

In the Fred Hewings Cup semi-finals Newton Abbot Spurs 3rds beat Kingsteignton Athletic 6-3 in a very entertaining game. Nick Garrett was the Spurs hero, scoring a hat-trick and there was a double from Frank Orynik, while Andrew Dewar completed the scoring and when you consider there are two divisions between the teams, the young Rams can be pleased with their cup run.

Newton Abbot 66 2nds will join Spurs 3rds in the final after a mammoth 120 minutes versus Barton Athletic 2nds where the score was 2-2, Alphie Butler and an own goal had given the lowest ranked team a chance of a cup final outing but the dreaded penalty shoot-out went in favour of sixes by 5 goals to 3.

In the Premier Division, the big upset came at the Duckspond where second from bottom Buckfastleigh Rangers seemed to be on a roll winning their third game of the season and moving within a point of safety. An incredible 3-2 victory courtesy of a Jack Digby hat trick over top of the table Windmill will certainly raise some eyebrows amongst the teams just above them and those still to play them.

Chudleigh Athletic continued their climb up the table and a 6-2 win over bottom club Totnes and Dartington with goals from George Davidson, Gavin Hammon, Jason Lake, Gavin Lake and Henry Buckpitt leaves the Tots adrift at the bottom with a lot of work to do.

Division One is really no clearer but Paignton Villa keep the pressure on the other seven contenders with a 6-0 win over a Brixham Town side that seem to have lost their way since the turn of the year and amount Gould have moved up to fourth place with a comfortable afternoon at Liverton United with a 7-1 result, Bentley Alcantara celebrated returning from his suspension with a hat trick.

In Division Two, the final 100% record disappeared when Babbacombe Corries beat Signal Box Oak Villa by 4 goals to 1, goals from Kieron Sweet, Jack Cousins and Josh Swann keeps Corries in second place, nine points behind Signal Box who are nailed on to win the title in their first SDFL season.

Ashburton had a setback in a 3-2 loss at East Allington in an entertaining game, Sam Bruckner was the home team hero with a hat trick for the Pirates and both teams remain as outsiders for a top two slot.

In Division Three, Kingskerswell got back to winning ways with a 7-0 triumph over Buckfastleigh Rangers 2nds, which moves them to within three points of Galmpton to maintain the two-horse race, Josh Causley, Shane Essam, Max Lee, Alex Harding and Steve Rohan all found the net at the Kerswell Bowl.

The top of Division Four has got a bit tighter thanks to Teign Village winning 2-0 against Bere Alston United, whilst the leaders were on cup duty. Alexander Eason was the targetman for the Villagers, keeping them in second place. Brixham Town 2nds are still in the mix thanks to a 5-2 victory over Broadhempston United with strikes from Isaac Fairlie, Mike Stibbe, Harley Davis and Luke Thomas.

In the divisional cups, Kingsbridge/Kellaton Utd, Drake FC, Chudleigh Ath 2nds all made it through to the quarter finals.

And finally a massive well done to WBB, who, in beating South Zeal 4-0, have guaranteed another all SDFL county final, goals from Ryan Clarke, Cam Gill, Leo Dobson Hill and Sam Marsdon completes the first part of the jigsaw for the Claymen in what is turning out to be an extraordinary season after the problems they suffered just a year ago. Well done to all around at the club.