ADAM COPP fired Appledore through to the Graddon Vending Devon Premier Cup final with a 1-0 win over Exmouth Town at Crediton last night.

The Fishermen will face the Royal Marines in the county showpiece after Copp's penalty settled a tight semi-final 15 minutes from time.

Defender Ali Sawyer was judged to have handled a cross from Jason Rees, giving Copp the opportunity to break the deadlock from 12 yards.

Just as he did in the quarter-final victory over Galmpton Gents, the midfielder confidently stroked home the spot-kick to change the course of the tie.

In many ways it was a typical semi-final. Frantic, nervy and with little time for players to express themselves.

But Appledore boss Geoff Copp will be delighted with the way his players stuck to the task, particularly after their defensive woes in the shock defeat to Bickleigh last week.

The manager has often talked about building success on clean sheets and staying in the game when the opposition are on top. On this occasion, his team did both.

Before they claimed the winner, Appledore survived a couple scares.

Exmouth midfielder Andrew Jones latched on to a cross from James Berry and fired against the base of the post.

And Ben Shepherd poked wide as Nicky Spry came racing from his goal when Appledore were caught on the counter-attack.

Despite the miss, the referee opted to take play back and award a free-kick on the edge of the box because Spry made contact with the striker. Town argued that, as the last man, the veteran goalie should have seen a card.

In a game of few real chances, Shepherd was the main dangerman but he found central defender Gary Skinner in commanding form.

The pair received a booking apiece in the scrappy first half when Shepherd was late on Darren Polhill and Skinner took exception to the challenge.

Spry saved with his feet to deny Shepherd in the early stages, and when the striker did have the ball in the net, it was ruled out for offside.

Appledore looked at their most dangerous when full-backs Sean Downing and Rees were able to get forward down the flanks.

After one charge from Downing on the right, the ball was flashed across goal, just eluding a finishing touch from Marc Bettiss.

That was about the nearest sniff at goal for any of Appledore's three-pronged attack of Bettiss, Steve Skinner and Shaun Copp.

It was a night for defenders and, galvanised by their breakthrough, the Fishermen rarely looked like surrendering their lead.

Back in the final for the second time in three years, they would love to make up for the disappointment of defeat to Totnes and Dartington in 2008.

Appledore: Nicky Spry, Sean Downing, James Rees, Gary Skinner, Darren Polhill, Ben Layland, Adam Copp, Sam Stephens, Shaun Copp (Carl Hollimann 74), Marc Betttiss, Steve Skinner.

Exmouth Town: Sandy Allen, Andrew Taylor, Dan Plater, Ali Sawyer, Marc Simic, Jac Civill, Andrew Jones, Dave O'Connor, Ben Shepherd, Tom Lowe, James Berrry.