Disappointment in County Cup

It was a bad day for our sides in the County Cup. Beaten by solitary goals were Dun Cow at Hammer and J.A.P. Builders at IML in the Senior Cup.

Like their Reserve side in the Junior Cup, Nirankari Sports Sabha are now sole survivors as their game against Queens Head Sandridge was postponed at a very wet Peartree Park pitch 3. They’ll re-try on pitch 1 this Sunday, good luck to them.

In the KLM Challenge Cup Dun Cow Reserves set up a last sixteen meeting with Bottles or Emperors Head on 3rd February after a win over Premier Division outfit DC Out Bar. Already one up through Mark Phillips, they added a second in controversial circumstances. Danny Lane’s cross went straight in as goalkeeper Kyal Currey seemed to have been fouled when the ball was in flight. Currey showed dissent and again later for a red card when a penalty was awarded, before it was reverted to a free-kick. Luke Decker was also shown the red card for foul and abusive language towards the official for the same incident. It all meant Darren Downes went through against brother Ray.

Mallard still lead the Premier Division after an amazing game. Tommy Henry put them in front before Bottles turned the game around with goals from Leigh Sutton and Leeroy Odd. Craig Reynolds levelled the scores again with a header from an Andy Pilgrim corner. Bottles edged ahead again through Dean Horsley. The second-half was close with both teams having a host of chances before Lee Horsley seemed to have put the game beyond Mallard. However, Barry Hazelton pulled one back from the penalty spot with ten minutes remaining. The impressive Hazelton then levelled the scores after good work from Henry before Reynolds repeated his earlier strike, again heading home a Pilgrim corner in the final minute for the winner.

It was all one-way traffic from the outset for Bedwell Athletic even though they played with ten men for half-an-hour. Paul Coxall grabbed a rare goal when he glanced Tony Wells’ fizzing shot into the top corner to set the ball rolling. Richard McGregor became the eleventh man and netted on arrival, giving the Broadhall ‘keeper the eyes before slotting home. Alex Headington provided the next with a delicate lob before Paul Underwood scored with an outrageous goal, lobbing the ‘keeper from 35 yards from the touchline. Headington scored again after a poor throw out from the ‘keeper before Wells rounded it off with a thunderbolt from the left wing.

Division One leaders Pied Piper            strolled to three more points. They were four-up at the break. Breachwood Lions scored a consolation goal when Danny Jeffries set up Ben Dye. However, Piper scored three more. Steven Teale (four), Kologo Richards, Andrew Davis and Paul Harvey were on target. Although Lions claim Warren Hearne was unfortunate to put two of them through his own net.

Pig and Whistle are still second after another comfortable win. Despite only being three up at the break, they stepped it up afterwards. Ricky Lawrence (four), John Johnston (two), Alec Thomas (two), Dec McMahon, Darren Bartlett and Steve Schumann bagged the goals. Opponents Times Club did claim Ian Essam put through his own net at some stage.

Peartree produced a stunning comeback after Steve Soards and Sean Soards had put Pin Green two-up. Gary Baker’s volley from a corner and James Khakpour-Smith’s strike levelled matters. Jordan Dineen won it with a header from Dan Curtin’s long throw-in.

Emperors Head picked up the points as Stevenage Colts Old Boys were unable to field a team.

Royal Oak took advantage of Dun Cow Reserves’ cup week to go top of Division Two. Bryan Every (four), Albie Stafford, James Marshall and Lee Dowsett netted against Aston Athletic (Danny Bowey).

After conceding an early goal yet again to Fox’s Kevin Ward, Morecambe Wanderers settled and equalised through Ryan Eadie before Simon Lewis rocketed one in to put them in front. However, Gary Henniker equalised. Russell Ayles then found his shooting boots and bent a wonderful free-kick around the wall and into the top corner before Stephen Hayes put it beyond doubt for Wanderers.

Jason Lovelock (hat-trick), new-signing Mitchell Cunlan (two), Lewis Coward and Frazer Triggs netted as Marquis of Lorne grabbed only their third win in twelve against Tom Tiddlers Tavern.

Division Three leaders ProCladd saw their lead narrowed, despite the teams chasing making hard work of victories. Second-placed A1 Trophies endured a poor start and Carl Thompson put Chequers in front, and it could’ve been more. After coming on at half-time, Paul Cooper broke down the left to finish off the far post to level and they went in front when Martin Metcalf curled home following a corner. Their opponents kept going and the dangerous Thompson took advantage of some slack defending to equalise. With ten minutes to go, Daniel Pinkerton found the space to win the game having been moved from defence into midfield.

Twin Foxes had a real struggle getting a team together. Despite this and against the run of play, they took the lead when a Jason Aldridge shot was parried into the path of Mick McGrinder, who slotted home. A Stevenage Leisure equaliser shortly followed when Jamie Drackford finished with a shot from outside the box. Late in the first-half, Leslie Chappell went on a solo run, beating four players before selling the ‘keeper a dummy to pass into the net - a rare moment of quality. Leisure may count themselves unlucky not to have got something from the game.

In a game where the scoring was symmetrical with that of the Bottles/Mallard game, MBDA’s early pressure finally told when Louis Hare volleyed home. With stand-in ‘keeper Hayden Jones having an easy day, he was suddenly beaten twice out-of-the-blue by MC Racing’s Jamie Drury and Nick Christodoulou with close-range finishes after the defence failed to deal with the attacks. Just 20 seconds into the second-half, Danny Hukin’s through-ball sent Steve Stapleton clear, he finished very well to restore parity. Anthony Koop’s penalty and audacious lob from Drury from 30 yards seemed to have sewed up the points for MC, but it wasn’t to be. Rob Barton’s full debut on pitch saw him net after ‘keeper Phil O’Rourke saved Stapleton’s effort and he equalised thanks to a howler from the same man, spilling his 30 yard over the line. Finally, after linking up well with brother Paul, Ashley Kersey completed the turnaround to win the match in the last ten minutes for MBDA.

Stevenage Fencing still top Division Four after Garry Smith (two), Alan Widdows, Neil Roskilly, Keven Fehmi and Tom Bowgett were on the mark. Woolmer Green Foxes replied through Jim Castle and Mike McDaid.

Roebuck Gate slipped up in their chase, and even fell behind to Broadhall Reserves early in the second half courtesy of Gareth Dray’s low effort driven from the corner of the area. The equaliser came when everyone stopped at a penalty appeal, apart from Ian Levy, who turned and shot from ten yards. Broadhall ought to have got a winner late on when a free-kick was blasted in from 25 yards, but a player was adjudged offside as he obscured the ‘keepers view.

Nirankari Sports Sabha Reserves are fourth as Russell Bull netted five times in their win over Athletico Timebridge (Joe Delasalle and two from Terry Lock). Sam Spencer and a first for the Club for Sam Bickerstaff sewed up the points.

Coach and Horses enjoyed a first legitimate win of the season thanks to Andy Nash and Marvin Miller. Yorkshire Grey’s reply came from Lewis Sealy.

In the Invitation Cup, Darren Curry added a goal to an already two-goal lead for North Herts Celtic after just five minutes. Leigh Pollard doubled the lead from the penalty-spot. Bottles Reserves came on strong with a good spell which saw Justin Brown net twice to level before the break. They began in the same vein in the second-half much the better and netted through Glen Day and John Saunders to level the overall scores. However, the slightly-older lads ran out of steam and Curry popped up again to net his second of the match. A late goal from a corner converted by returning-from-injury Jamie Hatch sealed the win for Celtic.

Despite starting three behind to Hogshead, Richard Hall levelled the scores with a hat-trick for Probuild inside five minutes. Terry Pateman and Gary Pomfret added two more before Lee Gribben (penalty), Tony Lister and an own goal made it eight by half-time. Hall added another two either side of strikes from Pateman again and Kenny Slack. The scoring was rounded off by ‘keeper-come-right-back Stuart Howard with a thunderous strike from the penalty spot after Hall was fouled for the second time.

Team Folds: Unfortunately, one of our ‘good’ Clubs has been forced to fold due to financial reasons. Rapidsource FC’s relationship with the CSSFL lasted less than three seasons.