Bull Helps Sabha To Semi

Nirankari Sports Sabha Reserves will represent the CSSFL in the semi-finals of the Herts Junior Cup after a comfortable win over Mill End Sports. After a good start to the game, the home side were rewarded when great work from Pete Duffy down the wing saw him cross to the back post for Lee Wilson to take a touch and calmly slot the ball home. The second came after Duffy flicked the ball over two men, before crossing for Russell Bull to nod into the bottom corner. The pivotal moment came when Ricky Case was through on goal and was brought down for a penalty; the misery was compounded as the away side were reduced to ten men. The spot-kick was coolly slotted home by Bull for his second of the game and 47th this season before the break. A foul by Reece Tyrer saw the opponents net themselves from the spot. Wilson then put in a great ball for Duffy to smash home the fourth. Arguably the goal of the game came from Glen Lamacraft after he started and ended a good passing move by curling home the fifth. They now face The Malta on 9th March for a spot in the final. This is a side that have surely used all their luck after making it to the last four after their third penalty shoot-out win in their five ties.

Some great games in the KLM Challenge Cup saw the quarter-finalists decided.

Division Two side Dun Cow Reserves provided a shock by seeing off Premier Division Bottles. It was a rarity for them to have to roll their sleeves up. Jason Drackford scored midway through the first-half when he powered a shot through the ‘keeper. The game was secured with twenty minutes left; Pete Brewster produced an over-head kick that went in off the post. They join their first team in the last eight and now meet J.A.P. Builders.

Royal Oak set up a tie with Nirankari Sports Sabha after stunning Division One leaders Pied Piper. Goals from hotshot Steve Teale and Lee Kitching weren’t enough as Albie Stafford, Bryan Every and a Dave Pateman brace saw the ageing side through.

Dun Cow set up a tie with Bedwell Athletic after seeing off Pig and Whistle in a nine-goal thriller. Adam Furness (hat-trick) did most of the damage; Dave Kiddie and Ryan Jenner were also on target. A spirited Pig side replied through a brace apiece from Darren Bartlett and Scott Durham.

Stevenage Leisure led by three early goals against fellow-Division Three side King Pin United thanks to Carl Smith (two) and Chris Tillbrook. However, United pulled one back when Nick Collins netted from six yards. Dave Holmes then bagged a brace to level the scores and force extra-time. Leisure upped it again and slotted three times in the second period. Firstly, Jay Drackford broke the off-side trap and finished well. He followed this up with a carbon copy, before Greg Bambrick sewed it up. They now meet Pin Green.

Premier Division leaders Mallard were made to sweat in their latest game. Despite their lowly-position, DC Out Bar were up against the only opponents to have beaten them by more than a one-goal margin. Ian Baker opened the scoring for the leaders with a good finish before their ‘keeper Craig Errington made a terrific triple-save from Josh Dance. However, Dave Byatt’s first goal of the season pulled the sides level with a close range header after a long throw eluded everyone. Alex Lawrence then put DC in front with a looping header from a quickly taken Lee Bounsall free-kick. Adam Hazleton levelled the scores with a volley before Baker and Lawrence traded goals to leave it at three-apiece. Substitute Tim Smith popped up with a last-gasp header for the winner to keep Mallard in with a chance of the title.

Rugged striker Steve Underwood bagged four goals inside the first twenty minutes as Bedwell Athletic bounced back from their horror result against Mallard last week. Probuild started to play football and had the better of the chances after this, Rich Hall and Barry Greenaway both firing wide. Dean Wylie then scored a spectacular own goal, volleying in off the post, giving Bedwell ‘keeper Aaron Springham no chance. The second-half saw Probuild play with ten men due to injury and even won the half as Tony Lister beat three players before unleashing a 25 yard screamer into the bottom corner in the final minutes.

J.A.P. Builders went nap against Broadhall. Mandell Mullings (two), Michael Hatch, Martin Young and Leon Palma were on target.

With the top two in cup action, Putterills took the opportunity to close the gap slightly in Division One. They took the lead ten minutes before the break when a Pete Morrison corner was only half cleared and Dave Banks fired in. Emperors Head equalised through a well-worked free-kick routine as the ball was rolled to Martin Barrett, who finished superbly with his “swinger” of a left-foot. Putterills were back in front on the hour as the defence didn't deal with Lee McCarthy’s ball over the top and Morrison finished well. Craig Dillnutt sealed the points with a superb finish from 25 yards after a long-kick by ‘keeper Ian “Tiger” Woods was flicked on by Banks.

Breachwood Lions hit double-figures against hapless Stevenage Colts Old Boys, who continue to hang in there despite being way above their station. Four-up at the break, Lions kept their foot on the accelerator. The goals came via Adam Burnage (hat-trick), George Harrison (hat-trick), Daniel Jefferies (two), Ian Canning and an own goal.

Peartree were also big winners against a Times Club side, who took a late slot in this division. James Khakpour-Smith bagged a hat-trick, one of which was an impressive overhead-kick. Ben Coles grabbed his first goal since signing from the folding Rapidsource. Jordan Dineen headed another, Michael Bunker netted after rounding the ‘keeper. Andrew Black came up from centre-half to head in via for a corner and Michael Fortune’s tidy finish after a good run finished matters. Karl Rickaby netted the consolation whilst they were seven down, and also hit the post with a penalty.

Matthew Carter (hat-trick), Carl Gardiner (two), David Hailey (two) and Dave Pateman were on target as Tom Tiddlers Tavern surprisingly thrashed Aston Athletic.

Morecambe Wanderers contributed to their own downfall as Paul Brazier netted a last minute own goal! They went in front early on; Simon Lewis showed composure to slot home. However, Old Social turned the game around thanks to Stuart Archer and Matthew Keane. Wanderers’ top scorer Russell Ayles converted a free-kick to level again and they were in front when Lewis showed good determination to get his second. The own goal was no more Social felt they deserved, whereas Wanderers said they were ruing missed chances.

John Saunders grabbed four goals as Bottles Reserves easily beat whipping-boys SCS. Chas Bailey, Glen Day, Neil Watson, David Locke, Steve Johnson and Justin Brown also scored as they won five-one in each half. John Jameson and Keith Heads replied.

Division Three leaders ProCladd bounced back after two defeats in three, which coincidentally sandwiched the first win over MC Racing. Two-up at the break, James Tyrer hit a hat-trick, whilst Neil Henderson and a late strike from substitute Charlie Barnett completed the comfortable win.

Second-placed A1 Trophies were thankful for a superb strike from Dan Pinkerton with just five minutes left to avoid defeat against MBDA. James Harrod had given them the lead, but Louis Hare’s header from Kyle Watson’s cross levelled matters. Greg Bradbury put A1 back in front 20 seconds after the break, but another Watson cross found Hayden Jones to net. Craig Sutherill poked home Daz Jones’ through-ball before Pinkerton’s intervention.

After gaining their first win a week earlier, Chequers followed up with another tremendous three points. Paul Osborne (two), Carl Thompson, Lee Wilson and Ricky Wilson netted against high-flying Twin Foxes, who replied through Charnjit Singh, Simon O’Reilly and Rob Smith.

Roebuck Gate held on to top spot in Division Four after overturning an early two-goal deficit courtesy of Yorkshire Grey’s Ashley Sealy and Lewis Sealy in the opening fifteen minutes. Daniel Swales pulled one back with a strike from the edge of the area and Matt Jackson equalised with a volley from twenty yards. Swales completed a hat-trick by the interval, secondly by firing home from close range after the Grey keeper hadn't held onto Jim McGarry's shot. Early into the second-half, Grey reduced the deficit again when Rob Freeman prodded in from six yards from a long throw. Swales reinstated the two-goal cushion soon after with a one-on-one, and the result was confirmed when Andy Coates headed in at the near post in the closing minutes with his first for the Club.

Marv Hall was back from his suspension with a brace in Stevenage Fencing’s narrow win over Broadhall Reserves. Mick Sandford grabbed the other, whilst Lee Stokes and Steve Wells set up a close-finish.

Daniel Burley (hat-trick), Darren Curry (hat-trick), Jamie Hatch (two), Leigh Pollard and Paul Cockburn were on target as North Herts Celtic returned from Woolmer Green Foxes with a comfortable three points. An own goal completed the rout, and they also claim they should’ve had a penalty, they hit the post four times and the crossbar twice, plus the Woolmer ‘keeper made a string of fine saves.

Frazer Triggs (hat-trick) and Pete Summers (two) netted as Marquis of Lorne beat Pin Green in an entertaining Invitation Cup match. Dave Baldwin (two), Steve Soards and Adam Stevens replied as they fell out of the competition.

We look to supply another County Cup semi-finalist this week as Dun Cow Reserves go to work in the Intermediate Cup.