Pin Are Kings

King Pin United were one of the few shining lights in Sunday’s County Cup action. A battling first-half saw them take the lead inside ten minutes when Dave Holmes tucked away the first of his two goals. Bushey Manor fought back to level but pressure told as James Wyatt and Holmes again put them in control. Bushey came out the better of the two teams and drew level with a penalty and a well-taken third goal. However, Pin dug in and Wyatt set up Carl Lingwood for an easy tap-in before grabbing the fifth himself.

Russell Bull’s hat-trick saw Nirankari Sports Sabha Reserves through by the odd goal at AC Enfield.

Rapidsource were our third side to make it through, Ben Coles’ brace at Beehive doing the job.

Warners End took a very early lead but were pulled level when Steve Koop’s shot deflected in off a defenders head for MC Racing’s equaliser just before the break. Nik Tribe was sent-off after mistaking the corner flag for a javelin and MC had to defend well under a lot of pressure. They managed to force extra-time, but despite heroics from ‘keeper Phil O'Rourke, a corner four minutes before the death resulted in a header into the top corner to see Warners through.

ProCladd scored a consolation by way of an own goal against New Riverside.

Stevenage Fencing came up against some quality opposition. Marvin Hall levelled the scores before half-time, but Northaw ran out comfortable winners.

Roebuck Gate ducked out after a five goal onslaught ten minutes either side of half-time. They were level thanks to Stuart Rowe's penalty, but Peartree Wanderers took advantage to score four more times before the hour mark. A late consolation came by way of Daniel Swailes' far post header.

As the KLM Challenge Cup continued, Fox were denied despite Gary Henniker and Kevin Ward giving them a comfortable half-time lead. Fellow Division Two side and league leaders Dun Cow Reserves turned the tide as Darren Downes came on to give some stability at the back and Adam Paine went up front. Danny McIver pulled one back, Paine equalised and Steve Bannister grabbed the winner.

MBDA shocked their more-illustrious opponents when Ashley Kersey put them in front after five minutes after his original shot was tipped onto the bar. Classy runaway Division One leaders Pied Piper grabbed three before the break in reply and two more after the break through Kologo Richards (four) and Paul Harvey. Craig Sutherill grabbed a consolation late on for the plucky Division Three mid-table side.

Rileys were put to the sword as Ricky Case (hat-trick), Ernest Ewa, Jack Windsor, David Iwedino, Rafal Sobacki and Andrew Levy netted for Nirankari Sports Sabha.

In round one, Bedwell Athletic overcame the sending-off of their goalkeeper five minutes into the second-half at five-one up. Joel Mason (four), Paul Herring (two), Paul Underwood, Tony Wells and Chris Mathews netted against Chequers. Mark Greenall and Jason Smith netted in reply.

Pete Morrison was the hat-trick hero as Putterills won through against Coach and Horses (Andy Nash). Graeme Duff and Craig Dillnutt also netted.

In Premier league action, Bottles nicked a last-gasp victory against rivals Dun Cow in the game-of-the-day. In an evenly matched first-half, chances were at a premium; however after the break, Cow began to assert the pressure, but faced an inspired rearguard display. With the match destined to finish goalless, Bottles launched a final sauté and Darren Welton smashed in from close range via Michael Prentice’s long throw-in to steal the points.

J.A.P. Builders stormed into a three-goal lead thanks to Jake Banton, Leon Davis’ thunderous strike and Patrick Alcide inside twenty minutes. However, hotshot Tom Younger was on the mark with a flick header then with a penalty after Alan Kenney was hauled down to bring DC Out Bar right back into the game. He could’ve levelled, but put over after good work from Stu MacKenzie. Leon Palma stretched the lead before DC captain Gav Bowler’s last minute lob set up a tense finish.

A very poor all round defensive performance from Probuild saw Mallard take full advantage of the strong wind to all but end the game before half-time thanks to a brace apiece from Barry Hazelton and Craig Reynolds. The game-of-two-halves saw a long throw-in by Dan Gregory flicked into his own goal by Reynolds for an unwanted ‘hat-trick’. Stu Howard kept a second-half clean sheet with two excellent one-on-one saves and with Kenny Slack and Lee Allinson joining Rich Hall in attack, Terry Pateman slotted home a second after some pressure.

Divison One saw Richard Griffiths bag a hat-trick in Pin Green’s stroll over Stevenage Colts Old Boys. Adam Stevens (two) Steve Soards and Gazzan Afana were also on the mark. Billy Swaine and Neil Parker grabbed Colts’ consolations as they scored two yet again against a good side in a debut season for many of their players.

In another wind-affected game, Emperors Head went in front when Danny Wardell produced an excellent cross for Steve Harris to tap home a volley after five minutes. Times Club worked hard, but the second came from almost an identical position, this time Anthony Charles providing Harris. The game was sealed five minutes from time when Wardell’s shot was misjudged by the ‘keeper.

At Monday’s Meeting, Tom Tiddlers Tavern pleaded to re-enter the league, which the Committee agreed on, and their record in Division Two was re-vamped. Morecambe Wanderers will be happiest, re-gaining the six points they thought they’d lost.

Robbie Freeman (four), Chas Bailey (two), Phil Childs (two) and Justin Brown were on the mark for Bottles Reserves against SCS (Aaron Collins).

White Horse produced a stunning performance to take a rare three points. Jason Lovelock (hat-trick), Frazer Triggs (two) and Gary Leask netted against Royal Oak (James Marshall). Horse are a good side and weer threatening this sort of result, it all came good on the day and they just wanted it more than Oak.

In the solitary Division Three game, Jamie Drackford beat the offside trap and volleyed home to give Stevenage Leisure the lead. Hogshead drew level through Paul Dowse after a mistake from Alex Lucy. Leisure missed the suspended Ian Morton at the back, but Drackford restored the lead thanks to some poor goalkeeping. James Batchelor’s through-ball saw him complete his hat-trick before Dan O'Brien pulled another back, but it was in vain.

In Division Four, Terry Lock (two) and Ross Skipper saw Athletico Timebridge home against Woolmer Green Foxes (Steve Parker).

Yorkshire Grey took an early lead when Lee Grimsey prodded the ball home with his knee after a goalmouth scramble. The doubled it when, from his sick bed, Lewis Sealy's netted at the second attempt. Broadhall Reserves pulled one back before Sealy headed home via a throw-in by Lewis Essam. He then completed his hat-trick when a trick on the halfway-line led to a run to the edge of the penalty box and a good finish across the ‘keeper to all but sew up the points. However, thanks to Brad Harrison’s hat-trick and Ben Collins, Broadhall produced a tremendous fightback to earn a point.

In the Invitation Cup, Breachwood Lions lost out as the one goal deficit proved too much. Danny Bowey (two) and Rob Lucas added three more to Aston Athletic’s tally early on to effectively kill the tie. David Fleckney twice supplied Wayne Gardner with goals either side of the break. Gardner then fed Adam Burnage as the fightback was on. Burnage then beat the offside trap to square the ball for captain Danny Dye to net to amazingly level the tie. However, Dave Sell scored with a superb 25 yard strike to win it for resilient Aston.

James Khakpour-Smith’s strike seemed to be handing Peartree a point in reply to Michael Wells’ brace for Broadhall. Unfortunately, a tight game was won thanks to an own goal with fifteen minutes left.