FOOTBALL: Cup week for Sunday football teams

HOSPITAL AND ADVERTISER CUP COMPETITIONS

It wasn’t pretty or skilful or dirty, it was just a really good cup battle between the Barley Mow and Clifton Bulls, who had played each other last week in the league, writes Stuart Taylor.

The wind made life difficult for both defences but it had nothing to do with the first goal which came in the 12th minute from the penalty-spot. A cross into the Bull’s penalty box was hammered goalwards, but the shot was handled on the line after it beat the keeper. Sean Drake converted the spot-kick and the Bulls were reduced to ten men after the offending player was dismissed. Shortly after the Barley made it 2-0 when Lee Golding converted a lovely little chip over a defender to put him in the clear.

Clifton, despite being down to ten men, were never out of this game and fought back to halve the deficit through Matt Wells. Within a minute they drew level after some very poor defending allowed Wells in to score his second for the day and they went in at the break at two apiece.

It took the Barley a minute after the restart to go ahead with a Steve Hunt 25-yard trail blazer, that found the roof of the net. Two minutes later the Bulls drew level through Michael Glover.

There were ten minutes to play when Sean Drake was gifted a tap-in to give the Barley the points and more importantly a place in the Hospital semis.

Also in Group 4 Caldecott were beaten 9-0 by the Royal Oak Reserves. In Group 3 Luke Halford and Pat Walle had given the Griffin a 2-0 lead against Athletico Belbao, but with ten minutes to play Lee Mace converted a spot kick and Luke Pritchard also found the net to earn them a vital point.

Rugby FC beat a depleted Webb Ellis 7-1. Lloyd Senna hit four, Shane Osborne got a brace and Patrick O’Brien added a single. In Group 2 The Hollybush brushed aside Braunston 8-0 and the Avon Mill beat CRC Reserves 7-3. Michael Lloyd and Ben Tomas hit a pair each, along with singles from Alex Brown, Chevaize Wrighton and Jamie Malin. Harry Holloway, Richard Timkins and Matt Evan scored for CRC.

In Group 1 Drayton Grange beat Quigleys 8-4. Tony Birkett and Stuart Clarke got hat-tricks and Sammy Burke and Andrez Bajek added singles for Drayton and for Quigleys the scorers were Dan Drewitt 2, Mike Reynolds and Dave Hoppitt.

Royal Oak received the points for their game that wasn’t played.

The next cup fixtures on Sunday (March 5) are: Group 2 CRC Reserves v Braunston and CRC v Avon Mill.