Weekly round up - 26th November 2023

Starting with the Tracey Thomas Challenge Cup, there were two second round clashes.

Khalsa Reserves 0 - 5 Wellesbourne Wanderers

Wellesbourne, from Division Threee, were far too strong for Khalsa Reserves, and cruised through to the next round with two goals from Elliot Durbin, and one each from Joshua Kilbride, Joshua Duffin and league top-scorer Alex Rea.

Cubbington Albion 2 - 2 Leamington Hibs Reserves

This was a much closer affair. Cubbington got an early goal through Josh Bailey, and extended their lead to 2-0 at the break with a Freddie Finn goal just before half-time. However, Hibs fought back in the second half, and goals from Jon and Connor Byrne meant it was all-square at full-time, taking the game to penalty-kicks. It was Cubbington Albion who squeezed through, winning 5 - 4 in the shootout.

Cancer Research Cup – Round 1

Heathcote Athletic 1 - 2 Bishops Itchington Reserves

Another close cup game! Goalless at half-time, but Johnny Adair broke the deadlock a few minutes into the second-half, and gave Bishops the lead. Darren Palmer equalized for Heathcote, and it looked set to be going to penalties until William Wall grabbed a last-minute winner for Bishops.

Three games in the George Dutton Cup, starting with a re-scheduled Preliminary Round tie.

Massey Ferguson 6 - 4 Long Itchington

A big upset, as last season’s Division 1 winners were humbled by Massey Ferguson, the new boys of Division 4! Massey got off to a flying start with a superb low finish from Blake Arthur in the first minute. Long itch replied, and nearly took the lead when they hit the post shortly afterwards. However, it was Masseys who regained the lead on 32 mins when Cam Henson slotted underneath the on-rushing keeper. Just before half time Jack Morgan finished off a great well worked goal at the back post. Five minutes into the second half, the deficit was back to one, before Mitch Statham restored the two-goal lead. Danny McCann picked himself up after being fouled to hammer home his penalty and to make it 5-2. Long Itchington weren’t out of it, and had the chance to get back into the game with a penalty. Keeper Harley Hamilton initially saved, but an encroaching player meant the kick was re-taken – and duly despatched. The pressure was on after Long Itch scored from a free-kick, but the nerves were settled when Danny McCann secured the win with a second penalty after a handball. Long itchington scores were Sam Crawford with a brace, and a goal apiece from Ross Jackson and Andy McGuire.

Two games in the First Round of the George Dutton Cup saw Whitnash Town and Kenilworth Wardens go into the hat for the next round.

Dynamo Leamington 1 - 2 Kenilworth Wardens

A late kick-off for this game, as a replacement ref was drafted in at the last minute. Dynamo created the best chances of the first-half, but were frustrated by Wardens’ keeper Sean Povey who pulled off a series of excellent saves to keep the scoreline to 0-0 at half-time. Ten minutes into the second-half, Dan Twigger capitalised on a mistake from the Dynamo defence, and drilled the ball into the bottom corner from a tight angle. As Dynamo pushed for the equaliser, the dangerous Twigger made it 2-0 with a great run and calm finish. A frantic last ten minutes was set up when Dynamo finally breached the Wardens defence with Nick Kajkowski’s shot from distance. With Dynamo pushing hard for the equaliser, Povey and the Wardens defence held firm, and they go through to the next round after a hard-fought win.

Whitnash Town 4 - 2 Kineton Sports & Social

Whitnash looked to be cruising to victory with first half goals from Matthew Hughes and Mark Hickey. Dan Bates made it 3-0 just after the break, but Tristan Birch got one back for Kineton on the hour-mark. Hickey scored again to calm any Whitnash nerves, despite a last-minute consolation for Kineton from Rory Fisher.

Division 3 Cup, in memory of Chris Chambers – Semi-Final

Kenilworth Royal Oak 2 - 5 HRI Harbury

An early goal from Jeremy Simmons for Royal Oak was quickly cancelled out by Dale Francis’s strike for HRI after ten minutes. The rest of the first-half was a tight affair, and it wasn’t until the 69th minute before William Harte put Royal Oak ahead. Going 2-1 down seemed to kick HRI into life, and Sam Pye scored two quick goals for HRI almost immediately. Luke Sangha added a fourth moments later, and Greg Eales wrapped up the victory with ten minutes to go. HRI go into the Division Three Cup Final, to play either Napton or Cubbington.

Five league games were also played, starting with Division Three:

H C Raiders 2 - 6 Stockton

Mohamed Ahmed gave Raiders the lead, but it didn’t last long as George Ayley, Josh Tolley and Joshua Norris scored in quick succession to give Stockton a 3-1 lead at half-time. Kameil Campbell got one more for Raiders, but Stockton were too strong for Raiders in the second-half, with Ayley and Tolley getting their second goals, and Ben Osborne wrapping things up with ten minutes to go.

Real Barston 2 - 3 Cubbington FC

Jack Gibson gave Cubbington the lead, only for it to be quickly cancelled out by George Billington’s goal for Barston. Luke Swinnerton grabbed Cubbington’s second, to give them a 2-1 lead at half-time. Benjamin Valatka equalised for Barston with twenty minutes to go, but it was Luke Swinnerton who nabbed all three points for the visitors with the winner ten minutes from time.

Finally, plenty of goals in Division Four:

Bowling Green 1 - 1 Sporting Foresters

An early goal from Alex Stevens gave Bowling Green the lead. Foresters left it late to grab something from the game, with Junior Arthur rescuing a point just before the end.

Southam Sporting 1 - 12 (twelve) Pig & Fiddle

Southam got off to a brilliant start, with a first-minute goal from Shamir Entezar. However, it all went wrong from there. The visitors were 3-1 up by half-time, with goals from Matthew Compton, Sam Perry and Karl McGuire. The second-half saw the game go from bad to worse as far as Southam were concerned, as Pig & Fiddle ran riot. Sam Perry grabbed two more to get his hat-trick, Karl McGuire added another to his first-half strike, Harvey White and Calum Gellender both grabbed a brace and Drew Smith helped himself as well. An unfortunate own goal added to Southam’s misery.

Wellesbourne Wanderers Reserves 6 - 3 Stockton Reserves

A bright start from Stockton saw them take an early two-goal lead, both scored by Luc Sen-Gupta, although Ben Adler reduced the deficit shortly before half-time. Josh Burnell gave Stockton a 3-1 lead shortly after the restart, but the game turned as Adler replied with two quick goals for Wellesbourne almost immediately to draw them level. Sean Hopwood added a fourth for Wellesbourne, before Adler grabbed his fourth goal of the game, and Dylan Cook wrapped it up in the last minute with Wellesbourne’s sixth of the game.