Weekly Round-up - Sunday 12th February

With many games called off over the last couple of weeks, today’s fixtures focused predominantly on the cup competitions.

Cancer Research Cup – Round 2
Khalsa Reserves 1 - 5 Long Itchington
The Division 1 team had too much for Khalsa, and were quickly into the lead through Joe Tambini. Sam Crawford added a second before half-time, and Mark Larner grabbed two more in the second-half, with Oscar Rose wrapping up the scoring for Long Itchington. Luke Warby managed a consolation for Khalsa late in the second-half.

Cancer Research Supplementary Cup – Round 1
Wellesbourne Wanderers 2 - 2 Newbold
A second attempt at this cup tie, after the first game was abandoned due to a serious injury. George Deeley got Wellesbourne off to a great start, with a goal inside the first ten minutes, and a second shortly after. Newbold weren’t out of the game though, and Reece Mason got one back just before half-time. The momentum stayed with Newbold, as Ryan Palmer quickly grabbed the equaliser on the stroke of half-time, making it all-square at half-time. Neither side could make the break-through in the second-half, so the tie had to be decided by penalty kicks. It was Wellesbourne who held their nerve, going into the next round to face Chadwick End after winning the shoot-out 4-2.

Cancer Research Supplementary Cup – Round 2
Heathcote Athletic 3 - 0 Napton
Napton held out until the second-half, but three goals in ten minutes from Heathcote was too much for Napton. James Proctor opened the scoring shortly after half-time, and Kris Burnbury added two in quick succession shortly afterwards.

George Dutton Cup – Round 1
Engine FC 0 - 1 Cubbington Albion
Albion, currently top of Division 3, caused an upset by beating their Division 1 opposition by a single goal. In a closely-contested game, Ross Quartmermaine got the only goal after 30mins, taking Albion through to the next round, while Engine drop into the Andy Campbell Cup.

Andy Campbell Cup – Round 2
The Holly Bush 0 - 7 Hampton Magna
Magna quickly got down to business with early goals from Matty Hughes and Ash Dutton. Holly Bush kept the tie alive until the second-half, but when Aaron Manning scored Magna’s third goal on the hour, the game was quickly over. Joe Williams added a brace within a few minutes, before Jason Bradshaw got in on the act, and, with ten minutes left on the clock, Matty Hughes wrapped it up with his second, and Magna’s seventh.

Division One Cup, sponsored by Anthony Eden Hairdresser – Semi-Final
HRI Harbury 0 - 1 Bishops Itchington
The format of the Division One cup was different this season, with the introduction of two Qualifying Groups. The first semi-final saw the Runners-Up of Group A (HRI Harbury) take on the winners of Group B (Bishops Itchington). In a very closely-contested semi-final that saw good chances for both sides, Bishops got over the line with the only goal of the game from Adam Miles on the hour-mark. Bishops will take on the winners from the second semi-final (between Long Itchington and Leamington Hibs) that will take place later this month.

Division Two Cup, sponsored by friends of Rowan Fitzgerald – Semi-Final
Ettington Rovers 0 - 2 Pig & Fiddle
After a goal-less first-half, Pig & Fiddle finally broke the deadlock in the 65th minute, with a strike from Conor Smith. Liam Blake added a second shortly afterwards, and Ettington were unable to get back into the game. Pig & Fiddle go into the final of the cup, to face Leamington Hibs Reserves who won their semi-final a couple of weeks ago.

Plenty of league action to report as well, with games in every division!

Division One
Khalsa 0 - 0 Leamington Hibs
Stalemate in this division one game, as Khalsa provided stubborn resistance to league leaders Leamington Hibs.

Division Two
Princethorpe 3 - 1 Whitnash Town AFC
The troubles continued for Whitnash, who remain rooted to the foot of the table. With Callum Carsley notching a hat-trick for Princethorpe, a late strike from Sion Humphreys wasn’t enough for Whitnash to get anything out of this game.

Division Three
Cubbington FC 4 - 2 Kineton Sports & Social Club
It was a good day for Cubbington, and for Luke Swinnerton in particular! Swinnerton opened the scoring on the half-hour mark for Cubbington, and added a second shortly before the half-time break. The second-half looked to be more of the same, as Swinnerton grabbed another two goals in the second-half – scoring all four goals, and giving Cubbington a comfortable 4-0 lead by mid-way through the second-half. However, Kineton kept going, and gave Cubbington a bit of a scare when Jack Wyatt got a goal back with 20mins to go, and Liam Naven-Jones added a second shortly afterwards. In the end, it wasn’t enough, and Cubbington took all three points, and Luke Swinnerton propelled himself up the goalscorers table.

Kenilworth Wardens 2 - 0 Real Barston
A first-half strike from Dane Watt gave Wardens the lead, which was doubled by Dan Twigger with twenty minutes left on the clock.

Division Four
Bowling Green 1 - 1 Southam Sporting
A point apiece. Southam took the lead through Keir Wood, and Jake Robbins was on target to equalize for Bowling Green shortly before the half-time break. Neither side could break the deadlock in the second-half, so the points were shared.

Stockton 4 - 1 AFC Snitterfield
Reese Sangha gave Snitterfield an early lead, which they held onto until well into the second-half. Alex Boulden finally got the equaliser for Stockton with twenty minutes left on the clock, and from this position, Stockton piled on the pressure. John Ahearne put Stockton ahead five minutes later, before Lewis Califano added the third shortly afterwards. Ahearne got in on the act again, adding his second, and Stockton’s fourth just before the final whistle.

Balsall & Berkswell 4 - 2 HRI Harbury Reserves
Luke Shingler scored the fastest goal of the day with his fifth minute goal for Balsall, but HRI were quick to reply with a Jack Villiers strike. All square at half-time, and with HRI starting the second-half strongly, the momentum of the game was changed when the HRI ‘keeper was sent-off, and Shingler converted the ensuing penalty. Felix Roberts added a third for Balsall as they took advantage of the extra man, but when Jake Eames’s curling free-kick for HRI in the 90th-minute went in off the head of a defender, there was a glimmer of hope for the visitors. However, as they pushed for an equaliser, Spencer Grey-Nimmo secured the result for Balsall in injury-time.