1st round review

Here is a review of some of the 1st round games.

Burradon & New Fordley 0 v Hetton Lyons Cricket Club 1
A 30 yard screamer from Marc Ellison secured three time winners Hetton Lyons passage in to the second round, as they came through a very tight game against Burradon & New Fordley of the Blyth & Wansbeck league.

Burradon, back in the Sunday Cup after a nine season absence, came close to opening the scoring on the 30 minute mark, when a spectacular overhead kick hit the cross bar.

Hetton should have taken the lead on 51 minutes, when a cross from the right from Joe Walton saw the unmarked Ian Watson put his header wide of the target. Other than these few highlights, neither side created many chances and with the game seemingly destined for extra time, substitute Marc Ellison picked the ball up in the midfield in the 86th minute and his long range strike gave the Burradon keeper no chance.

Falcons 12 v London Maccabi Lions 1
With joint managers Josh and Malcolm Newman unavailable and a number of regular players missing, the Maccabi Lions decided to forfeit the tie and withdrew from the competition.

However, when a replacement management duo were found, the club had a change of heart and decided to honour their commitment to the Sunday Cup and the game went ahead.

With only four first teamers at their disposal, the Lions drafted in four 17 year olds and four veterans (who had a combined age of 201) so, perhaps the result did not come as a surprise!

There were hat-tricks for Clift, Hefferon and Whitehead, whilst Lambert bagged a brace and Dalby had to be content with just the one goal, as Falcons went to town on their makeshift opponents.

South Bank (2006) 3 v Hartlepool Lion Hillcarter 5
It was a case of deja vu for South Bank in their game against Hartlepool Lion Hillcarter, as like last season (in their preliminary round tie against Kelloe) they held a 2-0 lead but were unable to go on and win the game, as five second half goals from Lion, completely turned the game on its head.

However, South Bank’s Stockton league rivals, Stockton Rosegale N&SA, had a memorable debut, beating sole Cumbrian entrants St Bees 6-0. They face another away tie in round two, to face double Bradford Sunday Alliance and West Riding County Sunday Cup winners, West Bowling, who recorded an impressive 4-0 away win against Obiter of the Liverpool Business Houses league, despite having a player sent off after only 20 minutes.

Nicosia 1 v Derby Lane Gym 4
2010/11 was a season to forget for former champions Nicosia, as they withdrew from the Sunday Cup without playing a game and were relegated from the Premier Division of the Liverpool Business Houses league.

Their return to the competition did not go as planned, as they were well beaten by Derby Lane Gym, for whom Smith, Lally, Kinny and Stanton were on the score-sheet.

Derby Lane Gym’s 2nd round tie against Eagle Cons has been suspended, pending an FA investigation.

A popular album from my youth in the 1980’s was London 0 Hull 4 by The Housemartins. However, it was more of a case of Hull 0 Liverpool 3, as all three sides from the Hull Sunday league were beaten at home by Scouse sides!

Hessle Rangers were beaten 2-1 by Canada, whose goals were scored by Tames and O’Brien, whilst Swanfield did at least manage a 3-3 draw with Allerton, only to lose 5-3 on penalties. AFC Blackburn Leisure were the third Hull side to exit, as BRNESC beat them 2-0.

It’s the second successive season that all of the East Riding’s sides have lost (or have withdrawn) in the first round and is a complete contrast to the league’s heyday in the mid to late 1990’s, when they had three finalists in six seasons.

A.C. Sportsman & Ravensborough 4 v Stanbridge & Tilsworth 1
Adey Bascombe (2), Matt Baldry and Neil Pugh were all on the score sheet for A.C. Sportsman in their routine win over Bedfordshire rivals Stanbridge, a quarter finalist back in 2008/09 but who have now exited at the first hurdle in the last two seasons.

Bari 1 v New Salamis 3
Debutants New Salamis have enjoyed success in the Kopa league and the London FA Sunday Challenge Cup and are fancied to do well in the FA Sunday Cup. They got their campaign underway with comfortable 3-1 win against Bari of the Essex Corinthian league, courtesy of goals from Richard Georgiou, George Gregoriou and David Hicks.

Tripimeni 4 Upshire 1
The Kopa league’s other Sunday Cup representatives are Tripimeni and like New Salamis, they are also expected to do well this season.

They suffered a setback when Waltham Sunday league champions, Upshire, took the lead in the 20th minute. However, Tripimeni recovered and scored 4 times through Ahmet Rifat, Darren Gray and a double from Nico.

Lobster 6 v Alder 4
There were goals galore in this all Liverpool clash, with the District league coming out on top, as Lobster beat Alder from the Business Houses league. Extra time was required to separate the sides and goals from Oliver (2), Flett, Andrews, Christian and Forshaw, saw the 1979 champions to through to the 2nd round, where they will face last season’s runners up, Paddock.

Gadeside Rangers 2 v FC Nirankari 5
The Watford Sunday league’s sole entry, debutants Gadeside Rangers, got off to a nightmare start, when they found themselves two goals down after just 15 minutes, against FC Nirankari from Stevenage.

The first goal came in the ninth minute, when the lively Theo Swaine made progress down the right hand side and his low cross was turned home by David Iwediuno at the far post. Gadeside looked shell shocked and worse was to follow six minutes later, when the home side were unable to clear another Swaine cross and Tegana James tame effort trickled into the far corner.

Gadeside were given a lifeline just before the half hour mark when Dave Nelmes was tripped in the area and Russ Popplewell stepped up and his confident spot kick reduced the deficit to one goal.

With half-time approaching, a Nirankari counter attack inside their own half, released Iwediuno and after his run was halted just outside the penalty area, Lee Wilson scored from the resultant free-kick, to restore Nirankari’s two goal advantage.

A superbly struck volley from sub Joe Pizans gave Gadeside renewed hope with 15 minutes to go. However, another penalty, this time awarded to Nirankari, was successfully converted on 83 minutes, by Lee Wilson.

Nirankari’s 5th was scored deep in to stoppage time, by Peter Duffy.