3rd Round Review

There is only one place to start a review of the third round results;

Allerton 1 Hetton Lyons CC 0

Allerton gained revenge for last season’s fourth round defeat to Sunday Cup legends Hetton Lyons, as they produced a shock result in Liverpool.

This is Hetton Lyons twelfth season in the Sunday Cup and despite lifting the cup three times at Anfield, five of their eight defeats have come on Merseyside, so Hetton know that they have to be at their very best if they are to win in Liverpool.

Hetton dominated the game in terms of possession but had little in terms of a cutting edge up front.  They rarely troubled the Allerton keeper, who was only called in to action on just a couple of occasions. One of those was a free kick that he spilled in the first half with the Hetton forwards guilty of not following up, much to the annoyance of their manager.

The winning goal was scored in the 77^th minute, when on a rare Allerton attack, a cross from the right was guided home with a neat glancing header by Connor McCarthy.

Many thanks to Andy Gilman for this report.

Upshire 1 Barnes Albion 0

Revenge was also sweet for Upshire, as they halted last season’s runners up Barnes Albion challenge, in what was a repeat of last season’s semi-final.

Upshire got off to a dream start when Mark Daveney played in Jason Hallett, who finished with aplomb with only 30 seconds on the clock!

Upshire missed several half chances to extend their lead before the interval, but then had to defend strongly as Albion piled on the pressure in search of an equaliser, which looked likely until Jason Hallett broke free only to be pulled back by a defender.

The referee deemed this to be worthy of a red card and reduced Barnes to ten men. Their task became even harder when another Barnes player was dismissed for a second yellow. Upshire squandered a number of opportunities to put the result beyond doubt but they held on for victory.

HT Sports 1 Oyster Martyrs 2

It was a great day for the holders, as they secured safe passage in to the last 16, whilst two of their big rivals (Hetton Lyons and Barnes Albion) both crashed out.

HT reached the semi-final in their debut season, where they lost to Oyster at Guiseley, so they knew what to expect. HT would have fancied their chances, especially when they found out that Oyster’s talismanic striker Leighton McGivern was not playing.

There was nothing to choose between the sides, until the 40^th minute when Oyster drew first blood through Franny Smith. HT were level ten minutes in to the second half, when Mick Mills scored and they did their best to press for another goal. Oyster scored again in the 85^th minute when defender Tony Rendell capped a fine game with the winning goal. A mammoth nine minutes of stoppage time added to the drama of the late goal but Oyster held firm and proved that they are still a force to be reckoned with, even without their best player.

Thornhill Lees 6 Hartlepool Athletic Rovers 0

Dewsbury based Thornhill Lees are enjoying life back in the Sunday Cup after a three season absence, as they scored six times for the third game running!

Lees have been a big name in West Yorkshire Sunday football for the best part of 30 years. Twice winners of the West Riding County Sunday Cup, they have won numerous trophies in the Heavy Woollen Gate league and they first entered the Sunday Cup in 2008. They reached the third round after they battled through two close away ties and were rewarded with a home game against holders Hetton Lyons. Two postponements due to bad weather lead to a daunting trip to Spennymoor, where Lees were dismantled 8-1.

They have surpassed their previous best and their expectations this season, with three very impressive wins. I was at their first round game, when they turned around a 2-0 deficit in to a 6-2 victory against 2011 finalists Paddock.

This was followed up with another great 6-2 win over The Warden, another Liverpool based opponent.

Hartlepool Athletic Rovers also scored six in their second round game, when they beat Bolton Woods from Bradford.

There was no sign of any goal fest in the first half, as it was scoreless until the 39^th minute, when Lee Bennett opened the scoring for Lees. A Joel Clegg penalty made it 2-0 and Aidan Schofield put Lees well in control when he made it 3-0 on the hour mark.

A brace from James Wilson and a second from Clegg doubled the score-line and made it 18 goals in three games and set up another home clash, this time against Leeds based Chapeltown Fforde Grene, who ended the interest of Bradford’s Buttershaw White Star, courtesy of goals from Dempsey Smith and Craig Maynard.

Star & Garter 1 Hundred Acre 1 (Hundred Acre won 4-2 on penalties)

Debutants Star & Garter of the Leicester Alliance made a bright start in their game against Birmingham Festival outfit Hundred Acre, as they took an early lead. Richard Gregory went close for Acre and Cameron Stuart shot over when he should have scored, as Star clung on to their lead.

Stuart did get Acre level with a tap-in following some good work from Gregory. Both sides had their chances to score the winner, in what was a great advert for the competition.

Star hit the bar and Gregory missed a chance to send Acre into the next round when through on goal.

An additional 30 minutes of extra time was unable to separate the two sides and it was Acre keeper John Green who proved to be the shoot-out hero, saving a crucial penalty to put his side through.

Jamie Nugent, Stuart, David Franklin and Gregory were Acre's successful penalty takers.

Branksome Railway 4 AFC Kumazi Strikers 2

Another entertaining game saw Branksome Railway become the first Bournemouth Sunday league side to reach the last 16 since Bournemouth Electric in 2006 as they beat London based AFC Kumazi Strikers from the Metropolitan Sunday League.

Sean Gallagher was the man for Railway, as he scored all four of their goals! The first was scored inside ten minutes, when he pounced after the Kumazi keeper dropped a through ball. Gallagher’s second was a penalty on 20 minutes.

The visitors, who represent London's Ghanaian community, pulled a goal back with a shot from Gerald Akosa before Gallagher completed his hat-trick. It was 3-2 at half-time, as a Kofi Appiah thunderbolt from 30 yards out went in via a deflection.

Early in the second half, Gallagher scored his fourth goal and his reward was to be substituted straight after! Fortunately for the home side, the two goal cushion was enough. They should have increased their lead when awarded a penalty but without their star man on the field to take it the spot kick was saved.

Many thanks to Michael Wells for this match report