Postponements for Sunday 19/12

Lobster v Salisbury Athletic - thanks to Ian Porter for this info

Huddersfield Irish Centre v Oyster Martyrs

As far as I know, the above games (and any other postponements) will now be rescheduled for 9th January.

3rd round results & 4th round draw

3rd round results
Comets SC 4 Clumber 4 - Comets won 4-3 on penalties

The Lounge 0 Britannia United 3

Golden Lion 2 Club Lewsey 8

Bedfont Sunday 2 AC Sportsman & Ravensborough 0

FC Tripimeni-Aris 0 Northampton Duke of York 1

Knighton Arms 2 Hanham Sunday 1

4th round draw - games to be played on Sunday 23/1/11 - 13:00 KO:

Lobster or Salisbury Athletic v Mariners or Alder

Huddersfield Irish Centre or Oyster Martyrs v Sunderland RCA Barnes or Sandstone

Eden Vale or Queens Park v Hetton Lyons or Paddock

Northampton Duke of York v Travellers

Comets Sports Club v Belstone

Club Lewsey v Hundred Acre or Kingshurst Sporting Club

Bedfont Sunday v Wonford United or Bluebird United

Britannia United v Knighton Arms

2nd/3rd round results

FC Houghton Centre 1 Travellers 5

Belstone 2 Birstall Stamford 0

Queens Park 2 Witton Park Rose & Crown 0

Postponements

Despite the recent improvements in the weather, it appears that it has come too late to save a lot of tomorrow's games from being postponed.

I've published a list of ties that I know have already been cancelled but if anyone knows of any other games that are off and would like me to update that list, please email the details to:

fasundaycupblog@hotmail.co.uk

Thanks

Ian

3rd Round Postponements

The following games have been postponed and re-scheduled for Sunday 19th December at 1.00pm:

Wonford United v Bluebird United
Sunderland RCA Barnes v Sandstone
Hetton Lyons CC v Paddock
Huddersfield Irish v Oyster Martyrs
Lobster v Salisbury Athletic - Thanks to Ian Porter from Salisbury for this info

I was going to preview some of the 3rd round games but as two of those matches are on the above list of postponements, I'll wait until next week!

There is, of course, one outstanding 2nd round tie, Witton Park Rose & Crown v Queens Park, which has already suffered three successive postponements (2 at West Auckland Town and last week at West Kirby).

Lets hope it's played soon and that we don't see a repeat of last season's 3rd round game between Wycombe Town and Unity Nirankari, which should have been played on 6th December but was delayed by 2 weeks due to Unity's outstanding 2nd round game against Club Lewsey.

The tie then suffered multiple postponements and was not played until Sunday 31st January, when Wycombe Town ran out 4-1 winners at Flackwell Heath's ground.

However, this game had to be replayed, as it transpired that underage officials had been appointed by the Berks & Bucks FA! So, the two teams met again the following Sunday (7th February) where Wycombe won by an even more convincing score of 10-2.

2nd round review

I was hoping to feature more games in this round up and to have posted this article earlier but when you have 3 children under the age of 5, you find that spare time is a bit of a contradiction in terms and that even the FA Sunday Cup has to sometimes take a back seat!

Hundred Acre 6 Blue Mugge 4
The 2nd round’s highest scoring encounter saw 10 goals at Noose Lane, Willenhall, a venue which hosted 3 Sunday Cup semi finals between 1983 and 1990.

However, instead of legends like Lee Chapel North, Lodge Cottrell, Marston Sports and Eagle, the protagonists this time around were Hundred Acre of the Birmingham Festival league and Blue Mugge from the Potteries league.

Simon Lamour gave Hundred Acre the lead on 13 minutes, through a long-range strike after a fine solo run. Blue Mugge restored parity immediately through Tim Saunders and began to dominate possession, to the extent, that by half time, they had a 3-1 lead, courtesy of goals from Danny Smith and Shane Reaney.

However, the tie was far from over, as another wonder strike from Lamour only 2 minutes in to the 2nd half, was very quickly followed by 2 close range headed goals from defender Luke Woakes and within 7 minutes of the restart, Hundred Acre had amazingly regained the lead!

They made it 5-3 on 55 minutes when veteran Paul Devlin latched on to Simon Lamour’s though ball and finished well from just inside the penalty box.

Hundred Acre extended their lead on 81 minutes when Paul Devlin’s cross was deflected in for an own goal. Blue Mugge had the last say when they made it 6-4 with a goal scored in the final minute of play.

It is interesting to note that Hundred Acre decided to split their man of the match award between Simon Lamour and their goalkeeper, Nathan Woakes.

In fact, Hundred Acre were so impressed with their Leek based opponents, that after the game, secretary Martin Nugent said: "Blue Mugge murdered us in the first half and could have been ahead by five or six.

"We always knew it was going to be a tough game and for half-an-hour or so they were excellent. But their heads seemed to drop when we pulled it back to 3-3 and we went on to win a fantastic game which was played in a brilliant spirit."

Clumber 2 Magnet Tavern 1
Last season’s runners up, Magnet Tavern fell at the first hurdle, in what was undoubtedly the shock result of the competition so far.

However, it all started well for the Spalding league side, as they took the lead after just 6 minutes. Clumber hit back immediately to level within 60 seconds through Jaylee Hodgson (who is now scoring goals for Northern Premier league outfit Loughborough Dynamo, who are the 4th Saturday side he has been with this season!).

Clumber’s winner came midway through the first period, when Jared Westcarr fired home to earn the Nottinghamshire based side an away trip to Hertfordshire to face Comets Sports Club of the Berkhamsted league.

Belt Road 2 Birstall Stamford 3
This tie gave Cannock Chase league outfit Belt Road the opportunity to
avenge a 5-2 defeat they suffered at home to Birstall Stamford in the 4th
round, back in 2006/7.

Belt Road squandered a 2-0 lead with just 8 minutes left that day but this time, it was Birstall Stamford who threw away a 2-0 lead, although they did manage to get back in to the game and find another goal to squeeze in to the last 32.

Bluebird United 4 Wrightchoice Comm Sports Association 2
Two debutants came face to face at Elburton Villa, where Bluebird United of the Plymouth & West Devon Combination hosted Wrightchoice from the Senior Division of the Reading league.

Bluebird, no doubt inspired by the Sunday Cup achievements of local rivals Lakeside Athletic (2009 semi finalists) scored an impressive 6-3 first round victory away at Ashton but found themselves 1-0 down after only four minutes.

They levelled the score somewhat fortuitously, when the ball ricocheted off Sam Stevens and went in!!

Levi Landricombe scored a stunning volley to put Bluebird 2-1 in front. He then extended the lead with another volley after the break and then put the result beyond doubt when he completed his hat-trick

3rd Round Draw

Ties to be played on Sunday 12th December - 13:00 KO

Mariners v Alder
Huddersfield Irish Centre v Oyster Martyrs
Sunderland RCA Barnes v Sandstone
Hetton Lyons Cricket Club v Paddock
Eden Vale v Witton Park Rose & Crown or Queens Park
Lobster v Salisbury Athletic
FC Houghton Centre v Travellers
Comets Sports Club v Clumber
The Lounge v Britannia United
Belstone v Birstall Stamford
Hundred Acre v Kingshurst Sporting Club
Golden Lion v Club Lewsey
Bedfont Sunday v AC Sportsman & Ravensborough
FC Tripimeni-Aris v Northampton Duke Of York
Windmill or Knighton Arms v Hanham Sunday
Wonford United v Bluebird United

For me, the stand out tie is Huddersfield Irish v Oyster Martyrs and all being well, I'll be watching that one!

In the next few days, I'll post a review of the 2nd round and a top tips update. I'll also preview the 3rd round in early December.

2nd round scores

Here are the results from some of today's 2nd round games:

West Bowling 2 Mariners 5
Alder 4 Tower 2
Belt Road 2 Birstall Stamford 3
Kelloe WMC 2 Oyster Martyrs 3
Hetton Lyons 4 Brow 2
Salisbury Athletic 0 Poulton Royal 0 (SA won 4-2 on penalties)
Sunderland RCA Barnes 2 Derby Lane Gym 0
Dawdon Colliery Welfare 0 Paddock 3
Belstone 2 Nirankari Stevenage 0
Hanham Sunday 4 Lakeside Athletic 2
FC Tripimeni-Aris 4 Enfield Rangers 1
Fforde Greene 0 Sandstone 2
Huddersfield Irish 4 Hartlepool Lion 0

Postponed
Witton Park Rose & Crown v Queens Park

2nd round match report

This afternoon I went to see my local side, West Bowling (Bradford Sunday Alliance league champions and current holders of the West Riding County Sunday Cup) take on Mariners of the Ormskirk & District league.

West Bowling 2 Mariners 5

Mariners took to the field wearing the famous red & black strip of AC Milan and played some neat and attractive football, worthy of their more illustrious counterparts. They took the lead on 9 minutes, when a direct free kick on the edge of the Bowling 18 yard box, was slotted home by Sean Tierney, leaving the home team keeper rooted to the spot!

Bowling's equaliser came when winger Damien Melvin's cross picked out Chris Wood, who swept the ball home from close range. After what had been a reasonably even game, Bowling stepped up a gear and created several very presentable chances, which they failed to convert. HT 1-1 (although to be honest, it could have been 4-2 to the home side)

After being fortunate to go in on level terms at half time, Mariners started the 2nd half with a real purpose and were back in front just 4 minutes after the restart, when Sean Tierney found himself completely unmarked in the penalty area and drilled the ball home with ease.

Mariners made it 3-1 just 5 minutes later, when the Bowling keeper failed to collect a cross and Mariner's centre half, Mike White, scored from close range.

Things went from bad to worse for the home side, when Cory Larkin was shown the red card for an incident I failed to see, as the huge dugouts at Horsfall blocked my view!

Mariners Ryan Keyo, who had been impressive throughout then played a key role in most of what happened next. He was fouled in the box, which lead to a penalty being awarded (which was missed by John Cass - the follow up was then blazed over the bar!) Keyo then scored with an audacious lob from 30 yards out and after Bowling had scored a 2nd through Damien Melvin, Keyo then wrapped it up with a 5th near the end, to give Mariners a deserved win but will leave Bowling to rue those spurned chances late in the first half.

2nd Round Preview

With the 2nd round only a week away, here is a preview of some of the more eye catching ties:

Fforde Grene v Sandstone
Locking horns for the third season running, are Leeds Combination outfit Fforde Grene and Sandstone from the Liverpool and District league.

The luck of the draw has handed home advantage to Fforde’s every time, although their 3-1 third round victory in 2008 was at Chester City, following two postponements at Yorkshire Amateur. Fforde’s became the first Leeds team to reach the semi finals in over 40 years that season, when they lost 3-2 to Oyster Martyrs at Guiseley.

Sandstone gained their revenge in the first round last season, when they won 3-1 at Garforth Town.

So, with each team winning 3-1 on the other’s ground, home advantage has counted for very little!! I think the score line will be closer this time and the result could well be decided by a Dominic, as both sides have in form strikers with this name.

Dominic Blair’s goals were a key factor in Fforde’s 2008/09 run, including a brace in the game against Sandstone. He was also amongst the goals in the first round win at Red Lion. Dominic Grant’s hat trick secured Sandstone’s place in the 2nd round, as they overcame fellow Scouser’s Obiter.

Kelloe WMC v Oyster Martyrs
One of the standout ties of the round, it’s a shame that these two are meeting so early in the competition.

Oyster’s don’t find the North East an easy place to visit, as they needed penalties to edge past Murton Victoria of the Peterlee & District league in 2007, before losing 3-1 at Hetton Lyons in the next round.

Although they are more comfortable at home against Durham opposition, where they have beaten former winners Coundon Conservatives and Witton Park Rose and Crown (twice).

Kelloe had to battle from 2-0 down against North Riding County Cup winners South Bank in the preliminary round, before receiving a walkover in round 1.

I think this will be a close game with Oyster just shading it.

Hanham Sunday v Lakeside Athletic
Another contender for tie of the round, this pits the strongest sides left from the South West.

2009 semi finalists Lakeside had an impressive win in Bristol in the first round, when they beat Lebeqs Tavern Courage 2-0.

Lakeside will have to nullify the threat of Hanham’s free scoring Plummer’s if they want to progress to the 3rd round. Former England U18 international Tristan Plummer scored four in the first round 11-1 demolition of Applebys from Torbay. Ex Bristol Rovers striker Niekel Plummer bagged a brace while Twaine Plummer weighed in with one.

So, Lakeside will need a watertight defence to keep Hanham’s Plummer’s redundant!!

Clumber v Magnet Tavern
Prolific striker Jaylee Hodgson is Clumber’s main goal threat. Brereton Town found him too hot to handle in their first round encounter, as Hodgson banged in 4 goals in Clumber’s 7-0 win. He was also amongst the goals for Heanor Town at the start of this season, before moving up the pyramid to Long Eaton United and then to Rainworth Miners Welfare.

Magnet Tavern are certainly coping well with the loss of their successful manager, John Chand, as they are unbeaten in 6 games this season and have scored 43 goals, whilst only conceding 4.

I think this will be a close game with the Sunday Cup know how of Magnet Tavern tipping the balance in their favour.

Hundred Acre v Blue Mugge
This all Midlands clash should be an intriguing watch, as Blue Mugge had an impressive win in the 1st round, which had Dave Hillier (manager of their opponents R.H.P. Sports and Social) stating “we were given a footballing lesson and, in all honesty, it was a pleasure to watch. It shows us what we have to aspire to in this competition in the years to come.”

The Newark Advertiser also reported that Blue Mugge fielded 5 players from Northern Premier league outfit Kidsgrove Athletic and were captained by Jimmy McCarthy, who plays in the Blue Square Premier for Altrincham.

However, Hundred Acre (if you can pardon the pun) are clearly no mugs themselves, after thrashing Barwell Sports 7-1. Top scoring with a hat-trick, was Hundred Acre’s player/coach, Paul Devlin, the former Scotland International, who made over 500 professional appearances in 14 years, most notably for Notts County, Birmingham City and Sheffield United. With 9 goals in 6 games, the 38 year old Devlin is the man Blue Mugge need to keep quiet if they are to progress.