Review of Cup games played on 03/11.

It was County Cup action for six of our teams, Hillgate and Romiley featured in the third round of the Cheshire FA Cup while Winton Wanderers, North Reddish WMC, Didsbury Reds and Stockport Vikings were looking to progress in the Manchester FA Cup.

It was one in and one out in the Cheshire Cup. Romiley were at home to the Birkenhead SL side Whitby Rangers. In an end to end game Romiley went in front with Asnie Harvey’s goal from a George Deen cross. Whitby hit back with the equaliser before the break, Aiden Hill finding the top corner of the Romiley goal. The exchanges were even throughout. Romiley went back in front with Bobby Lofthouse’s goal. The visitor’s response saw Tom Ruffer tap home the equaliser from a Brad Bland’s shot that had hit the home bar. That score-line stayed like that up to the final whistle. With no extra time it was down to penalties and what a nail biter it turned out to be. With the score at 6-6 Carl Pendlebury netted Romiley’s seventh. The roar that greeted Whitby’s seventh penalty that flew over the bar must have been heard all over Romiley but credit to the Birkenhead side they took their defeat graciously in a good entertaining sporting game.

Over on St. Thomas’s Rec Hillgate entertained the Crewe Regional SL side George and Dragon who over the last two seasons had caused a halt to Offerton Green’s progress in the competition. They started of the brighter Joe Duckworth their lively number nine went close a couple of times. Slowly Hillgate got into their rhythm, Aaron Dwyer and Caylem Bateson went close with their efforts. Both keepers Hillgate’s Leighton Brigano and Aaran Lyons for the visitors were kept on their toes and between them made some excellent saves. It was becoming to look like one goal would decide the close affair either way. Finally with twenty minutes remaining the deadlock was broken. A penalty awarded to the visitors was hotly disputed and saw Hillgate’s Kieran Leigh sent off. Robert Hatton remained cool and calm beating Brogano with a shot into the right hand corner. Five minutes later, Duckworth finally got his reward for his earlier efforts when he made it two nil. Sadly the game came to an abrupt halt when players and spectators from both teams got involved following a challenge. When it finally quietened down the referee abandoned the game. It is now down to Cheshire FA to decide the final outcome of the game.

In the Manchester FA cup ties Winton Wanderers were also involved in a dramatic shoot in their game away at Dom Doyle. They were second best in the first half and found themselves 2-0 down at half time. They started their comeback via an OG, Bradley Murray equalised then Kaden Murray put them in front. Their fightback was marred slightly when the home side scored a late leveller. So it was left to see who could hold their nerve in the shoot- out. Every one of the seven Winton penalty takers found the net while only six of the Dom Doyle players beat the keeper.

Didsbury Reds found themselves 3-0 down after only twenty minutes away to Old Trafford Athletic from the Manchester Amateur League. Their goals included two ‘screamers’ from outside the area, Tom Madden got the Reds back in the game but in the end Trafford added a fourth and it was all over for the Reds who admitted they had been beaten by a good team.

North Reddish WMC had to work hard for their win over the Wythenshawe Under 21’s who took the lead rather luckily when a corner kick hit the Club post and ricocheted off the back of a defender for an unfortunate OG. Club put pressure on the visitors and equalised with a Nathan Wheeldon free kick that gave the Wythenshawe keeper no chance for a half time score of 1-1. It was Wheeldon from another free kick that found Allatt Summers who put his shot away clinically to put Club in front. Wythenshawe pressing to try and get an equaliser were caught out by a quick move from the Club who broke forward and close the game up with Martin Gilgour’s goal.

Unfortunately I haven’t received any information from Stockport Vikings but I understand they lost 3 nil to Newall Green.
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This report contains the words, thoughts and opinions of Keith Coates and not necessarily those of the SDSFL.