Linby Progress In Senior Trophy

It was cup competitions day across the Central Midlands Alliance, for Notts clubs, this past weekend, with sides facing action in either the Nottinghamshire FA Senior Trophy, the Buckinghamshire Insurance League Challenge Cup, even the CMA Division One Cup.

Several sides progressed, with the former of those competitions, the Senior Trophy, seeing victory for Linby Colliery Welfare (on penalties, following a 3-3 draw away to AC United), and Blidworth Welfare (2-1 at home to Wollaton); meanwhile, in the Bucks Challenge Cup, there were also successes for Worksop Town Reserves (on penalties, following a 1-1 draw at home to Kinsley Boys), and for Kirton Brickworks (also on penalties, home to Dearne & District).

A battling performance at Station House, Kirton, hanging onto third place in Division One East, took the game to Dearne, mid-table in Division One North, the hosts finding the net through Jack March and Joseph Tunard, before progressing from a nervy shoot-out, 7-6

It was a similar scenario at Sandy Lane, Worksop Town Reserves, fifth bottom in Premier North, being held to a 1-1 draw with Kinsley Boys, fourth in Division One North, before progressing 7-6 on penalties, Daniel Gillatt with the Tigers’ goal late in the first half.

Meanwhile Long Bennington exited the competition courtesy of a 4-0 loss at home to Dinnington, William Eades with a brace for the high-flying victors.

The one game played in the Division One Cup saw progression to the Second Round for Southwell City Development, winning 2-1 at home to Harworth Colliery Reserves, the victors’ goals coming from Mohintan Athavan and George Thomson.

Games in the NFA Senior Trophy on the other-hand, they weren’t too kind for the counties’ CMA -based clubs, losses coming the way of RHP Sports & Social, Teversal, and Ollerton Town, with just Linby CW and Blidworth Welfare saving face.

Linby progressed following a battling, 3-3 draw, away to AC United, before winning 5-4 on penalties; goals from Courtney Brown (2) and Juan Jose Ibrahim Ghali afforded the Notts Senior League side hope, whilst Linby kept themselves in the tie following efforts from Liam Cartledge, Greg Conn, and Ewan Gibson, eventual progressing from twelve-yards.

Blidworth also saw off NSL opposition, they winning 2-1 at home to Wollaton thanks to Archie Ward’s second half brace; goalless at the interval, Ward struck early in the second period to give his side the lead, then doubled it with less than fifteen to, the visitors made for a nervy close however when pulling a goal back, through Noor Saleh, in the closing minutes.

Currently sitting joint-fifth in the Premier North, the Welfare also progressed, handsomely, in the Floodlit Cup competition, dishing out an early, Halloween nightmare, to visitors 780 JLC; substitute Benjamin Copestake fired a four-goal salvo from the bench as the hosts eased to an 11-0 win, Triston Burrell adding a hat-trick for good measure in the rout.

Of those Notts sides exiting the competition, RHP Sports were beaten 2-0 away to Beeston, Teversal’s dismal season continues when they were soundly beaten, 7-1, away to Keyworth united, and Ollerton suffered a second half collapse to lose 4-2 at home to Gedling Southbank.

There was also defeat for Shirebrook Soldiers, in the Derbyshire Junior Cup; another game to go to penalties, the Soldiers, following a 2-2 draw, lost 4-3 on spot-kicks following goals in the regulation ninety from Billi Holland and Fraser Howarth.