Fred Quibell Junior Cup – Quarter Final
Red Lion Dunston 3
Shakespeare Athletic 6
On a very wet and soggy pitch both teams started off positively. After 7 minutes the home side took the lead with Paul Masters knocking in a cross field pass that came to him through the 18 yard box from Greg Brown. The lead was short lived though with Shakespeare equalising just 5 minutes later. Within a couple of minutes Greg Brown saw the ball cannon back off the crossbar. Shakespeare then started to dominate the game and 3 quick goals saw them take a 4-1 lead into the half-time break.
Within 5 minutes of the start of the second half Dunston got their, and Masters’, second goal by beating the offside trap. With 30 minutes to go Dunston reduced the lead further from a free kick by Matt Blackband which was headed in by captain Craig Spence. However the comeback was not to materialise and Shakespeare went on to score 3 more goals in the last 20 minutes to make the final score 6-3 to the visitors. If truth be told Dunston were never really able to contain the Shakespeare strikers and it was a thoroughly deserved win by the Shakespeare boys. Red Lion graciously wish them the best of luck in the semi final.
Turks Head 2
Cherry Willingham 2 AET (Turks Head won 4-3 on pens)
Turks Head welcomed in-form Cherry Willingham to Heighington for this all Division 3 Cup Quarter Final. Things did not start well for the home side as keeper Martin Ziller pulled up in the warm up and had to hand the gloves to veteran centre back Danny Dixon. This forced Turks into a last minute reshuffle before the kick-off, and so it was the visitors who started the brighter of the teams. Employing a high defensive line which allowed their midfield and strikers to press Turks deep into their own half and they opened the scoring on the 20 minute mark when the lively Brendan Foster-Mathieson outpaced his marker before finishing neatly past the keeper. This stirred the home side into action and almost immediately it was 1-1 when top scorer Steve Foley levelled with the aid of a slight deflection following good work from winger Tom O’Rourke. Both sides continued to attack when the opportunity presented itself and it was only good work from both keepers and some slightly questionable offside calls which restricted the scoring to 1-1 at the break.
In the second half, the home side’s midfield trio pushed higher up the pitch in an effort to support the isolated Foley and this soon reaped the rewards. Foley’s second of the game came on the hour mark as he rounded keeper Neil Robinson and slotted home into the empty net. As the half wore on Cherry continued to press and carve out chance after chance but the home defence and stand-in keeper held firm right up to the 90 minute mark. A long ball over the top was then uncharacteristically misjudged by experienced centre back Tony Blee and Cherry Willingham pounced, the striker slamming the ball home to send the tie into extra time.
A tense and tired extra time produced no further goals and so it went to the dreaded penalties to decide the tie. The home side were looking to do better than their last shootout which saw them exit the Jock Mitchell trophy to Fox & Hounds. Things did not get off to an ideal start with regular penalty taker O’Rourke’s effort sailing over the bar and into the adjoining bowls club. Luckily for the hosts Cherry’s first penalty was just as bad. The next 7 takers all scored to make it 4-3 before Matthew Burks saw his spot kick saved by Danny Dixon, thus sending the home side through. Heartache for Cherry who battled all game and had chances to win the tie in normal time but absolute joy for Turks Head who have reached the semi-final stage for the first time in their brief history. Also a big Get Well Soon to Turks Head’s Ricky Smith who went off injured in the first half with what has turned out to be a broken wrist! Hopefully he will be back and playing soon.
The Match Official, Danny Mason, commented that this was a very enjoyable game and he gave great credit to both teams for a well disciplined match played in good spirits.
Division One
Lincoln Imp FC 2
AFC Plough 2
In a match where both teams only had a bare 11 it was a cagey start to the match with Wes Barratt for the Plough having a first half chance but he could not find the net. Lincoln Imp had the next chance but James Seal in the Plough net kept hold of it. The visitors took the lead after half an hour when Dom Sibilski took a clever free kick, laying the ball to Jack Willan, who hit a shot from 25 yards which found its way into the net. The Imp did go close before the break when a shot from the edge of the box was well saved. Imp did equalise early in the second half as a header came back off the post for an easy tap in. Wes Barratt restored Plough’s and they then battled as a team for the remainder of the match but they were undone with 5 minutes to play following an own goal. The game was played in the right way and was an enjoyable game to be involved in. Credit must go to both teams for this.
Plough’s man of the match was James Seal in goal as he made some good saves and commanded his box well
Division Two
Lincoln High Street FC 4
Greenbank FC 5
Greenbank were looking to make amends for last week’s hapless 6-2 reverse at home to Red Lion, a team they had knocked 8 goals past without reply earlier in the season.
It wasn’t long before the deadlock was broken. Ashley Murphy stole in at the far post to prod home a delightful Sam Newton cross. As has been the way of late it wasn’t long before their defence was breached. Gregory was found out of position which left the striker one v one with Simpson. The home side’s striker made mincemeat of Simpson before firing across Wilson in the away net to bring parity to the game after just 8 minutes. Greenbank certainly had the better of the early play but were regularly exposed on the counter attack, something which proved to hurt them last week. However, after 18 minutes they managed to get themselves in front. A long throw from Newton on the right into the box caused havoc and the eagle-eyed referee, Mr. Sackree, spotted the blatant push in the area and pointed to the spot. Skayman took hold of the ball and slotted it away with aplomb.
Greenbank certainly looked like the better side at this stage and they gave themselves the 2 goal cushion they probably deserved after 35 minutes. A wicked ball delivered from a wide free kick by Skipper Matt Wilson saw Skayman rise highest to glance home his second goal of the game. Only a few decent stops from the visiting keeper saw the half time score 3-1 to Greenbank.
The second half started relatively scrappily but Greenbank managed to extend their lead to 4-1 thanks to Matt Jarvis’s 3rd goal in 4 games for the club. A nice ball down the right flank to Jarvis saw him released and he caught the keeper completely off guard with a fine volley into the far bottom corner of the net. The young winger has certainly made an impact in front of goal since joining the club in December. What happened next epitomised Greenbank’s previous 2 months of the season. A complete collapse occurred which made the last 10 minutes of the game interesting to say the least. First of all a moment of madness saw Simpson try and back heel the ball within his own 18 yard box, losing possession in the process, and this was rounded off by him bringing down his opponent in the opinion of the referee. The penalty was expertly dispatched, 4-2.
It wasn’t too long before Greenbank’s defences were breached yet again, the 9th time since the turn of the year! All of a sudden there was a game on at 4-3 with 20 minutes left to play. Skayman then did his best to drag his side over the line. Substitute Michael Bohan beat his man down the left and crossed low for Skayman to emphatically sweep home at the near post to complete his hat-trick. However, Greenbank seemed determined to do things the hard way. Sievwright seemed to be in relative control of proceedings in the middle of the park, before making a bizarre choice to pass the ball back to his keeper on a pitch that resembled a horses field by this time. Wilson in the goal slipped as he went to clear it landing the ball at the feet of the striker who expertly rounded Wilson before slotting the ball into an empty net to make it 5-4.
Greenbank managed to hang on for all 3 points but will need to tighten up their defences if they are to mount a serious promotion push between now and May.
Waddington United 2
Bardney FC 1
Waddington United recorded their first win since 6th November as they came from a goal down to beat Bardney. Waddington also had to contend with losing keeper David Kirkbright in the first half through injury before going behind. Waddington fought back and midway through the second half Max Heath scored his fifth of the season from close range. Both sides pressed for the winner but it was Waddington that scored the vital goal to take all three points with Shane O’Boyle heading home into the roof of the net with 8 minutes remaining.
Ian Stephenson