Ron Eaglen Challenge Cup – Round Two
Lincoln Moorlands 5
Crows Athletic 3
Lincoln Moorlands had the chance to select players who needed minutes under their belt this week, including the Manager, as they took on the challenge of Division Two opponents Crows Athletic. Crows came into the game and gave it a real go and credit to them for doing so. From the outset the visitors were hungry to pit their skills against their Premier Division hosts.
Crows had a bit of luck on their side as a shot was palmed into the Moors’ net by keeper Burkes. Moors then replied with George Asplin but then again more luck came Crows way when a shot was deflected into the net which wrong footed the keeper. Ryan Beasley replied for the home side but again Crows won a free kick which was attacked well and volleyed into the net. Good football by Moors got Asplin on his way but he was brought down in the area and a penalty was given. Danny Bee, who has found a new lease of life under Manager Fox, slotted home to make it 3-3.
Manager Fox got the lads in at half time for the team talk no players want to hear when they have a hangover. A change of formation and a swap around of a few players saw the Moors totally dominate the second half. Karl Ward found himself in space and headed home from a corner which even his dad watching was impressed with! George Asplin finished the scoring with his second goal of the game to seal the game 5-3 for Moors.
Lincoln Moorlands man of the match was Jamie Corby.
Premier Division
Metheringham FC 0
Ivy Tavern 6
After the foul weather of the previous Sunday, Metheringham hosted cup holders Ivy Tavern in their Ron Eaglen cup tie on a crisp sunny morning. Despite this the pitch was somewhat heavy following continuous rain the previous day. For the first 10 minutes there was little between the two sides and in fairness Metheringham came the closest to scoring when Liam Hargrave put a Jayden Driver cross wide of the post. The game was then virtually decided in the space of just 3 minutes as Ivy took the lead on 11 minutes with an attack down the right and crisp finish by Joe Ayres. This quickly became 2-0 with another sweeping attack, this time down the left by Craig Bridge whose delivery across the box was again finished by Joe Ayres. For the rest of the half Ivy dominated play, winning every second ball. Meg had to be disappointed with some of their passing when in possession and it came as no surprise when Ivy added a third on the half hour mark with a defence splitting pass through centre mid-field which found Jordan Taylor who rifled home. Then on the stroke of half- time Joe Mackie made it 4-0 when Meg failed to clear their lines from a right wing attack.
Meg could have waved the white flag in surrender then as the second half was virtually a non-event until a poor header back to home keeper Wayne Greaves by Liam Hargrave on the hour was seized upon by Sean Cann who rolled it into an empty net. Ivy continued to squander chances but completed the scoring on 70 minutes with Sean Cann beating two home defenders with some slick dribbling before firing home goal number 6.
Division Three
Dynamo Varsity 1
Shakespeare Athletic 2
This game was the proverbial game of two halves. Varsity started poorly and were soon behind when Shakespeare striker Alex Matthews glanced home a header after a quick throw in. Shakespeare were good for their lead and soon doubled it when two players found themselves unmarked at the back post tapping home to double the away sides advantage.
Varsity came out in the second half a different side and soon got back into the game when Vincent Van Dongeck had his shot spilled allowing Chris Melton to tap home for his first goal of the season. Both sides had chances to nick another goal but neither could find a way through and the away team left with all three points.
Varsity’s man of the match was the Belgian Van Dongeck.
Division Four
AFC West End 0
Coningsby FC 6
From the first whistle both teams set out to play quick counter attacking football which saw chances for both sides in the first 20 minutes, but then Tom Sewell picked up the ball on the edge of the area, got off a quick shot and despite a West End deflection the ball found the back of the net. This seemed to settle the Coningsby nerves and they started to be more composed on the ball. A fortunate goal from Daniel Whitworth made it 2-0 with the left back looking to cross to the back post but the slight miss hit saw the ball find the top corner. A well saved shot parried into the path of Pete Dickinson who calmly finished from close range made it 3-0. Andy Wyre found himself free with the ball at his feet at the back post following a long corner to rifle the ball in to make it 4-0 at the break.
The home side came out after the break looking to be compact and break at speed to try and keep themselves in the game with Coningsby trying to open up the back four but they constantly found the door closed. After 25 minutes of the second half James Todd picked up the ball 20 yards from his own goal following a cleared corner for West End, and ran directly at the heart of the West End defence, some unselfish play from Sewell stretched the defence giving Todd the space to carry on running. Going one on one with the keeper he calmly slotting the ball past him and into the net. Daniel Smith made it 6-0 in the closing stages with an uncontested header from 12 yards out, this time Todd being the provider from a corner.
Broadley FC 3
The Shed FC 2
Broadley ran out winners in what is always a well-contested game between two sides who share a good relationship both on and off the pitch. Following an impeccably observed minutes silence prior to the game Will Fry slotted Broadley into the lead as The Shed’s defence stood still thinking they’d conceded a foul. Jonjo Hayden followed that up with a volley into the top corner but alas for his side it was at the wrong end of the pitch and it was the equalising goal! The Shed then took the lead through a 16 year-old player and Broadley were well and truly under the cosh going into half-time.
After the break Broadley came out of the blocks a new side, following a pasting from Manager Ted Newton. A new shape quickly paid dividends with Phil White poking home at the second attempt from a corner. A number of Broadley penalty shouts were waved away as the two sides went at it end-to-end before a great cross from Fry was emphatically slammed in by debutant and local wardrobe Michael Reddish, the strike actually lifting the net pegs out of the ground. Broadley breathed a collective sigh of relief at the final whistle.
Ian Stephenson