President’s Cup - Quorn 2 Barwell 1

In a Cup competed for by the members of the Evo-stik Division One North and South, Quorn earned revenge for their League defeat earlier in the season as they overcame the Canaries on Tuesday.
In a tough contest, Quorn started brightly and took an early lead which lasted for an hour until Francino Francis converted an Adam Wykes cross. However, in a bizarre incident soon after, the tables were turned on the League leaders as the President’s Cup run ended for Barwell.

Almost from the kick off, Barwell were on the back foot and Quorn scored after just three minutes as Rob Lyall came up from the back and headed a corner which drifted to the back post, into an unguarded net.

After fourteen minutes, Wayne Dyer was able to cross from the left for Scott Lower to head but Matt Nurse for Quorn was equal to it. From the follow up, matt biley had a shot which was again saved by Nurse.

Nick Green picked up a yellow card for a high challenge on Ricky Muggleton three minutes later. Similarly, Muggleton himself saw yellow on 25 minutes, after a poorly timed tackle on Richard Blythe which saw the two players confronting each other like alpha male stags. However, the Barwell defender walked away without a booking.

At the end of the first half, Chris Hollist had a chance to attach the box but he was on his weaker foot and his effort went wide of the post.

Adam Wykes was able to threaten the area with a well timed cross for Matt Bailey, whose effort hit the post five minutes into the half.
Substitute Jamie Towers, brought on at half time to bolster the visitors’ efforts, almost paid dividends as he was able to cross for Kev Charley to aim a looping shot from 25 yards but his effort went just over the bar. Another Wykes cross from a free kick on the left found Francino Francis who glanced a header into the right side of the net on 61 minutes.

With 20 minutes left, Chris Hollist was lucky not to put through his own net as he headed back for Liam Castle but the ball narrowly escaped over the bar.

Soon after, there was a bizarre incident which involved Muggleton and Castle. The ball ran across the goal after the keeper appeared to dummy and left Tom Byrne with the simplest of jobs to score into an empty net after 72 minutes.

Jamie Towers created a chance with ten minutes left as he drove in from the left and shot across the Quorn keeper but Nurse got down well to save.

In the last minute, Quorn again went close as Steven Purton crossed for Kris Nurse to shoot but a timely interception from Nick Green deflected the ball away from danger.

So Quorn progressed to the next round inflicting the first defeat of the season to Marcus Law’s side.
Attentions now turn to the matter of the FA Cup and a local derby against last year’s rivals Coalville Town.

Team: Liam Castle, Richard Blythe, Adam Wykes, Nick Green, Francino Francis, Craig Dutton, Scott Lower (Jamie Towers 45), Wayne Dyer, Kev Charley, Matt Bailey (Jerome Murdock 61), Chris Hollist (Liam McDonald 72).
Substitute not used: Jouel Potter.
Goal: Francis 61.
Attendance: 104