The FA Vase dominated the programme this week with Midland League Premier clubs providing the opposition for three of our teams. Only one, HOLBROOK SPORTS, were successful. They became the second East Midlands Counties League team this season to knock Heanor Town out of a national competition, and they did it with ten men. Evan Cawley was given a straight red ten minutes into the second half, but the Brookies responded with goals from Seb Szondi on 73 minutes and Josh Williams eleven minutes later to win the local derby bragging rights in front of a crowd of 177.
After a goal-less first half STAPENHILL eventually went down 4-2 at Westfields. Alex Hainault put the home side ahead on 49 minutes and Rich Graves added a second on the hour. Harry Austin pulled one back two minutes later only for Kingsford Adojei to make it 3-1 on 74 minutes. Enter stoppage time and Marcus Coombs put Stapenhill back in the game only for moments later Jack Coulson to give away the free kick which led to Craig James putting the issue beyond doubt for the Hereford side and Coulson a red card.
South Normanton Athletic gained revenge for their FA Cup defeat at BIRSTALL UNITED with a crushing 6-1 win. Kevin Hemagou and Luke Crosby scored two each with Abou Sylla and Kwa Offshine adding the others. This after Mitch Williams had brought the scores back to 1-1 in the 24th minute.
Northern Counties East League opposition was provided by Premier sides Bottesford Town and Worksop Town. The former beat WEST BRIDGFORD 5-1 with Joshua Kwadu getting the visitors goal on 57 minutes. Declan Bacon was the main destroyer with four goals for the Scunthorpe side and Ryan Hollingsworth getting a last minute penalty.
Worksop Town proved too strong for AYLESTONE PARK winning 5-2. Luke Dalby and Ryan Foster scoring for Park and Alec Denton’s hat-trick being the highlight of the Tigers nap hand of goals.
To complete a hat-trick for the Northern Counties East there was a 2-0 win for Division One side Hall Road Rangers against GEDLING MINERS WELFARE with Fraser Hensen on 15 minutes and Louis Bruce on 76 getting their goals.
United Counties League clubs also claimed the scalps of two of our clubs with the third, CLIFTON ALL WHITES, facing a replay on Tuesday at Harrowby United after the teams ended all square at 2-2 after extra time in Nottingham. Phil Massingham gave Clifton first blood on twenty minutes only for Sam Grouse to level a minute into the second half. Corbi Brown put Clifton back on top on 73 minutes and Richemone Sylla restored parity two minutes into stoppage time at the end of the game. No goals in extra time and a replay on Tuesday.
Kirby Muxloe gained a narrow success over ANSTEY NOMADS although the visitors came back strongly in the second half after Aaron Black (8 minutes), Dan Agar (19) and Aiden Black (65) had given the UCL Premier outfit a winning lead. Tom Mangan on 57 minutes pulled the game back to 2-1 and Mason Hirst to 3-2 with four minutes left but Kirby Muxloe hung on.
Following a goal-less first half struggling Leicester Nirvana produced a five goal shot after the interval to dispose of GRAHAM STREET PRIMS whose only goal in the 5-1 defeat came from Kevin Morrow two minutes from the end.
Having initially been drawn away, ARNOLD TOWN ended up playing their tie at home but lost to Humberside Leaguers Westella & Willerby 5-3 on penalties after the game had ended 1-1 after extra time. Westella had gone ahead through Earl after 50 minutes but James Greenhalgh levelled 17 minutes later.
West Midlands (Regional) League provided the opposition for ASHBY IVANHOE in the form of St Martins, and Ivanhoe saw them off by a 3-1 scoreline. Josh Johnson on 22 minutes, Jordan McCourt on 51 and Elliott Bott on 54 got their goals.
Likewise, Blidworth Welfare from the Central Midlands League were the opposition for BLABY & WHETSTONE ATHLETIC with the home side recording a landslide 6-0 success. Toby Warner, Rikki Bates and Adam Parry scored their first half goals. Tom Hill, Leon Doughty and Kai Tonge the three in the second half.
Two of the First Qualifying Round ties featured clubs from our League. KIMBERLEY MINERS WELFARE entertained BARROW TOWN and saw their colours lowered for the first time this season as the Quarrymen raced into a two goal lead through Zak Ginvert on eleven minutes and Nduoma Chilaka on 26. Sam Green pulled one back a minute into stoppage time at the end of the first half and there was no further scoring after the interval.
In the other game, BELPER UNITED had an easy passage over rock bottom RADCLIFFE OLYMPIC, scoring six times without reply. Marc Atwal, Adam Dring, Michael Dunne, James Rushby, Tim Adcock and an own goal being their scorers.
Two League matches took place with newly-promoted SELSTON enjoying not just their biggest win of the season, but their biggest away win for some time with a surprise 6-1 success at BORROWASH VICTORIA. Dominic Airey was the hero with a fine hat-trick whilst Keenan Layton, Kane Hempsall and Wayne Cooke weighed in with the others. Brendan Gwinnutt got the Vics consolation.
Seven more goals at Selhurst Street where RADFORD enjoyed a 4-3 win over HOLWELL SPORTS. Simon Hore, Gino Kelleher and Liam Motson gave them a 3-0 interval advantage with Ryan Smith making it 4-0 on the hour. It looked like game over, but then came the fight back. Shaun Smith scored on 68 minutes and Aaron Ridout made it 4-2 six minutes later. Michael Stevenson completed the scoring in the last minute but Radford had to hang on in stoppage time to claim all the points.