Plough Inn champions
WARM spring sunshine and a large crowd welcomed the teams out at Holmes Park, the home of the County FA Sunday Shield as The Plough Inn Bruntingthorpe faced Fairfield Galaticos from the Alliance League.
First chance of the match was created for The Plough when Josh Kind knocked a cross to the far post where Kyle Sperry forced a save from the Galaticos keeper after a couple of minutes.
As Galaticos came into the game more it was The Plough again, who on the break, saw Jamie Dexter played through only for his legs to be taken away by the keeper.
With the crowd expecting the penalty and a possible red card, the Referee inexplicably decided Dexter had dived and showed him a yellow card.
This prompted The Plough to take control of the game and after a number of half chances, Jordan Norton gave them the lead when his snapshot from outside of the box took a deflection to leave the keeper flatfooted.
Three minutes later Dexter made ground down the left and provided a perfect cross for Kyle Sperry to finish at the far post to double the lead.
The Plough were well on top at this stage but as half time approached a rare Farefield attack saw a challenge inside the box and the Referee this time pointed to the spot.
As the penalty kick was taken, the Galaticos player stuttered in his run up and after dispatching the kick was cautioned by the Referee and the goal chalked off.
As the second half started, an enraged Fairfield team started the stronger and started to put the Plough team under increasing pressure. Within a couple of minutes Fairfield were back in the game as a second penalty was awarded and this time there was no mistake.
For the remainder of the second half it was Galaticos in the ascendancy with The Plough forcing the odd chance on the break.
The Plough back four of Woodward, Rimmer, Perry and Kind held firm though with keeper Anderson making a couple of important saves in the final ten minutes.
After several minutes of injury time it was The Plough that ended up 2-1 winners in a fine game played in a great spirit.
In the semi-final of the JMS Engineers Senior Cup, it will be Sporting Dynamo who will face Rogue Elite in the final after they overcame a battling FC Bacc side at Coalville’s Owen Street ground. The 5-1 scoreline doesn’t suggest how close the game was as Bacc made a semi-final in their first season. A big achievement with credit due to the team and officials.
Sporting used their experience to good effect to set up the final at Barwell at the end of April.
Athletico Duke clinched the PWS Leicester Division One title after a narrow 3-2 win at Wykin. First half goals from Connor Pugh and Matt Ellis gave Duke the half time advantage but Wykin weren’t going to roll over and a battling second half display saw Lee Lovett and Josh Cheshire draw things level.
With all to play for Wykin came close to taking the lead with Duke clearing off the line but it was the visitors who scored the all important winner when Kelvin Etheridge dispatched a free kick to make it 3-2.
They came close to adding another but had a goal chalked off my the Linesman’s flag.
Another hard entertaining game which sees Duke promoted back to the Premier Division after just one season away.
Ullesthorpe remain in second spot after a 1-1 draw at AFC Pubwatch. James Lienau scoring the goal for Ullesthorpe with Gareth Phillips replying.
With runners up spot up for grabs, Ullesthorpe and Wykin both have to travel to Sporting Dynamo Reserves who could have a big say who claims second spot.
In the game between the two bottom sides, Coalville Miners were emphatic winners as they knocked six past Anchor Inn to move off bottom spot for the first time in a while and claim their first win of the season. That win will give them much needed confidence for their forthcoming Junior Cup Semi-Final against Stanton United OB.
Stoke Golding maintained their top spot in the Printing Works Division Two with a 7-2 win at AFC Barn.
Stoneycroft United remain a point behind after Jason Swain had given them a 57 second lead at home to Red Lion.
Man of the match Alex Franklin followed up with a hat-trick with Aaron Moore adding a brace to give a 6-0 final scoreline from a brilliant performance from the Croft.
Thurlaston Magpies can still catch them with their goals in hand and they remain in the chasing pack after a 3-0 win at TC Building.
Stanton United Reserves are also in that chasing pack and they took the points from their game against visitors The Gravity winning 3-2 with goals from Tom Macey, Luke Burrows and an own goal. Noel Gilbert among the goals for Gravity.