Brow and Newsome reach final
DRAKES WELL GO ON BRYCEY LAD PEPPER STREET
LARCH HILL MADERA MIST EMBOLE TREVADA
3-1 Chased leaders, mistake 1st, led after 5th, clear from 2 out, stayed on well, won at Warwick 2m hcp ch 0-110 (4) gd in Apr beating Atlantic Storm by 5l, 8 ran. 6-1 Tracked leader, close up and disputed the lead after the 8th, went clear with eventual winner when pushed along after 3 out, disputing lead when not fluent and rider lost his whip 2 out, hard-driven when headed approaching last, 4-lengths down last and no extra run-in, 2nd of 8, 11l behind Road Warrior at Sedgefield 2m 3f hcp chs 0-120 (4) gd in Apr. 11-8fav Jumped left, chased leaders, went 2nd before 6th, challenged after 3 out, led 2 out, clear when mistake last, ridden out, won at Fakenham 2m sell hcp hdl (5) gd beating Ferrobin by 10l, 4 ran. 9-2 Held up in mid-division, headway 8th, chased winner after 2 out, no impression, kept on, 2nd of 8, 5l behind Larch Hill at Warwick 2m hcp ch 0-110 (4) gd in Apr. 15-2 Chased winner, ridden after 3 out, just over 1 length down when blundered 2 out, held after, kept on, 2nd of 4, 4 1/2l behind Tikkinthebox at Newton Abbot 2m hcp chs 0-120 (4) gd in Apr. 9-2 Led 1st until 3rd, soon led again, headed 4th, struggling before 3 out, 9th of 10, 46l behind Miss Amelia at Carlisle 2m hcp chs 0-120 (4) hvy in Feb. 11-2 Awkward 1st, held up in touch, closer in 4th at 4th, 3rd at 8th, weakening when mistake 2 out, last of 8, well behind Editeur Du Gite at Newbury 2m hcp chs 0-130 (3) gd in Mar.
BERRY Brow and Newsome will meet in the final of the Barlow Cup at the Skye Direct Stadium, home of Golcar United, on Thursday May 27 (7pm).
Newsome travelled to Scholes on Tuesday in the semi-finals and won a hard-fought game 3-2 with goals from Dean Siddiq, Steven Marshall and Connor Beaumont.
At Berry Brow Recreation Ground a large crowd watched a battle royale in the pouring rain as Berry Brow attempted to beat the current Barlow Cup holders, Linthwaite.
Referee Ian Daffern and his assistants Dwayne Chappell and Joe Wink-Simmonds were kept busy with tackles flying in and temperatures reaching boiling point.
Despite the often wince-inducing clashes, both teams managed to keep all 11 of their players on the pitch, although Daffern did have to make use of his yellow card.
Linthwaite were looking the more likely to score but, as they pushed forward in numbers, it was the Brow who took the lead after 41 minutes.
A free-kick proved too hot to handle for Linthwaite goalkeeper Josh Ankers and Wayne Shooter stooped to head in the loose ball.
Seven minutes after the interval, Linthwaites’ dangerous Connor Beaumont beat the home offside trap and chipped a delightful shot over Brow keeper Haigh, watching it drop just inside the far post before being engulfed by delighted teammates.
Their joy was, however, short lived as 14 minutes later Berry Brow struck what proved to be the winner when centre-back Richard Oakley rose highest to head in from a corner.
The last chance of the game fell to Berry Brow’s Luke Gibson. With Linthwaite caught up-field in a late push for an equaliser, Gibson found himself on his own on the halfway line with the ball. He set off towards goal with defenders trailing in his wake, but Ankers was out quickly to block his effort on the edge of the penalty area.
In the Groom Cup semi-final at Laund Hill the hosts were held to a rare 0-0 draw by Meltham but went through to the final with a nail-biting 5-4 win on penalties.
There was plenty of end-to-end action in the other semi-final at Northfield Hall where Deighton drew with Kirkburton 3-3.
Deighton’s goals came from Darren Lewis, Dante Newell and Hayden Webster, while Kirkburton’s goals came from Henry Philpot, Luke Walker and Matt Willans.
Kirkburton won the penalty shootout 3-1. The final of the Groom Cup will be played at the Stafflex Arena, home of Shelley FC, on Thursday, May 18 (7pm).