WHITEHILLS SPOT ON FOR DERBY TRIUMPH
GARDEN FARM SUNK 4-1 ON PENALTIES AFTER THRILLING JD TAXIS GUARDS CUP SHOWDOWN
Chester Whitehills secured the derby bragging rights by knocking neighbours Chester Garden Farm out of the JD Taxis Guards Cup to reach the quarter-finals.
The sides finished level at 3-3, with Whitehills triumphing 4-1 in the resulting penalty shoot-out.
Whitehills created a couple of early chances but failed to capitalise before Garden Farm opened the scoring thanks to Scott Howe’s effort which deflected in off the luckless Stephen Fisher for an unfortunate own goal.
The visitors’ lead didn’t last however and Whitehills equalised after a good freekick led to a scramble in the box which was turned in by a Garden Farm defender.
Whitehills took the lead in the second half thanks to a stunning strike from Ryan Grayson. The game changed when the hosts had James Cattell sent off for a second bookable offence.
Within five minutes, Garden Farm equalised with a Howe strike, and he soon scored again to put the visitors 3-2 up.
Whitehills didn’t give up, though, and, with five minutes left, James Ward was put through and slotted in the equaliser.
That took the tie to a shoot-out.
With Garden Farm missing their first penalty and Ton Ellis saving their second, it was left to Liam Smith to score the penalty winner.
Keeper Jack Wilson was outstanding for Farm, with Fisher top man for Whitehills.
In another fourth round tie, Grange Villa squeezed past visitors Newton Aycliffe Navy Club 4-3 in a thriller.
Mark Greener’s strike and an own goal counted for Villa before super sub Fidele Doguie scored twice to clinch an epic victory.
Ben Jefferson stood out for the hosts, with Reece Going best for Navy, whose marksmen were Jimmy Cameron, Reed Molloy and Anthony Harrison.
Ouston Cherry Tree climbed to third place in the Premier Division thanks to a close-fought 2-1 victory at Brandon Sports Club.
In the only top-flight game to get the go-ahead, Brandon, who have played more games than anyone else in the bottom half, lost a crucial match when they felt they should have had some reward.
Ouston led with a deflected Micky Ross effort shortly after half-time.
Chad Brennan played in Ross out wide on the left and he cut inside, taking on three defender before lashing in his shot from 20 yards.
Brandon roused themselves to level with a cracking Robbie Shields free-kick which went in off the post.
Ouston, though, quickly regained the lead with star man Ross’s strike in a goalmouth scramble soon after, following good work from Josh Scott and Josh Fryer.
Brandon are fourth-bottom on 10 points, three ahead of bottom club Washington Cross Keys, two better off than Ferryhill Dynamos and one ahead of Ferryhill Celtic but have played at least three games more than all the sides below them.
Bede Lodge SC roared back impressively from a 4-1 deficit to secure a hardearned First Division point in a thriller at New Brancepeth WMC.
Bede moved up a place to sixth thanks to Jon Hodgson, Paul Corlett and two-goal Daniel Mann, whose haul included a penalty. Debutant Craig Bennett was among the hosts’ scorers.
In Division Three, Quarrington Hill WMC handed out a 6-0 trouncing to visitors Durham Buffaloes Head for only their second victory of the season, moving up to fourth-bottom spot.