Hathern exact their cup revenge over Cottesmore Amateurs

THIS weekend saw five of the eight second-round fixtures in the Everards Tiger League Cup, and it was a weekend of surprises and shocks.

At Britannia Road, Burbage Old Boys went into the tie after a below-par start to 2022, whilst Highfield Rangers had accumulated enough wins and points to be all but safe for next term’s Premier. But the BOB proved that they can mix it with the guys from the Prem, as a goal either side of half-time from Andrei Graur gave them a 2-0 win.

There were two all-Premier ties, one of which provided a mild surprise, as 2020 winners Cottesmore Amateurs fell to their first defeat since October, as the 2019 winners and 2020 runners-up Hathern brought the Rutland side’s 11-match unbeaten run to an end at Pasture Lane.

Hathern dominated the first 20 minutes, with Liam Walton bursting through the defence early on, only for the keeper to save his shot. Walton made no mistake though in the 14th minute, when a long 60-yard cross from the right wing to the left flank in the Cotts box from Adam Porter found him, and his shot somehow squeezed through a narrow gap between the keeper and the near post.

Cottesmore looked lethargic in the early stages, and it took a literal gift five minutes later to bring them back level, when a cross was claimed by keeper Dan Owen who then dropped the ball in the middle of the box and Mark Tinsley poked it home.

It looked like the storm had been weathered, and when Morgan Hepplestone beat the Hathern off-side trap down the wing, and his cross found Harry Stannard at the far post, it looked like Cottesmore had turned the tie on its head; however, the linesman Mr Simms judged Stannard to be offside, and the goal was chalked off. Two minutes before the break, Hathern made them pay, as Cottesmore failed to clear, Walton intercepted, passed wide to Jake Davies, who drew the defenders out to the wing, they bought the dummy, he flicked the ball to the unmarked Walton in the box who fired home first time.

In the end, Hathern hung on for a 2-1 win that was a fair result, as they progressed to the quarter-finals.

The form guide was of less use for the other match, as Sileby Town welcomed Friar Lane & Epworth, both teams in similar form. The result reflected that, a tight game in windy conditions, with Ryan Rowley coming off the bench for the Lane to score the only goal of the game in the 82nd minute.

In Everards Brewery Division One, Loughborough’s miserable campaign continued with a 5-0 loss at home to Holwell Sports Reserves, Kai BiggsFinney, Tallen Burt, Morgan Enoux, Shaun Smith and Brooke Isherwood from the bench on the board for the visitors. They stay six points behind Friar Lane & Epworth Reserves, who were hammered 6-0 at Ingles Reserves. Elsewhere in the table, Birstall United Reserves moved up a couple of places with a 4-0 win at Earl Shilton Albion, Liam Stafford (2), Cameron Morbey and Jake Robertson the scorers, whilst Kibworth Town put Barrow Town Reserves to the sword 7-1.

In Everards Brewery Division Two, AFC North Kilworth meanwhile maintained their 100% record with a 5-1 win at Rothley Imperial, who were once again obliged to play at Bosworth Academy in Desford.