Cuckoos bow out but with their heads held high

Yaxley

Yaxleycamewithinsecondsof a place in the first qualifying round of the FA Cup.

The United Counties League Premier Division side were pegged back by a stoppage-time equaliser by higher-level Dereham, which stemmed from an error by stand-in goalkeeperAndyStevens, in a 4-4 thriller at Leading Drove last Saturday.

Brett Whaley’s men then bowed out 1-0 in a Tuesday replay to leave the Yaxley boss thinking about what might have been.

He admitted: “We gave a goodaccountofourselvesover twogamesagainsthigher-level opposition.

“We’ve come away with a lot of positives despite the disappointment of going out, butwealsoknowthatweneed to start getting some results.

“Getting through in the FA Cup would have been a massive kick-start for our season, but now we have to pick ourselves upforimportantgames in the league and in the KO Cup.

“We need to scrap it out and show a bit of character.”

Yaxley go to Rothwell Corinthians in the Premier Division on Saturday ahead of a League KO Cup visit to lowerlevel Bourne on Tuesday. The manager might have moved on, and key players might have departed, since their title success of last term, but not a lot else appears to have changed at Moulton Harrox.

The reigning championshaveroaredtothesummit of the Peterborough League Premier Division in recent days.

A 9-1 derby drubbing of Holbeach Reserves on Tuesday, which featured four-goal hauls for Marcus Parry and Martin Sandall, stretched their unbeaten start under new bosses Nigel Steadman and Paul Crowson to six matches.

They ended the 100 per centstartofKettonlastSaturday when Sandall and Billy King struck in a 2-1 triumph.