Sunday morning saw the first round of the prestigious Somerset Sunday Challenge Cup and a number of Uxella League teams entered the fray.
Champions Woolavington went out at the first hurdle after losing 5-2 at home to a very strong and physically impressive Marshfield Nelson side, who were last season's runners up in the Bath and District Sunday League.
Railway Club also went out after losing 3-2 to an AFC Legends side, of the Taunton Sunday League top flight, who featured more than a smattering of senior players in their ranks. Railway fought a good fight and committed themselves very well and were unlucky not to get something more from the game.
Other Uxella League sides fared better with Flag Old Boys showing the way with a 5-3 win over Weston-super-mare side Raglan Arms. The game was a tense affair for the first quarter of an hour before Lee White settled Flag's nerves with a quick-fire hat-trick. Further goals from Jamie Stewart and Andrew White put the result beyond doubt.
Squib Madrid beat Taunton First Division side Pegasus 4-1 after strikes from Tony Cook, Ryan Cresswell, Ian Luke and Gordy Addicott.
Cross Rifles also won 4-1 at home to Mallards FC of the Frome and District Sunday League to register their first ever victory in the Somerset Cup after goals from Carl Jones, Adam Kinsey, Craig McGann and from man-of-the-match Jason Stephenson.
Grasshoppers also secured their first win in county competition as they beat Minehead side Carhampton Rovers 6-1. Matt Burgess opened the scoring for the Hoppers inside ten seconds and by half-time they held a 5-0 advantage after a second from Burgess and further strikes from Jack Taylor, Gary Passmore and veteran campaigner Rob Whiterod. Tom Seal then put the, well, seal on a comfortable victory when he successfully converted a penalty midway through the second half.
Pawlett United matched the Grasshoppers scoreline as they beat a familiar foe in fellow Uxella League division 1 side Bunch of Grapes 6-1. Lee Harvey was instrumental in the victory with his first ever hat-trick and was joined on the scoresheet by Lee Mitchell(2) and Will Beggs.
In the Uxella League itself there was plenty of action as well with the First Division clash between Tigers and Red Tile ending up with a 6-3 victory for the Tigers after two goals each from Paul Irvine and Matt Washer and further strikes from Justin Lewis and Jamie Chillingworth. Tile were 3-0 down at half-time but showed good battling qualities to get the score back to 3-2 at one stage. James Hamilton(2) and Sam Walker scored their consolation efforts.
The other game in the top division saw a priceless 1-0 away victory for Ashcott at Maxwells.
In the Second Division the two early season pacesetters of Admirals and Huntspill Crowns came head to head and it was the Crowns who emerged victorious with a 3-2 away win thanks to a Jeff Read hat-trick, to match the treble scored by his dad Brian on matchday 2.
The young Bower United side certainly seem to be adapting quickly to mens football as they won for the third time this week, beating Pawlett Reserves 4-1 after two goals from Brendan Pope and one each from Steven Hall and Shaun Turner.
Woolavington Reserves went one better than their midweek draw as they won 5-3 away to Countryman after a Tom Presley hat-trick and further strikes from Matt Weston and Gary Butler.
In the final game in the Second Division Cannington recorded their first win of the season with a 2-0 away victory at Wookey Sports after a double strike from Darryl Taylor.
(Story First Published: 01.10.06) |
