Tuesday 23rd March 2022
UHLSPORT UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE-PREMIER DIVISION SOUTH
EASINGTON SPORTS 1-2 G.N.G OADBY TOWN
Two first half goals gave the Leicestershire side a cushion in this one with Easington only managing to pull one back through Alfie Dunn on 75 minutes. Amavir Sandhu had put Oadby in front after 7 minutes and Rian Patel doubled that advantage on 35.
GODMANCHESTER ROVERS 1-3 HINCKLEY LRFC
Hinckley bounced back from Saturday’s shock defeat at Chenecks with a 3-1 success in Godmanchester. Danny Jenno edged them into the lead six minutes before half-time, but Dom Brennan’s double on 54 and 57 extended the gap to three. Josh Francis did pull one back for Goddy, but the points were heading back to Leicestershire as LRFC closed the gap on the leaders to just three points.
NEWPORT PAGNELL TOWN 0-3 LONG BUCKBY
Newport’s form continues to struggle after winning their Vase quarter-final as they slumped to their third straight defeat at home to county rivals Long Buckby. All the goals came from breaks down the left with Alex Webb converting at the far post for the opener on 14 minutes and then Tom Bishop doing the same after 62. Max Johnson completed a great evening for the Bucks with the third from the centre of the box on 78 minutes as they followed up last Saturday’s draw with leaders Harborough in style against the team sitting in fifth spot.
ROTHWELL CORINTHIANS 4-0 POTTON UNITED
Corinthians moved seven points clear of the relegation zone with a comfortable 4-0 win at home to Potton. Conor Bird, Jurelle Philip, Owen Wells and Joe Wright all hitting the target for the home side.
Wednesday 24th March 2022
UHLSPORT UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE-PREMIER DIVISION SOUTH
BUGBROOKE ST MICHAELS 0-1 DESBOROUGH TOWN
Jake Bettles returned to his former club to win the game for Ar Tarn through a well taken 55th minute penalty.
SMEDLEY CROOKE MEMORIAL CUP-SEMI FINAL
PERSHORE TOWN 2-2 LUTTERWORTH TOWN
(Pershore won 3-2 on penalties)
Ten men Lutterworth were three minutes away from a cup final, only to suffer the heartbreak of a penalty shoot-out defeat. Defender Justin Peace had put the UCL side in front on 18 minutes with a close range finish, but they suffered a set-back ten minutes into the second half following the dismissal of Zakari Adams. James Baldwin volleyed home from the edge of the box to level things up on 73, but the ten men retook the lead on the break eight minutes later with Abdul Rahman Sunmonu beating the keeper with a low finish. There were only three minutes left to hold on when left-back Sean Cox made a run that was picked out with a good pass and he did the rest and took the game into extra time where Pershore edged home 3-2 on penalties to qualify for their second cup final of the season.
Saturday 26th March 2022
UHLSPORT UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE-PREMIER DIVISION SOUTH
COVENTRY UNITED 2-1 POTTON UNITED
The Red & Greens won for the first time in 6 weeks thanks to a late winner from Renato Prifti. Ashton Demulder had given the Coventry boys the lead four minutes before the interval with a low volley, but The Royals drew level on 63 through Lil Francisco. We had played 84 minutes when Prifti received the ball on the edge of the box and sent a curling shot over the head of Sam Irish in the Potton goal to secure the home side’s first victory since the chairmen resigned and most of the experienced players departed the club.
DESBOROUGH TOWN 3-2 WELLINGBOROUGH TOWN
Desborough came from behind to beat ten men Wellingborough at the Waterworks Field. Two goals from Jake Bettles and one from former Doughboy Will Russell outweighing Kyle Ansell and Lloyd Buckby’s efforts, whilst the visitors also had skipper Josh Melling sent-off.
EYNESBURY ROVERS 5-0 EASINGTON SPORTS
Easington’s poor run of form continued as they were well beaten in Eynesbury. Romaine Walker opened the scoring after just 4 minutes and Andy Sinclair added a second with only 12 minutes played. Any hopes of a comeback for the Banbury side were well and truly buried early in the second half as James Hatch (53) and James Ducket (55) extended Rovers lead before Walker gabbed his second with 71 gone. It’s now six straight defeats for Sports whose hopes of a top half finish in their first season in the UCL have all but disappeared now.
G.N.G OADBY TOWN 2-2 BUGBROOKE ST MICHAELS
The spoils were shared in Leicestershire as Oadby and Bugbrooke drew 2-2 at Oaks Park. Andre Williams put the Poachers ahead on 6 minutes, Bugbrooke drew level from the penalty spot on 35 only for Lamar Parkes to restore the home side’s advantage four minutes later. The Badgers struck again ten minutes into the second half to make it 2-2 and that is how it remained until the final whistle. Unfortunately I don’t have the Bugbrooke scorers to hand as a type this up.
GODMANCHESTER ROVERS 1-4 COVENTRY SPHINX
Callum Woodward bagged himself a hat-trick as Sphinx continued their excellent form with a comprehensive win in Godmanchester. A lovely move ended with Stewart opening his account with a near post finish on 5 minutes, then Matty Shipman headed home the second from a Callum Martin cross on 12 before Stewart scored his second with just 25 minutes played. Stewart completed his hat-trick on 55 minutes when he converted from the penalty spot after he had been fouled. Jason Kissi marked his debut with a late consolation for Goddy after coming off the bench, but it was fourth place Sphinx who went home happiest from this encounter.
HARBOROUGH TOWN 2-0 HINCKLEY LRFC
The big game of the day came at The Beehive where first entertained second and it was The Bees who were celebrating at the end as Mitch Austin’s boys secured promotion to step four for next season, although they still have some work to do to lift the championship trophy. Rhys Hoenes broke into the box before slotting the ball under the keeper on 26 minutes to break the deadlock and a low drive from James Ireland after 59 minutes doubled their advantage as Harborough deservedly took all three points off their rivals. A fantastic crowd of 721 watched the top two do battle which is a credit to the UCL and shows that Harborough could easily have the fan base to move through the pyramid should things continue to go well for the club.
NEWPORT PAGNELL TOWN 4-0 ROTHWELL CORINTHIANS
Pagnell found their form again after three successive defeats with a 4-0 win at home to Corinthians. Jake Newman got his first goal for his latest club with a low finish from a Kieran Barnes cross on 12 minutes and Mo Ahmed played in Jake Watkinson who took his chance well with 33 minutes played. Watkinson got his second on 64 with Ben Shepherd creating the chance and then Barnes made it four on 71 direct from a free-kick.
O.N CHENECKS 1-2 LONG BUCKBY
Two goals in three minutes put in-form Buckby in charge at Billing Road as Sam Lockley was put clear inside the box before steering the ball past the keeper from close range on 19 minutes and Callum Whiteside scored a similar effort on 21. Emmanuel Annan pulled one back for the Northampton side on 78 minutes, but they couldn’t find an equaliser and remain bottom of the league with time running out if they are to catch Biggleswade.
RUGBY TOWN 5-0 BIGGLESWADE UNITED
Rugby kept up their bid for third spot with an emphatic 5-0 win over relegation battlers Biggleswade at Butlin Road. Assistant manager Justin Marsden put the Valley 2-0 up with a double strike after 15 and 25 minutes, the opener a well taken first time finish after David Kolodynski had burst into the box and pulled the ball back and the second a curling effort after good work from Harry Eden. The third came when Caine Elliott won the ball on the edge of the box and fed Kolodynski who cut inside and finished low on 53 minutes, then Kolodynski made it 4-0 three minutes later with a far post finish from Luke English’s pass. Elliott brought up the nap hand when he broke through from the half way line to power his way into the box before firing home on 67 minutes to round off a very good afternoon for a majority of the 186 in attendance.
