Sunday 23rd March 2014

The NAPIT SUNDAY LEAGUE domestic cup competitions took centre stage on Sunday with the quarter finals of the Alma, Chatsworth and Hutson cups taking place. In the Alma the game at Clune Street produced a massive upset as NAPIT TWO’s bottom club Silver Birches produced a magnificent performance to oust NAPIT ONE Clowne Wanderers. In the league Birches have managed only two victories in ten starts but their cup form, in contrast, has been excellent and on Sunday leading goal scorer T Poole hit a brace with J Wilkes adding a third cancelling out Michael Smy’s goal for Wanderers. Another NAPIT TWO side almost caused a sensation in the form of Grassmoor Sports who came mightily close to beating defending NAPIT LEAGUE Champions and title favourites Hasland before just losing out by five goals to four. Jenkinson, Lambird, Walters and Bowman found the net for Sports but two Lee Clay goals plus strikes from Danny Claridge, Luke Beatson and Mark Houghton saw Hasland home. Tibshelf Town were another NAPIT TWO side up against top flight competition, FC Britannia providing the opposition. Ross Armstrong did find the net for Town but a goal each for Fields and Scully won the tie for Britannia. The fourth quarter final saw Eckington Boys and AFC Whitecotes of ONE face-off against each other. In the league the sides are in fifth and sixth place respectively, level on points and this game was an equally close run thing with Jez Mitchell’s goal proving to be enough to book Whitecotes a place in the semi-finals.

In the Chatsworth Cup NAPIT FIVE leaders Clowne Wanderers Reserves took on Newbold who are third from bottom in the division above. Wanderers have yet to lose a league game this season whilst Newbold have won just four times from seventeen starts. However like their first team Wanderers Reserves also slipped to defeat. It was an excellent contest with goals from Wayne Garrity, who scored twice and Gavin Melan for Newbold being matched by efforts from Taylor, Rogers and Robson which took the tie into extra time which failed to produce a winner. Newbold eventually prevailed, winning the penalty shoot-out 4-3. The all NAPIT THREE affair between leaders West Killamarsh and Hollingwood Athletic also needed penalties to find a winner as the scores were level at 1-1 after both normal and extra time. In the end it was West Killamarsh who went through 5-4. Woodthorpe Inn and Brimington Park Colts met recently in NAPIT FOUR with Woodthorpe coming out on top and so it was again as two goals from Lynam plus two from Walsh and one from Whitford saw them win 5-1. The remaining tie between Newton George and Dragon and Steelmelters Arms Killamarsh takes place on the sixth of April.

In the Hutson Cup the big game saw the highest placed side in the competition Crown Killamarsh take on the second highest Barlow Kingston Rovers. Crown who are in second place in SIX are three points above Barlow Kingston Rovers who are third and in this tie the former prevailed by five goals to two. On target for Crown were Lester who scored twice, Page, Evans and Stead. In the league there appears to be no stopping runaway SEVEN leaders Duckmanton Community and their form in the cup appears to be equally impressive as SIX side Dronfield Wanderers will testify. To be fair Wanderers played their part in a thrilling encounter which produced nine goals but in the end two Jack Weaver goals plus one each from Graham Travis, Mark Reynolds and Steve Johnson eased Community through 5-4. In an all SIX tie Furniss Hill Hurricanes beat Fidlers Rest 2-1, Steve Jones and Leigh Crofts with the winning goals and in an all SEVEN tie Oxcroft Utd won 5-2 at Boot and Shoe, Kimberley scoring twice for the winners, N Grayson, A Grayson and Murcott once each.

Back in the league Renishaw MW could have gone top of NAPIT ONE if they had beaten Creswell as form suggested however in the event form counted for little as Creswell won 3-1 thanks to goals from Machin 2 and Hatcroft.

In TWO Barrow Hill MC hit the top after they beat Brampton Rovers JMA 4-2 as New Whitt slipped up, losing 2-0 to Ashover Vale. Just one goal separates Barrow Hill from New Whitt in a fascinating title race and this victory for Barrow Hill, thanks to two goals from Ryan Whittaker and one each from Chris Cave and Aiden Ordidge could prove to be crucial. Ashover Vale’s win was an impressive one and sees them climb up to sixth.

Due to the inactivity of West Killamarsh in the league AFC Bolsover moved to within a point of them at the top of THREE following a 5-0 win at Beechers Brook which saw Josh Parfitt in top form, scoring four of the goals, substitute Ryan Capuano the fifth. One place behind are Dronfield Woodhouse who beat bottom side Steelmelters Arms Killamarsh 3-1, Scott Austin, Matt Scanlon and Kieran Loftus on target in the win. Matlock Town Wanderers made the longest journey in the league to take on Creswell Black Diamond and their trip was a fruitless one as two goals from Charlesworth earned their hosts the points.

AFC North Wingfield are back on top of FOUR following a comfortable 5-0 win at Chesterfield Arms. Five different players found the net for AFC, Collins, Woolvern, Harris, Brailsford and Baton. Pilsley’s title hopes were dented as they were beaten 3-2 at Harleys Scarlets for whom Mayfield scored twice, Hutchinson once. Likewise Dronfield Miners who were beaten 5-2 by Lowgates Sports Club. Meanwhile Spartans relegation worries increased as they slipped to a 4-1 defeat at Steelmelters for whom Jack Yeomans hit a brace, Lewis McGuiness and Dave Kelly one each.

North Wingfield MW are up to second place in FIVE, Aaron Large, Ash Walters and Nick Pears putting them there with the goals in a 3-1 win over Old Whittington MW. Fellow Wingfield side Gate Inn didn’t fare quite as well. Losing 4-1 to Brampton Brewery for whom Nowak scored twice, Armitage and Hardman once. Finally in FIVE Palterton Sporting Club cruised to a 6-1 win at Thistle Park over Brimington Utd, Will Holmes smashing a treble, Lee Marris a double, the sixth being an own goal.

Hady Villa increased their lead at the top of six to ten points, the same number of goals they put past an overwhelmed Holmehall 2nd. Holmehall’s beleaguered rear-guard were run ragged as Smedley and Coupe both scored hat tricks, Inns two, Laming and Twell one. Hasland WMC took an early lead through Chris Hughes against Renishaw MW Reserves but that was as good as it got as Deane, Smith and Clayton found the net for Renishaw.

Third placed Brampton Rovers Reserves were pre-match favourites to beat Brimington Club in SEVEN but Club had other ideas as goals from Nick Moulds and Lee Yates secured them an unlikely 2-1 victory. And finally a close game between Spartans 2nd and Britannia Tupton was just shaded by the latter who won by the odd goal in five, Sambrook, Thompson and Holberry with the winning goals.