UCL Review 2012-13_9a2d718c

COUNTY CUPS REVIEW: TROPHIES FOR TIGERS, LANKIES AND BADGERS

The season’s county cup football brought final places for seven teams and silverware for three.

Holbeach retained the Lincolnshire Senior Trophy. In the southern half of the draw they edged past near neighbours Deeping, Bourne and Spalding, the latter two in penalty shootouts, before finding their scoring touch with a 4-1 win over Bottesford in the Sincil Bank final. Andy Toyne, Andy Tidswell, Jason Turner and Tommy Treacher shared the goals in the final victory. The only other Premier Division club to reach a final was Huntingdon who demolished holders St Ives 5-1 to reach their first Huntingdonshire Senior Cup final. Town matched step 3 St Neots for two goalless hours but suffered the heartbreak of a 4-2 shootout defeat. In other competitions Desborough reached the Northants Hillier Senior Cup semi final losing 4-1 to Corby while in the Leicestershire Challenge Cup Harborough produced one of the biggest upsets of the campaign, beating step 3 play off contenders Barwell before exiting at the semi final stage along with Shepshed. Potton reached their second Bedfordshire Senior Trophy final but after defeating holders Crawley Green and Langford on the way, they came up short against another Spartan South Midlands side in the final, going down by a single goal to Bedford FC. The Northants Junior Cup final at Sixfields was an all UCL affair and second half goals from Craig Harrower and Jory Mann gave Rushden & Higham a 2-0 verdict against the Cogenhoe second string. The Lankies’ most notable win on the way to the final was a 6-1 quarter final success at holders Bugbrooke while the Cooks’ best display was a 4-1 semi final win over the only non-UCL side in the last four Brixworth. This competition also saw Northampton Spencer notch up the biggest win recorded by any of our sides all season, a 14-0 defeat of Finedon in a Second Round tie. The most high profile of the other cup competitions, the Hinchingbrooke Cup, was overshadowed this year by the double leg break suffered by Yaxley’s Matt Barber in the Cuckoos’ final with Royston. Andy Furnell’s opener had been matched by a Crows reply when the game was abandoned, and the clubs agreed to share the trophy. Deeping and Whitworth were semi finalists in the competition with fixture congestion forcing the Flourmen to withdraw. Other successes came to new clubs in Leicestershire early and late in the season. Oadby carried off the Battle of Britain Cup with wins over Blaby & Whetstone, St Andrews and Anstey, Jake Duffy and an own goal seeing off the Nomads 2-1 in the September final. Fast forward to May and it was Shepshed celebrating after lifting the Loughborough Charity Cup. After winning at higher grade Loughborough Dynamo in the semis Shepshed overwhelmed rivals Quorn 5-0 in the final with three goal Steve Chaplin, Liam Fitzpatrick and Liam Tuck all on target in a rampant first half display. A number of pre season one off cups saw our clubs collect silverware. AFC Kempston enjoyed a notable win over Bedford Town in the Harry Robinson Memorial Cup, two goal Danny Watson, Ash Farmer and Drew Phillips sharing the goals in a 4-2 Walnut Boys success. Buckingham beat Banbury 3-2 to win the James Victory Cup with Chris Robson, Nick Bines and Joel McCormick sharing the Robins goals. Long Buckby retained the Andy Humphries Memorial Cup, beating Harpole 2-0 with goals from Craig Jackson and Jaden Rickhuss. The Northants Lower Junior Cup also saw an all UCL final with Bugbrooke Reserves getting the better of lower grade ON Chenecks Reserves by the odd goal in three. OTHER CUPS REVIEW: HALF A TROPHY FOR YAXLEY

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