Sunday League: Big boys make it through to last four of League Cup

Halifax Hammers set-up a League Cup semi-final date with Feathers FC after winning 6-2 at FC Casa in the quarter-finals.
Sunday football - Ryburn Valley v Hollins Holme. Thomas Hirst for Ryburn, with Dan Boyd, left, and George Bamford, right, for Hollins.Sunday football - Ryburn Valley v Hollins Holme. Thomas Hirst for Ryburn, with Dan Boyd, left, and George Bamford, right, for Hollins.
Sunday football - Ryburn Valley v Hollins Holme. Thomas Hirst for Ryburn, with Dan Boyd, left, and George Bamford, right, for Hollins.

In wet and windy conditions, a make-shift Hammers team found it difficult to play their normal quick passing game with several key players missing.

They took the lead when Terriq Pervez put the ball on a plate for Waleed Raja to score from close range.

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Aaron Bennett equalised against the run of play to ensure the scores were level at half-time.

But Hammers upped their game after the interval and regained the lead when Khurram Shazad set-up Pervez to score from a tight angle.

Casa’s Glen Hall was denied another equaliser by a fine save from Hammers keeper Yasar Mohammed before Shazad added a third after good link-up play between Ahsan Farooq and Sameer Ahmed.

Awais Khan’s brace, including a fine solo effort, extended Hammers’ lead to 5-1.

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Graham Pugh got one back for Casa before Ahmed rounded off the scoring for Hammers.

Halifax Hammers Reserves went down 6-1 to Lee Mount in their quarter-final.

Feathers progressed to the last four by beating King Cross 4-1, while in the last quarter-final, Waiters Arms beat beat Ryburn United 5-1.

Lee Wood went close and Reece Uttley fired just over for Waiters before Wood found the net after 15 minutes.

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Wood notched his second from an Uttley cross, and completed his hat-trick after the interval from another Uttley assist.

Lee Albon added a fourth for Waiters before Jake Finch got one back for Ryburn.

Uttley was again the provider as Albon netted his second to round off the scoring.

Waiters boss Adam Fenton said: “I felt we were always in control, the lads put a good shift in.

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“It’s a tough make or break month coming up now so I’m glad we have a strong squad.”

Hollins Holme are the best of the rest in the Premier Division, behind the runaway top three teams, after a 4-3 win over Ryburn Valley on Sunday.

They were glad to hear the final whistle at the weekend, not just because it was cold and wet on the wide expanse of Savile Park but also because they were in danger of letting a big lead slip.

“We played really well in the first half and were 4-0 up at half time,” said boss Steve Parker.

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“We talked about keeping our shape and trying to keep a clean sheet but it was definitely a game of two halves.”

Valley, who had started with 10 men, had a couple more arrivals as the contest progressed and Parker said the home side had clicked into gear while Hollins had “fallen to pieces.”

Hollins had picked up where they had left off in the 4-1 win over King Cross a fortnight earlier.

Big Joe Gibson, the centre half turned centre forward, made it 16 goals in nine games this season with two to get Hollins up and running.

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Gibson turned down the chance of completing an early hat-trick when Hollins won a penalty, Andrew Butterworth making it 3-0.

Hollins then scored a rare goal from a corner, James Chadwick heading home after Butterworth’s delivery.

It was a different story in the second half as Hollins missed chances and Valley looked a different side.

A great strike from Ash Drake got the home side up and running on the hour and a double from Jordan Tynan further closed the gap.

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However, Hollins managed to steady the ship in the last 10 minutes to bag their fourth league win of the campaign.

In Division One, leaders Siddal Place beat Barum Top 6-2, while Cock and Bottle thrashed Thrum Hall 8-5.

Old Pond won 2-1 at Halifax Rangers, while North Bridge v Triangle was abandoned on a quagmire of a Lane Head surface.

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