Sunday League: Holders Hollins start defence of Sunday Cup with a win

Hollins Holme showed how keen they are to retain the Haifax FA Sunday Cup when they cleared a big first obstacle with something to spare last weekend.
Woodhouse United after their win over FC Panda ResWoodhouse United after their win over FC Panda Res
Woodhouse United after their win over FC Panda Res

Steve Parker’s side, who had four key men missing, were handsome 5-2 winners away to familiar foes Lee Mount, the team they beat in last season’s Shay final.

Lewis Cockroft bagged his second hat-trick of the weekend to help them into a 3-1 interval lead and Matthew Thompson and Jack Gormley added to the tally against traditionally rugged opponents in the second half.

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Jay Carney rifled a shot home for Mount, at 2-0 down, but Cockroft produced another clinical finish before the break.

Thompson’s diving header from a corner made it 4-1 before Carney scored his second from the spot after Allott had handled, although Parker said the ball had been blasted at him from close range.

Hollins’ fine morning was completed five minutes from time when Gormley slid the ball into the bottom corner from Rory Ellis’s cross.

Waiters Arms showed no mercy as they dumped nine-man Thrum Hall out of the cup 8-0.

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Thrum Hall had only 11 players available at kick-off, but were shortly down to 10 as captain Stefan Drakes had to leave the pitch through injury.

Waiters immediately took advantage with a goal on 11 minutes, and had all the play, creating chance after chance, but some good saves from keeper Aaron Bergin kept the half-time score to a respectable 3-0.

However, Waiters’ second-half dominance was too much for Hall, and they ran out 8-0 winners.

Things went from bad to worse for Hall as, on 75 minutes, Marcus Stapley was also forced to leave the pitch through injury meaning the final 15 minutes was spent with only nine men.

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Woodhouse United inflicted a first defeat of the season on FC Panda Reserves with a 4-1 home success in the Halifax FA Sunday Cup at the weekend.

Panda have won five out of five in Division One, including a 3-2 win at Woodhouse Road four weeks earlier, but they were sunk by a Jay Connor hat-trick and a Jordan Walker penalty.

After a good opening 10 minutes, Connor found the back of the net with a cheeky chip after latching onto Jordan Walker’s through ball.

Panda equalised following a free-kick conceded by Adam Gray but Woodhouse raised their game and when Jay Connor was fouled inside the box, Walker coolly made it 2-1.

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After the break Jack Naylor made a fine save to keep his side’s advantage.

Ryan Horan made a great challenge inside his own half and a fine ball found Jay Connor, who smashed home his second goal.

Stefan Parker ensured that Woodhouse kept their goal lead as he threw himself in the way if a goal bound shot.

Then came the move of the game, Jay Connor stole the ball and his cousin Joe Connor found Keenan Fielden out on the left, Keenan provided a brilliant ball in for Jay Connor to complete the scoring.

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A strong second-half showing helped Cock and Bottle ease past King Cross Park 8-2.

King Cross Park took the lead early in first half, but Damo Randall equalised shortly after.

Zak Waddington and Josh Miller put Cock and Bottle 3-1 up, but the referee awarded King Cross Park a penalty just before half time, which was scored to make it 3-2 at the break.

Cock and Bottle extended their lead early in the second half when Waddington was brought down in the box, with captain Gareth Sherwood scoring the spot-kick.

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Randall latched onto a searching diagonal ball from right back Carlton Pownall, expertly controlling and coolly taking it around the keeper to make the score 5-2.

Miller and Waddington added to their first half goals and a wonder strike from Sam Hillhouse from 25 yards deflected in off the post to complete the scoring.

Elsewhere in round one of the cup, FC Panda beat Bradshaw 12-5, Ryburn United beat Ryburn Valley 2-1 and Siddal Place beat Premier Division leaders Feathers 3-2.

Old Pond made it back to back wins in the Halifax Sunday League Division One as they recorded an early season double against Halifax Rangers at Lane Head.

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Josh Van Gesten’s right wing cross evaded Shaun Kellett in the Rangers net and

Jamie Clay was on hand to fire home with less than five minutes played.

Six minutes later and a fine strike from Ben Ireland doubled the Hove Edge side’s

advantage.

Wayne Allert, who was solid at the back and a threat when venturing

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upfield for set pieces, won the knock down and Ireland produced a fine curling finish.

Rangers would go in at the break just the one goal shy of their opponents, however, after a thunderbolt of a free kick from Tom Wade left Dan Barnes in the Pond net with no chance.

Barnes made a fine close range save from Adam Burke and on an immediate counter Hayden Lewis found Ireland who broke and made it 3-1 to the home team early in the second-half.

Pond made it four with Van Gesten and Ireland involved in the build up allowing Kai Hallwood to grab a poacher’s effort at the back post.

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Taylor’s side went on to seal a comfortable looking win in the end. Hallwood’s shot was well parried by Kellett, but Van Gesten was quickest to react and snapped up the rebound. A last-minute penalty won and converted by Ireland gave him his hat-trick.