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Match reports from Saturday, 17 October, 2009

Darley Dale secure convincing victory
Darley Dale Liions 3 Edale 1
Home scorers:- Allsop, Longley, Stephenson

Darley Dale Lions roared into the second round of the Derbyshire Junior Cup North with a convincing 3-1 triumph over Hope Valley League Edale on Saturday.

   Looking for their first win in the competition for five years, Darley started nervously with Edale looking threatening on the break.

   It took an unorthodox headed goal line clearance from centre back Paul Godfrey and Edale hitting the woodwork direct from a Rory Delap-esque throw in before the Lions woke up and started to play the kind of football manager John Marsden drills into them on the training ground.

   The breakthrough came when a sublime bit of football down the left resulted in an inch perfect cross to the back post by Aaron O'Neill. This was met by the forehead of Matthew Allsop who guided it masterfully back across the keeper and into the bottom corner.

   The goal spurred the Lions on and it wasn't long before they made it two when a beautiful bit of interplay between Mark Ashton and Aaron O'Neill eventually saw the ball cut back for Darren Longley who finished with aplomb.

   At 2-0, Darley kept pushing in an attempt to finish Edale off but were found wanting in front goal.

   Substitute John Dunsby somehow managing to miss the target with two free headers when it seemed easier to score and an unmarked Danny Stephenson header at the back post from a corner whistled over.

   It was then Allsop's turn to get it all wrong with a header at the back post somehow hitting him on the back when he seemed certain to bag his second of the match.

   With so many chances going begging for Darley, Edale started to get a sniff that it might just be their day after all and even more so when they pulled one back. A long throw, which had caused Darley problems all game, was launched to the back post and was nodded in to make it 2-1.

   Despite this goal, Darley's defence stood strong for the remainder of the match and the game was won with a very well-worked free-kick on the edge of the area.

   Man of the match Aaron O'Neill rolling the free-kick short into the box, when many were expecting a shot, and Danny Stephenson subsequently hitting it first time into the bottom right corner to send the packed Whitworth Park crowd into ecstasy. At 3-1 it was all over and the Lions roared on into the second round.

Shirland's superb fight back wins Cup clash
Shirland Miners Welfare 4 Renishaw Social Club 3
Home scorers:- Brown, Harrison (2), Wright

Shirland Miners Welfare booked there place in the next round of the Derbyshire Junior Cup North with an amazing fight back in the last twenty minutes against a stunned Renishaw Social Club.

   The home side were missing top goal scorers Dale Hegarty and Ian Hursthouse, also missing was right back Murphy but it was Shirland who went about their business in a positive fashion, taking a eighth minute lead through Gareth Brown's powerfully struck shot from 15 yards after a lovely through ball from Oliver Brown.

   Renishaw equalised seven minutes later with a high through ball which bounced over the heads of the oncoming Shirland defenders, with only the keeper to beat Renishaw fired the ball into the top right hand corner to make the score 1-1.

   Renishaw's second run at goal resulted in a penalty kick which looked very unfair on left back Richard Hill, as their forward staggered and fell before a challenge was made and cleared but the penalty was still awarded. Renishaw hammered the spot-kick straight down the middle and with Shirland's keeper Daz Shaw opting to dive to his right made a fantastic save.

   The visitors took a 2-1 lead after 25 minutes due to a defending error in which only three of Shirland's defenders stepped up to play Renishaw offside resulting in the away team bursting through the middle to score.

   Eight minutes later Shirland's defence made the same mistake again with the same out come, a stunning run from the away side's forward who fired the ball over the keeper to make the score 3-1.

   Shirland must have faced some home truths during the interval as they came out a different side in the second half, and they set their stall clearly out to look to get back into the contest.

   Manager Dave Thurnham moved things about putting Harrison up front, O. Brown into midfield and bringing on A. Brooks at left back which resulted in the best fight back iIhave seen by any team in a long time.

   Shirland began to dominate and were soon camped out in Reinshaw's half, Richard Harrison began to terrorise the visiting rearguard and Oliver Brown took complete control along side Steven Boot in midfield.

   Six yard box scrambles and goal-line clearances from corner after corner got the home crowd into a frenzy and the only surprise about Harrisons' goal was that it took so long to come.

   At 3-2 down and only 14 minutes left Shirland's keeper Shaw made a string of good saves to keep his side in the game, but it wasn't long before Lee Bellamy's darting run put through Harrison to level up the score with his second goal. The goal brought real confidence and you could tell they could sense a winner.

   With six minutes left Steven Wright stepped up to fire Shirland into the next round and stun Renishaw.

   The final whistle was greeted with big cheers by a nervous Shirland following who witnessed 45 minutes of hell and 45 minutes of sheer fantastic football and nail-biting, all part and parcel of being a Shirland supporter.

MOM:- Shirland's Steven Wright

Spoils shared in League encounter
Hilcote United 2 AFC Lea Holloway 2
Away scorers:- Andrews, Bott

AFC Lea Holloway and Hilcote United shared the spoils in the only Matlock League fixture of the day.

   Holloway manager Kev Carline again had no choice but to change the team with defenders Jason Haymes and Lee Bricknell both absent. Andrew Bird returned in goal, replacing stand-in keeper Pete Dearman and Dave Whitford returned to the squad after a two game absence.

   The visitors started brightly and created several chances but Shaun Bott and Adam Pearson both failed to convert. Holloway deservedly took the lead when a long ball over the top was mis-kicked by the Hilcote goalkeeper, allowing Scott Andrews to roll into an empty net.

   Hilcote equalized after a high ball into the box wasn't dealt with and the striker headed past Bird to make it 1-1 at half-time.

   It was Holloway that again took the lead in the 65th minute through Bott, who ran onto a precise through ball from Pearson and tucked the ball past the keeper.

   Hilcote were handed a lifeline in the shape of a controversial penalty decision, only for Bird to pull off a wonder save to keep Holloway in the lead.

   The Lea Green lads defended well but Hilcote scored with two minutes remaining with a superb 25 yard volley.

Reports from...

Saturday, 10 October, 2009

Saturday, 3 October, 2009

Saturday, 26 September, 2009

Saturday, 19 September, 2009

Saturday, 12 September, 2009

Wednesday, 9 September, 2009

Wednesday, 5 September, 2009

Wednesday, 2 September, 2009

Wednesday, 29 August, 2009

Wednesday, 26 August, 2009

Read our archives from the 2008-2009 season