Review of games played on 15/12.

Four Harold English Memorial Trophy games were played, three were decided in the ninety minutes but the Hillgate V Edgeley Villa game had to be decided by penalties.

Hillgate were three nil up after only fifteen minutes, Aaron Dwyer opened the scoring then he supplied a cross from the right for Caylem Bateson to net the second. An inch perfect through ball from Dale Hester sent Dwyer through to coolly plant the ball into the net for the third. Their inability to press home their advantage before half time came to bite them on the backside when Villa came out in the second half and showed their scoring prowess. Oli Burgess opened their account after a mistake in the Hillgate defence. Howie Thomas –Leech then sent his free kick into the top corner of Hillgate’s net for their second, Leech then levelled the scores after being put through by Tom Hannan. It seemed that Villa’s fight back had come to nothing when Dwyer completed his hat trick to put Hillgate back in front but at the other end in a dramatic last couple of minutes Tom Hannan punished Hillgate when they failed to clear ball from a free kick and take the game to penalties. Both keepers, Hillgate’s Leighton Begrano and Villa’s Phil Dalton both saved a penalty but it was Caden Sampson’s kick that sent Hillgate through to make it 4-2.

Stockport County Supporters and Wythenshawe Wanderers served up some good football throughout their encounter. The visitors took the lead after twelve minutes with a goal from James Johnson. Two minutes later the scores were level Joe Maguire the scorer. A shot into the top corner of the County goal by Mark Lucas gave Wythenshawe the half time lead. The usual reliable Josh Guiver should have put County on level terms from the penalty spot but his kick went into orbit over the bar sending somebody to sheepishly go and knock on a door and ask for the ball back which had landed in their back garden. At the other end after the ball had not been cleared Will Rickman scored his side’s third goal from close in. George Baker gave the visiting keeper no chance with his rocket shot but it wasn’t enough, Wythenshawe hung on to make it into the next round.

Adswood went a goal down at home to Cheshire Milkmen but drew level before half time through Aaron Cowley. There was never much between the two teams which was finally decided four minutes when Aiden Smyth put Adswood through with his winner. Alex Bradshaw was Adswood’s m-o-m.

Stretford Vics hit double figures in their home tie against Cheadle Hulme Galaxy. Dan Forrester and Salem Saddeh shared four of the goals, Yan Griffith, Tom Lilley, Sean Reid, Derek Ubah, Jonny Blomeley and Jace Rennie adding the rest. James Gabriel was Galaxey’s lone scorer.

Edgeley Villa Hatters and Reddish Phoenix met last week in the H. English Mem Trophy and by a stroke of fate were paired again to meet in the P. Bailey/ G. Wright Mem Trophy. It must have taken the Hatters quite a while to try and work out how you can score six times and lose. It did not look good for them when Lewis Findlow’s corner came off a defender for an OG. Hatters soon got back on level terms, Kenzie Daniels picked out Jamie Bower to score. Shae Kelly then put them in front from a Brad Waugh pass. Ben Pollard made it all square with his goal. Waugh found Daniels who put his side back in front, Daniels added a second with a pass from Jamie Bower. Lewis Findlow gave his side a chance with their third goal but it only stung the Hatters back in action. Divino Gomes poked home Bobby Cornwall’s through ball to make it 5-3 then when Luke Ellis was brought down in the area Daniels fired home his spot kick to complete his hat trick and revenge for last Sunday’s disappointment.
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This report contains the words, thoughts and opinions of Keith Coates and not necessarily those of the SDSFL.