First trophy won in the Tracey Thomas Leamington and District Sunday Football League

Full of end to end action in front of a pleasing crowd this Cup Final had it all.

We had some great goals, lots of full blooded action and a sending off! Malachy Rose put Stockton ahead on the half hour mark. Brayden Herdman restored parity four minutes later. An own goal header from a cross then gave Kineton the advantage going into the break.

Alex Stevens popped up on the hour mark to get Stockton level again, but ten minutes later and Liam Naven-Jones restored the Kineton advantage. With ten minutes to go Kody Doyle of Kineton got a red card for some verbals. Four minutes into stoppage time and Stockton thought they’d scored through Keir Wood, but the ball had rebounded back of the bottom stanchion and came back into play. Kineton played on and promptly went back up the other end where they put the ball in the net to wrap the game up.

However the Assistant Referee along with many in the crowd had seen the stanchion incident and after a brief consultation the goal was awarded to Stockton. It finished three apiece and so it went to penalty kicks. Stockton completed the comeback scoring all five penalty kicks, and the Stockton keeper Matthew Archer made a tremendous save to keep out one of the Kineton spot kicks. Stockton win the Maurice Billington Cup. The Billington family were represented by Brenda, Ryan and young Franky, and the celebrations began.

Our “Match of the Day” is the George Dutton Cup clash between JDS Sporting from Division 4 taking on visitors HRI Harbury from Division 2.

The veg boys were without some key players, but new boys JDS have remained pointless in the league so far this season, having narrowly lost their opening two league games, the pressure was on, for a much needed improved performance.

Fortunately, JDS Sporting were able to select a very strong squad today, and from the very start, it was a competitive contest. Extremely pleasing to see better communication, energetic pressing and hard work generally from the home side. Ellis St John given the JDS Sporting captaincy. Within five minutes JDS had scored, Steve Minard firing home from the edge of the box, but it was disallowed for offside, and then a neat move down the left resulted in a thunderous effort from St John whistling past the post just wide.

The first 15 minutes saw both sides evenly matched, but gradually it felt JDS were enjoying more possession and getting more of the ball. That seemed to spur on the home sides confidence, and then from a long throw in, the resulting knock down and half clearance from Harbury, Sean Nugent finished convincingly from the edge of the box to give JDS a deserved advantage. The remainder of the first half was very tight and saw both sides create some decent chances, and Nathan Lewis in goal for JDS made several good saves to preserve the home side advantage at half time.

The Second half, followed a similar vein, and both sides created some good opportunities and there could have been goals at either end. The JDS defence were very well organised, with Jones, Plummer, Lomax and Cooper giving very little away. Chances came and went at both ends, and JDS made some second half substitutes with Matt Lincoln and Harry Gilbert coming on. Just before mid way through the half, substitute Gilbert prodded the ball home, following a congested goal mouth scramble, to double the JDS lead.

That second goal was crucial, and Harbury looked somewhat stunned, as the Division 4 outfit began to dominate the tie. St John then hit the post from a header and a Jones close range effort was saved point blank, as JDS continued to rally with their tails up. The second half confidence from JDS further paid off again, following a slick move and Nugent’s hard work, and when Gilbert crossed the ball from the left wing, Steve Thomas volleyed home clinically from 8 yards out, to make it 3-0.

With further late JDS subs made ( Giles, Perkins and Whitehouse coming on for Lomax, Thomas and Nugent), the game really opened up – and as the game became mores stretched, with players on both sides tiring - JDS completed the home sides victory following another breakaway chance, when Steve Minard cut inside from the edge of the penalty box, to calmly but emphatically rifle in another goal from close range to make it 4-0.

That means Minard’s goal tally for the season is 5 from his first three games. He’s one to watch for! Great contest, well refereed by Luke Gudger, and also credit to HRI Harbury who never gave up, and the game was played in the right spirit, with both teams playing their part, in an enjoyable Cup tie.

JDS progress into the next round.

We continue with Cup matches and we stay with the George Dutton Cup.

Balsall and Berkswell FC 1 Leam Hib’s FC 5

Kyle Heath with the Hornets consolation on the half hour but Hib’s were level by half time through Connoll Farrell. The second half belonged to Hib’s and they notched four more without reply. Jack Avery just passed the hour mark put Hib’s in front. Ash Kitchen, Josh Tiff and Farrell with his second wrapped it all up. Hib’s through to the next round.

Chadwick End FC 5 Warwick United FC 4

This one was a game of two halves. United were 1 – 4 up by half time and looking rosy. Chadwick then came back in the second half and plundered four of their own to turn the tables and take the tie. Mark Turner had put Chadwick in front after ten minutes. Shamir Entezar and Daniel Camara had put United in front by the half hour mark. Dean Pugh and Jack Emeney also added for United.

Turner added a second half brace to make his hat-trick, Paul Rose also scored and Kieran Geoghegan with the winner with eleven minutes to go. United battled to take it to pens but Chadwick held firm.

Miners Arms 0 Bishops Itchington 6

This one went to form and Bishops showed their Division 1 strength against Division 4 opposition. Joel Bennett chipped in with a brace but Craig Watkin enjoyed his Sunday morning grabbing four goals. Bishops into the next round.

Khalsa FC A 6 Kenilworth Town 1

James Brison put Town ahead here after seven minutes. Aaron Sahota made it all square sixteen minutes later and Narinder Sarai then put Khalsa in front shortly before the break. Khalsa piled on the pressure in the second half and although Town held them at bay Talveen Nagi broke through on the hour mark, and the floodgates opened. Ajmeir Sahota, Rory Kirwan and a brace from Mohammed Adam completed the rout. Khalsa A into the next round.

Midland Rovers 1 Cubbington Albion 8 (eight)

This one was tight up till half time. Then the Division 1 side put the Division 4 side to bed. Charlie Cleaver put Albion in front after twenty minutes. William Antonio made it all square five minutes before the break, only to see Cleaver race down the other end to put Albion back in front. Cleaver had his hat-trick two minutes into the second half and had got four ten minutes later. Calan Byrne helped himself to a brace. Ben Wilkinson scored just past the hour mark andNikodem Narloch rounded it off with nine minutes to go. Albion into the next round.

Real Barston FC 1 Wellesbourne Wanderers FC 9 (nine)

Wanderers were too strong for their Division 3 opponents here. Barston managed a consolation on the half hour here via Darius Potten-Ravenshad, but they were already two down by then. It was only a pause not a comeback. Elliott Durbin grabbed four. Dion Love and Ben Adler scored a brace apiece and Alex Rea chipped in with another. Wanderers progress into the next round.

Ettington Rovers FC 1 Minds Matter FC 6

Glenn Matthew with the Ettington strike but Minds were already five to the good by then. Conor Smith continuing his prolific scoring run with four. Harvey Benton and Sam Perry getting the others. Minds go into the next round.

Cancer Cup.

Kenilworth Wardens FC 2 Hampton Magna FC 4

Hayden Twycross had put Wardens ahead just before the half hour mark. Matthew Garbutt made it all square just before the break. Aaron Dickens put Magna in front just before the hour, but George Ferridge popped up two minutes later to bring Wardens level again. With fourteen minutes to go Garbutt restored the Magna advantage and with Wardens pushing for an equalise Garbutt grabbed his hat-trick to seal the win. Magna progress into the next round.

We move on to League action now and we start with Division 1.

Long Itchington FC 6 Bowling Green FC 2

Ash Rowley settling himself in with the Long Men after moving over from the now defunct Dynamo. He scored a brace here to set Long Itch on their way. Joe Tambini, Mark Larner, Sam Crawford and Andrew McGuire getting the others.

Division 2

Massey Ferguson S &S FC 1 Kenilworth and Cubbington Sporting FC 2

Tom Horrocks put Cubbington in front after fifteen minutes. James Morgan brought the Tractor boys level on the hour mark, but with eighteen minutes to go Charlie Faulkner grabbed the winner for Sporting.

Napton FC 7 (seven) Khalsa FCB 0

A one sided affair here as Napton were too strong for a young Khalsa team. Four up by half time through a Chris Watts brace, Jamie Clements and Matthew Evans. Napton piled it on in the second half. James Noon on the hour mark, Taylor Allen and Bailey Searle also adding.

Division 3

Heathcote Athletic FC 6 Castle United FC 2

Two late goals for Castle United but the damage had already been done. Rhys Palmer put Heathcote in front after eight minutes. Jacob Bell added the second two minutes later.Chris Seaman then grabbed another five minutes after that and Sean Staunton got the fourth just before the break. Tom Dinwoodie and Staunton both added in the second half, before the late strikes for Castle from James Farmer and Pedro Da Silva.

Division 4

Stockton Reserves FC 4 Southam United Reserves FC 0

Trystan Bending with the only goal of the first half here to give Stockton the advantage. Nathan Lewis Allen-Robbins doubled the advantage just before the hour mark. Owen May then came on as a substitute and promptly scored twice in ten minutes to take the result beyond Southam.

Wellesbourne Wanderers Dev’s 1 Khalsa FC C 4

Khalsa took a single goal advantage into the half time break with a solitary strike from Kayne Withey on the half hour mark. Riley Sly added a second on the hour mark and five minutes later Gianni Cefaliello added another. Rio Roe-Borracha rounded it off with sixteen minutes remaining.