A review of this weekend’s action from the
Macclesfield & District F.A. Sunday Cup.
Sponsored by Gradus Ltd- 4th December
By Matt Eagles
2nd Round
Bruce FC produced the shock of the round as they put out cup holders and winners for the last two seasons , Cheadle Lions. It was a great performance by Dean Loftus ‘s side who were always in front and really battled hard .Bruce took the lead in the first half but Martin Stuart pulled the home side level. Anthony Hampson then had the opportunity to give Lions the lead but he failed to convert from the penalty spot leaving the teams all square going into the second half . Bruce took the initiative scoring twice to lead 3-1 but another penalty , this time successfully taken by Martin Stuart brought the holders back within a goal. A fourth goal from Scott Meszaros late confirmed Bruce’s passage into the quarter finals but their was still time for Hampson to atone for his earlier penalty miss to make it 4-3. Ash Ault scored twice for Bruce with Tim Hammond adding the third . Goal keeper Joe Evans was rightly awarded man of the match.
Two goals from Tom Brookes ensured FC Wilmslow from the East Cheshire Sunday League go into the hat for the Quarter-Finals after a 2-1 victory in Bollington against Queens Arms. Wilmslow raced into a two goal lead before Ryan Foster pulled one back before the break. No goals in the second half confirmed Wilmslow’s progress but Queens centre half and captain for the day Jack Ainsworth should take much of the credit with some strong defending.
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| Railway Views keeper Gaz Hughes saves Sam Fletcher's penalty |
The tie between Railway View and Blue Mugge Reserves was eventually decided on penalties after extra time couldn’t separate the sides after Blue Mugge came from 2-0 to tie the game at 2-2 at the end of ninety minutes. The visitors from Leek started strongly and bossed the opening fifteen minutes but a brilliant header from Simon Band who lept to meet a pinpoint cross from Mike Harrison gave Railway the lead and Jamie Collins poked home to make it 2-0 on the half hour.
The second half belonged to Blue Mugge with Gaz Hughes in the Railway goal making a string of crucial saves but even he couldn’t prevent them drawing level with two goals in ten minutes midway through the half . Ben Venables made it 2-1 as Hughes could only parry a shot into his path and then Mike Keates equalised.
With no goals in extra time it was penalties . Railway eventually won 7-6 with their keeper Hughes saving three penalties , the last from substitute Sam Fletcher which left right back Sam Bradley with the task of taking the defining penalty .
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| Sam Bradley scores the winning penalty for Railway View |
He finished with aplomb hitting the ball high to Jon Venables left and was duly mobbed by his team mates
Also through go Broken Cross after a comfortable 4-1 win against Congleton side Vale Hoppers in blustery conditions at Mary Dendy Fields . Hoppers took the lead when Jack Bell headed home but Chris Allen equalised after a run that began in his own half ended up with the ball finding the net off a defender. Sam Williamson’s cross come shot caught the wind to make it 2-1 to Cross and then with the wind still causing real problems Jonny Mercer saw his corner sail into the net to make it 3-1. The icing on the cake came from Williamson whose jinking run down the wing left Mercer a simple tap in to make the final score 4-1.
Inter Macc from the Macc Sunday League First Division captured another Premier Division scalp as they thrashed Fermain 6-1 at Weston Park. Chris Coppenhall, a much improved player since his sabbatical in the USA did most of the damage scoring a hat-trick with Matt McBride adding two more and Jonny Cavanagh completing the rout.
Valiant came from two goals down to put an end to Peover’s cup adventure. Ricky Mallen, Josh Atkins and Lee Fowar all on target after two goals from Jim Ircam for Peover.
A tight game between Pack Horse and Poynton Working Mens Club ended with the beaten finalists from the last two years again making it through to the Quarter finals after a 2-1 win . Goals from Lee Woodward and James Goodier meant the tie was level at half time but Lee McIntyre popped up with the crucial winner in the second half spurred on by a vintage display from Pack Horse captain Andy Quigley.
Vale were the final side through after a 5-2 victory against Poynton Village in an action packed tie at Back Lane. Village came back from three goals behind with ten men to get within a single goal of their hosts thanks to goals from Todd Allen and Graham Davies but they felt aggrieved as decisions went against them and lost a further player to a red card to finish with nine. Vale took full advantage with Tom Jackson , 2 , Andrew Baker, David Harvey and Damon Oaks all on target.
