This weekend saw the start of this season’s Chantry Digital Ltd sponsored Knockout Cup with two Division Two sides causing shocks by beating teams from the higher tier.
SATURDAY 24th SEPTEMBER 2022
KNOCKOUT CUP – SPONSORED BY CHANTRY DIGITAL LTD – 1ST ROUND
WARMINSTER TOWN RESERVES FC 1 PARK UNITED FC 3
PARK UNITED SHOCK WARMINSTER IN KNOCKOUT CUP
Division Two side Park United came from behind to shock their higher division opponents Warminster Town Reserves and send them out of The Chantry Digital Ltd sponsored Knockout Cup.
It started well enough for Warminster Town Reserves when they went ahead through Michael Reaney.
Park United were not to be denied and came storming back into the tie with strikes from Lewis McCarron, Dan Sibley and Rhys Edwards to run out 3 – 1 winners and place their name into the hat for the second round.
This cup tie was switched to Stanley Park, Chippenham and both teams were indebted to Warminster Town Reserves manager Glen Humphreys who saved the day when he stepped in to referee the game after the original referee was unable to officiate the game and then his replacement failed to show up.
Humphreys received praise from Park United for his handling of the game.
Next weekend Park United will return to league action and will hope to keep up their good form at the top of The Gooding Accounts Ltd sponsored Division Two when they welcome Freshford United to their base.
Warminster Town Reserves will be looking to put this result behind them when they visit Seend United in their return to league action.
THE LODGE FC 2 MELKSHAM TOWN DEVELOPMENT FC 1
THE LODGE SEE OFF MELKSHAM IN CUP
Division Two side The Lodge maintained their excellent league form to knock Division One team Melksham Town Development out of The Chantry Digital Ltd sponsored Knockout Cup with a hard-fought 2 – 1 victory.
Kyle Fice and Lee Rockingham were the goal scorers for The Lodge, sending the Division Two side into round two.
Jake Dodge was on the scoresheet for Melksham Town Development.
Next weekend Melksham will be looking to bounce back when they pay a visit to Westbury United Reserves in the league while The Lodge will be looking for all the points when they welcome Hilperton Greyhound to their Warminster base in a Division Two clash.
TROWBRIDGE TOWN DEVELOPMENT FC 2 SEEND UNITED FC 5
SEEND SURVIVE EARLY SCARE TO CRUISE THROUGH
Division One high-flyers Seend United survived an early scare against Division Two side Trowbridge Town Development, but in the end cruised through into the next round of The Chantry Digital Ltd sponsored Knockout Cup.
Seend came out of the blocks quickly putting some early pressure on the Trowbridge goal but were caught napping after 8 minutes, when after some excellent pressing on the Seend back line Tyler Dagger rounded the Seend keeper to confidently slot the ball home to give Trowbridge a shock lead.
This seemed to spur Seend into action and from a free kick on the edge of the area Richard Hudson equalised for the visitors after 14 minutes.
Trowbridge will consider themselves unlucky as they lost two defenders to injury in a short first half spell and then found themselves behind after 20 minutes when Charlie Waylen converted straight from a corner kick.
Seend started to take control and increased their lead on the half hour mark when Sam Dodds fired home after good work and a pinpoint cross from the left.
Seven minutes later Kieran Pearce made it 4 – 1 and with five minutes remaining in the half Seend asserted their dominance when Sam Dodds scored his second and Seend United’s fifth when a scramble in the box following a corner came out to him and he fired home.
In the second half, Seend started much the same as the first but couldn’t get past a resolute Trowbridge defence with their keeper making several fine saves to keep their higher division counterparts at bay.
Seend should have increased their lead further after 55 minutes when they were awarded a penalty, but Charlie Waylon blasted the ball over.
The rest of the second period fell into a pattern of Trowbridge Town Development holding firm and keeping Seend at bay and they got their reward for not giving up and folding when with ten minutes remaining on the clock Tom Mack scored a deserved second to make the final score 2 – 5.
Next weekend Trowbridge Town Development return to league action when they host Dilton Marsh Wanderers while Seend United host Warminster Town Reserves.
FC DEVIZES UNITED 5 HEYTESBURY RESERVES FC 0
FC DEVIZES CRUISE INTO ROUND TWO
FC Devizes eased into the second round of The Chantry Digital Ltd sponsored Knockout Cup with a confident 5 – 0 win against fellow Division Two team Heytesbury Reserves.
Charlie Strickland was the Devizes hero, netting himself a fine hat-trick. Jake Hiscock and Dalton Bridewell scored the other two goals that put FC Devizes into the hat for the next round.
Next weekend FC Devizes will be hoping to continue their good form when they visit The Stiffs at Steeple Ashton while Heytesbury Reserves will be hoping for a first victory when they face Staverton Rangers who are also currently winless in the league.
FRESHFORD UNITED FC 4 BISHOPS CANNINGS FC 2
BAKALI DOUBLE SENDS FRESHFORD THROUGH
Two goals from Waleed Bakali helped to send Freshford United into the next round of The Chantry Digital Ltd sponsored Knockout Cup with a 4 – 2 win over fellow Division Two side Bishops Cannings.
Further strikes from Dan Birleson and Andrea Pintore ensured that Freshford United’s name will be in the hat for the next round.
Aaron Chivers and Leo Griggs were on the scoresheet for Bishops Cannings.
Next weekend both teams are back in league action with Bishops Cannings playing host to Aces FC while Freshford face a tough trip to early pace setters Park United.
THE STIFFS FC 3 HILPERTON GREYHOUND FC 0
THE STIFFS EASE PAST GREYHOUND
The Stiffs FC eased past fellow Division Two side Hilperton Greyhound and into the next round of The Chantry Digital Ltd sponsored Division Two with an impressive 3 – 0 win.
First half goals from Steve Lewin and Luke Saunderson gave the home side a 2 – 0 advantage at the break.
In the second half Charlie Mowat made sure it was The Stiffs going into the hat for the second round with an excellent long-range strike.
The Stiffs and Hilperton Greyhound both return to Division Two league action next weekend with the former hosting FC Devizes and Greyhound travelling to face The Lodge.