WHEN first plays second in any league a great game is in prospect and the Redditch & South Warwickshire Combination Division One clash on Sunday between SHTP and Rocklands exceeded expectations as the sides fought out a thrilling 5-5 draw.
Rocklands took a first half lead when Mitchell Sutor rose highest to head home a left wing free kick, but back came SHTP straight after the break when powerhouse forward Aaron Brough’s persistence was rewarded with a goal.
However, within two minutes visitors Rocklands were back in front through Styles and, when Listowel Fereday scored twice for the visitors in the second half and Dean Hay headed home from an acute angle with 20 minutes left to leave the score at 5-3, it would have been easy to think the game was all over.
The home side refused to give up though and were rewarded when Mark Styler was given the time and space to control and spin before forcing home the equaliser with just seconds remaining.
Millfield Rovers began the day in third place and took full advantage of the draw between SHTP and Rocklands to regain top spot by defeating CBH Fasteners 4-1 after an even first half with two goals each for Bren Bartlett and Craig Swallow.
In the BSA Cup another fantastic advert for local football saw Premier Division outfit Wychbold RBL defeat Alvechurch Sunday 6-5 in 90 minutes, with Josh Weatherby the star of the show in setting up two goals for the victorious home side and scoring the other four.
In Division Two, bottom side VKL United turned the formbook upside down as they raced into a 3-0 lead against leaders OKH Sporting Dynamo thanks to Dan Bennett’s hat-trick, but the visitors demonstrated why they are top with six unanswered goals as Richard Sullivan scored twice with two efforts from long range.
Evesham United Sunday continued their revival by making it three wins out of three by defeating Queens Head 2-1 thanks to goals from Matt Ashby and Oli Coe.
Shaun Maynard was another of the day’s hat-trick heroes as Sporting Club Redditch defeated New Woodland Cottage 7-3 and the day’s highest scorers were Winyates Wanderers who got 13 without reply against Redditch Cross thanks largely to Jamie Wright who scored six and Sean Bailey with a hat-trick.
The highlight of this Sunday’s programme sees the return of the Bromsgrove Charity Cup in which Division One leaders Millfield Rovers host Premier Division side Hizza United in what looks likely to be one of the ties of the round.
Visit http://fulltime.thefa.com/Index.do?league=991984608 for full details of who is playing where.
Results: Division One – Beoley Village 1 (Manders) Dagnell End Rovers 3 (Thomas, Akhlaq, Robinson); Millfield Rovers 4 (Bartlett 2, Swallow 2) CBH Fasteners 1 (Eilberg); SHTP 5 (Brough 2, Styler, Teague, Butters) Rocklands 5 (Hay, Styles, Fereday 2, Sutor).
Division Two – Evesham United Sunday 2 (Ashby, Coe) Queens Head 1 (Reeves); Sporting Club Redditch 7 (Higgins, Sharpe, Shaun Maynard 3, Wilkins, Blake) New Woodland Cottage 3 (Byng 2, Lloyd); Redditch Cross 0 Winyates Wanderers 13 (Jamie Wright 6, Sean Bailey 3, Williams, Squibb, Lutwyche, Stewart); VKL United 3 (Dan Bennett 3) OKH Sporting Dynamo 6 (Williams, Lawlor, Wills 2, Sullivan 2).
BRT Terry Cup – Hizza United 1 (Bowen) Translift Bendi 1 (Dale) (AET, Hizza won 4-1 on penalties).
BSA Cup – Wychbold RBL 6 (Goddard, Campbell, Josh Weatherby 4) Alvechurch Sunday 5 (Bernard, Smith, Watson, Rostill, Halpin).
Subsidiary Senior Cup – Rubery Bridge 2 (Bird, Blair) Church Hill 4 (White, Broadhurst, Blake, Wicks).
BCFA Sunday Cup – Black Horse 2 (Joe Adams, Dave Edwards) Drayton 1.
