8 NOV - SUNDAY SENIOR CUP – Wickersley, Stannington, Hackenthorpe, and Jubilee all through - Wickersley produced a five-star showing to see off Mexborough’s Swinton Ring O’Bells 5-0 in the County FA Sunday Senior Cup. It was a tie that Wickersley controlled against a resilient opponent, but quality finishing won the day. The opener came from Fraser Hartley who tapped home the rebound after a shot from the edge of the box had been parried into his path. Ben Thornton doubled the lead with a finish into an empty net after Swinton had been opened up.

An Owen Kelly corner was headed home by Thornton to make it three, and then he completed the “perfect” hat-trick when a deep cross was half cleared to him to finish for Wickersley’s fourth. The pressure continued and it was no surprise that the nap hand was complete when Hartley produced a smart turn and finish into the bottom corner of the net.

In an all Blades Super Draw fixture, Stannington Village saw off Mosborough Reds 6-3 in an action packed game. Reds opened the scoring after just two minutes when the returning Josh Smith took advantage of a home goalkeeping error to round him and slot into the net, but Village would go into the interval ahead thanks to an Amead Gadour brace.

Goals from Alex Moseley and Joel Purkiss extended Stannington’s lead to three before another error led to Alix Sorsby halving the deficit. Scott Williams headed Reds within one with four minutes to play, but two goals in time added on, first from Elliott Coles, his first for Village, and then Jack Worrall’s curling effort into the top corner sent the home side through.

Although Jubilee Rangers lost a penalty shoot-out in the previous round, they were reinstated into the competition after it was discovered that their opponents had an ineligible player in tits line up and Jubilee made the most of it by winning an eleven goal thriller at Doncaster Premier Champions, The Temple. An own goal put Jubilee in front, and they extended it further through Will Osgathorpe and Ross Lamkin for a sensational three goal advantage before Temple pulled one back to make it 1-3 at half-time.

Sam Phillips and Lamkin’s second goal of the game pushed Jubilee into a four-goal advantage before a quick double from Temple made it interesting again. Adam Darton bagged a sixth for Jubilee before Ali Mofrad raced in behind the home defence to score Jubliee’s magnificent seventh. Temple scored a fourth late on, but it proved to be just consolation.

Hackenthorpe also made their trip to Doncaster a fruitful one as they defeated current Doncaster Premier leaders Edlington Tumbler on penalties after a 2-2 draw. After Edington went in front, Kian Holloway levelled matters for Hackenthorpe to leave the tie evenly poised at the break. With ten minutes to go, Edlington regained the initiative, but once again Hackenthorpe responded as Alfie Hinckler hit their second leveller late in the game. That meant penalties and the shoot-out went Hackenthorpe’s way, with Jack Brear stepping forward to score the winning penalty.

Those four were also joined in the last 16 by Royal Earl after they received a bye when their opponents folded. The only team to go out was Eckington, with a narrow loss at a Deer Park Tap currently second in the Rotherham Premier Division. Deer Park took the lead on the half hour when a failed clearance landed to a home attacker and his shot from just inside the penalty area squeaked in at the far post.

Midway through the second half though, Eckington were on parity when Owen Ryan’s superb ball over the home defence enticed a defender into a challenge on Aiden Horspool for a penalty. Horspool picked himself up and beat the custodian to his left for the equaliser. Yet Deer Park won it late on with a free kick dispatched home from the edge of the area.

8 NOV - CBC PREMIER – Sixers leave it Reet late to go six points clear and Hartley puts Loca in a jam – CBC Premier Division leaders Wadsley Bridge Sixers left it late to defeat champions Royal Earl to extend their lead at the top of the table to six points. The two sides met in the League Cup last weekend when Earl won 5-1, but it was to be very different this time despite Sixers having a depleted squad.

Josh Nodder put Earl in front just before half time, but Sixers rallied in the second half. They got back on level terms when a loose clearance was punished by Danny Reet who lobbed the keeper from twenty yards out. The winner came in the final throes when Chris Belshaw got the all-important touch to give the leaders a 2-1 win and all three points.

Boynton recorded their second league win of the season over fellow Premier Division strugglers Loca with a comprehensive 5-1 home win, largely thanks to four goals from Luke Walker. The home side took the lead when a well worked set piece was finished well by Jake Bonnett. Then Walker took centre stage with a four-goal haul. His first made it two for Boynton when he cut inside and crashed an effort into the top corner.

8 NOV - DIV 1 – Sportsman’s comeback stuns leaders and Southey stung by Crookes – A stunning comeback in the final twenty minutes helped The Sportsman to draw 3-3 with leaders Queens Head. After a bright home start Queens took the lead when Nathan Metcalfe cut inside to arrow a shot into the top corner. A quick-fire five-minute salvo saw them go three goals to the good with Metcalfe scoring a second and then Lloyd Askwith got on the end of a low cross to make it three and look certain for all three points, but the home side had other ideas.

Dan Beech got them on the board with an effort twenty minutes from time, but then came the dramatic finish. With three minutes left on the clock, Beech turned provider for Adam Justice to head into the net and then Justice’s long throw caused mayhem in the Queens penalty area and Lewis Falk stabbed home the loose ball to ensure a share of the spoils.

In the day’s other fixture, Crookes edged past Southey Social by the odd goal in five. Hosts Crookes made the perfect start when, after a spot of pinball, William Oxley slid the ball home. Southey responded with an equalizer within five minutes when Morgan Kelly headed in a corner at the far post.

The hosts also had the perfect start to the second half when Sam Birmingham produced a sensational 45 yard volley over the Southey custodian, and it got better a couple of minutes later when Cam Ronksley got on the end of another home move to make it 3-1. A close-range finish from Tyler Revill pulled one back for Southey with five minutes left to play but Crookes held on for the win that sees them rise to the third in the table.

4 NOV - LEAGUE CUP – Eckington MW to face Stannington Village and Royal Earl to face Wickersley CC - In their first ever League Cup semi-final, Eckington MW will face former holders Stannikngton Village, while the other semi-final is a repeat of the 2022 Final between Royal Earl and Wickersley CC. No date or venue has been set for these games yet, but the clubs will be notified when we do.