FA & COUNTY CUP: Peterborough Sports' goal-spree, club-record haul for Cuckoos, Daniels reach a final
The ‘Fourmidables’ ended their stunning 2015/16 season with a high-scoring knockout success when lifting the Hinchingbrooke Cup trophy to complete their collection of honours.
And they launched the new campaign with another emphatic triumph when slamming Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division side Gorleston 8-0 in an FA Cup extra preliminary round tie at PSL.
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Hide AdSummer signing Mark Jones and last season’s top-scorer Avelino Vieira both hit hat-tricks during a sparkling start for Jimmy Dean’s men.
Josh Moreman and Dan Clements had earlier set Sports on the way to victory with early goals against opponents who arrived in the city having won both two league games without conceding a goal.
“I went to watch Gorleston play at Kirkley & Pakefield last Wednesday,” said Dean. “I felt I had to put the miles in ahead of such a big game.
“I learned a lot from seeing them and I knew we were in a good place after an excellent pre-season.
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Hide Ad“There is a great bond between the players who are completely buying into what I’m asking from them.
“It’s a relief to get the first game out of the way and good to be through to the next round, but I must admit it felt a bit like a pre-season friendly at times.
“This Tuesday night (August 9) is the acid test away at Wisbech in our first league game.”
Sports’ reward in the FA Cup is also a trip to fellow United Counties League Premier Division side Wisbech in the preliminary round later this month.
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Hide AdAdam Millson efforts book-ended the Fenmen’s smooth passage with a 4-1 win at Boston Town yesterday.
He struck the first of three goals in the opening 20 minutes to put Dick Creasey’s men in command.
Debutant Edgaras Buzas, a former Wisbech St Mary striker who has been playing in Sweden, and Michael Frew also found the net during that lively start before the hosts grabbed a goal back.
But Millson ended any thoughts of a fightback when striking from the penalty spot with 20 minutes to go.
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Hide AdMatt Sparrow was another player to mark his arrival at a new club with a treble.
He cracked a seven-minute hat-trick in the closing stages of Yaxley’s 12-0 annihilation of Huntingdon. The double-figures demolition at In2itive Park is understood to be a Cuckoos’ club record.
It also featured a four-goal haul from Dan Cotton which included two penalties. Fellow frontman Phil Stebbing struck twice with Kyle Nolan and debutant Charley Sanders also getting in on the act after another new face, Ross Watson, struck the opening blow inside the first minute.
Deeping and Holbeach made progress courtesy of 4-1 triumphs.
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Hide AdRangers triumphed on the road at Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division outfit Ely City with Scott Coupland striking twice.
He started and finished the scoring with Ben Lewis and Scott Mooney also finding the net. A missed David Burton-Jones penalty did not prove costly.
Jake Clitheroe scored twice for Holbeach.
Peterborough Northern Star were the only local team to fall at the first hurdle.
Raff Mazzarella’s first full season at the helm started with a 3-1 exit at the hands of fellow UCL Premier Division side Eynesbury Rovers.
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Hide AdStar conceded twice in the opening half-an-hour before Jake Sansby halved their arrears with a long-range effort 12 minutes into the second period, but their fate was sealed by a clincher from the hosts late on.
AFC Stamford reached the final of the Lincs Senior Trophy with a 2-2 success over Spalding United in yesterday’s semi-final.
Two brilliant strikes from Jordan Smith and David Bell saw The Daniels in command at the break before Jonny Lockie pulled one back for The Tulips in the second-half.
Stamfod will play Lincoln United in the final which usually takes place towards the end of the season.
RESULTS:
FA CUP
Extra Preliminary Round
Boston Town 1
Wisbech Town 4 (Millson 2, Buzas, Frew)
Ely City 1
Deeping Rangers 4 (Coupland 2, Mooney, Lewis)
Eynesbury Rovers 3
Peterborough Northern Star 1 (Sansby)
Holbeach United 4 (Clitheroe 2, Eason, Wright)
Swaffham Town 1
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Hide AdPeterborough Sports 8 (Vieira 3, M. Jones 3, Moreman, Clements)
Gorleston 0
Yaxley 12 (Cotton 4, Sparrow 3, Stebbing 2, Sanders, Watson, Nolan)
Huntingdon Town 0
LINCS SENIOR TROPHY
Semi-final
AFC Stamford 2 (Smith, Bell)
Spalding United 1 (Lockie)