IT'S A LATE, LATE SHOW FROM THE DEACON

In the Technocopy Cup, a 3 goal extra time blitz from The Deacon against Division 1 side, Shuttle set up a semi-final showdown with newly crowned champions Haughton Grey Horse. The Second Division side looked to be doing it the easy way after a first half Lewis Henry double, one a wicked corner and the other coolly slotted from the penalty spot after Hope was upended, had set them on their way. The visitors did pull one back, albeit with a mighty slice of good fortune, through an own goal but the home side were good value for the 2-1 lead at the break. 

The visitors made a fist of it in the second period and put their hosts under sustained pressure only to be denied by some stout defending and the excellent reactions of stopper Denham. With the clock running down, it looked like Shuttle wouldn’t make the breakthrough, but their direct style finally paid dividends and deservedly drew level when Adam Wilson nicked in to head home a corner set up the extra half hour. 

Maybe the game hadn’t been one for the purists, but within a minute of the re-start the Deacon were again in front courtesy of a goal worthy of any stage. The excellent Eddie Pearson drove from midfield, played in Barnett who cleverly replied with a back heel, and without breaking stride hit a superb left foot shot from 25 yards that gave Moorhouse no chance. Barnett then bagged a scrap book effort of his own as he picked up the ball in the centre circle, beat two Shuttle defenders before rounding Moorhouse and gleefully slotting home to give the shell-shocked visitors no way back. Substitute Stuart Cottam added the final sheen when sneaked in to head home a clever Andrew Jinks pass to make it 5-2 at the finish.

Despite a Stuart Goodwin goal, Rolling Mills Allstars didn't spoil newly crowned First Champions' Haughton's party as Andy McLeod, John Nimmo and Christian Holliday scored to start the celebrations with a 3-1 win. CBMI had another day to forget as they could only field 10 players and Argos/DHL showed no mercy as they beat them 8-1. Robert Lodge scored Cockerton's consolation.

In Division 2, a Joe Millar hat-trick and defender Michael Rippon's first of the season helped Goodfellas to a 4-2 victory over ACE Cars at Moore Lane. The result sees the Pizza Boyz overtake Slaters into 5th as they play catch up in the race for promotion. At the other end of the table, RI beat Croft 2-0 in their penultimate game of the season and they are now on course for their best ever league finish.