Young Boys earn a place in League Cup semis

CALDECOTE Young Boys hosted Kempston Hammers with a view to booking a semi-finals League Cup spot on Sunday. And with home advantage against a side from a league below, they were clear favourite to progress.

They started brightly and then took an early lead through Neil Giles at the near post after Ricky Harrisset him up. The Boys scored their second two minutes later courtesy of Harris after an assist from Jack Boyd. And a third on 13 minutes followed from Tom Wallace thanks to a Kai Griffith-Shilton’s pass.

Harris then grabbed his second goal of the tie following a flick on by Giles while it became 5-0 when Wallace bagged his second while there was still 17 minutes to go to half time!

In the second half Caldecote took their foot off the pedal and allowed Kempston to create a couple of chances but after they were denied, the Young Boys looked to score a sixth and it finally came in the 70th minute with Harris completing his hat-trick to take the man of the match award, Wallace having assisted once again. The home side controlled the final 20 minutes but had to settle for 6-0 at the whistle.

Caldecote Yong Boys: Buckland, Rannow, Robinson, Webb, Jordan, Giles, Harris, Gower, Griffiths-Shilton, Wallace, Boyd. Subs: Shilton, Price, Allen.

l THIS week the League Cups took centre stage with the quarter-final rounds in all three competitions. Harrison & Rowley Cup holders Constant & Co have already been eliminated so another club will be presented with the trophy at the end of the season.

Meltis Mexicans took on Oakley after losing last week in the league and in a tight game, Meltis ran out 4-3 winners to progress into the semis. Darek Jozwiak opened the scoring but Oakley got back level by half-time. Jozwiak completed his hat-trick in the second half to make it 3-1, but Oakley buried a penalty to reduce the deficit.

Scott Alleyne score Meltis’ fourth goal, but Oakley again scored after some sloppy Mexican defending. After a nervous final period Meltis hung on to progress in the Cup.

Queensmen beat Esquires, who are struggling in the league at the moment, but Esquires put up a fight when going down 6-3. Caldecote Young Boys may be the dark horses in this competition (see above).

Dunton Sunday hosted 21st GNG Tigers but made the Tigers feel at home by losing 2-1.

In the Brian Craddock Jubilee Cup Gardeners Arms Biggleswade beat Flitwick Eagles 4-2 and Mile Road Casuals came out on top against Old Boys, the final score being 3-1. Caldecote Reserves failed to raise a side, so Bedford Allsters may be getting a free ride into the semi-finals. The other tie will be played at a later date.

The Fifth Division leaders Westoning Gijon RC have already put their stamp on the M&DH Insurance Cup demolishing Fourth Division Fox & Hounds 7-3 at Greenfield Road.

Oakley Wanderers had a very good result at home to Sir William Peel, sending them back to Sandy with a 4-0 beating. Despite fielding the bare number of players required, Wanderers went into the lead midway through the first half. Mike Kalyan cut in from the right and arrowed a shot past the Peelers’ keeper. Kalyan made it two from the penalty spot, and when they turned round at half time Stevie Yessian latched onto an exquisite pass from Ashley Ayles to make it 3-0 to Oakley.

Three became four when Mike Kalyan burst through from midfield to power in his hat-trick to complete an excellent performance. Sandy Titans expectedly beat BMC 5-1 and AF Mato came through a tough encounter against Rose Biggleswade by winning that tie 3-1 in extra time.

In the Premier Division only one game was played. Constant & Co beat Haynes to collect two valuable points. It was the same story in the First Division where leaders Sharnbrook Casuals visited Stewartby and won 4-0. Just one more win will clinch the title for the Casuals.

Houghton Conquest failed to turn up at Eagle Heating, so the only game in the Second Division was a cracker with second placed Wootton Wanderers and leaders Mowsbury Athletic sharing the points and four goals.

The long time leaders of the Third Division, M & DH Clapham, lost their first game of the season, and top spot to Grafton Celtics. Celtics beat Clapham 2-1.

Bedford Panthers beat Meltis Rangers 2-1 to leap above Mile Road Casuals into third place.

Santaniello’s were stopped in their tracks by Shillington Pirates who beat them 7-0 in the Fourth Division. Santaniello’s stay third but have now played a game more that the two clubs above them on the same number of points.

Bird in Hand Lower Stondon shared the points with Bedford Albion in a 2-2 scoreline which benefited both clubs trying to get away from the bottom.

No surprises in the Fifth Division where lowly Salento lost 3-1 to Alfa Oakley, and second placed Blackbirds Flitwick beat Bedford Old Boys 3-0.

In the Under 21 Division, Barton Rovers took on leaders Hitchin Town at Luton Road in a game that was very close, both teams sharing the points at 1-1. It was an even first half until Charlie Colbourne set up Ashley Parker to score.

In the second half, the equalising goal came from a disputed corner kick. The final period saw both teams having good chances but poor finishing produced no further goals. Man of the match was skipper Danny Pratt who wore out the right side of the pitch with his probing runs and crosses.

It was a local derby between the two Brickhill teams, ‘A’ and ‘B’, and the bragging rights are clearly with the ‘A’ team who savaged the ‘B’ team 10-2 at Russell Park. Bottom placed Watling Youth took on Luton Central who are one place above, and Watling came out on top 3-1 giving them both points but still languishing in bottom place but now only a point behind Luton Central.

The December and January Manager of the Month Awards have been combined and the joint management for Caldecote Young Boys of Kevin Smyth, Nathan Buckland and Pete Waller will receive the Harrison & Rowley award.

The winner of the league’s Manager of the Month Award is Daniel Gauntlett of Shillington Pirates.

This Sunday there are some Beds FA County Cup quarter-finals involving the Sunday League plus a number of league games.

Clive Milton