3rd Round Reports from the 2003-2004 Season of the CPO National Cup

The 4th Round sees only 6 teams that reached the same stage last year and of these, only 3 made the Quarters, so there is some 'new blood' this time round. It promises to be an exciting last 3 Rounds as Clubs try and remove some of the 'regulars'! There were was only one real 'upset' in the 3rd Round as a recent semi-finalist went out. Breckfield Crusaders, Liverpool, who made it to the last four last season and who are always there or thereabouts, lost a close encounter to a lively Swansea Inter Chuches, on a damp pitch in Liverpool. After a tight opening, Swansea took control with two first half goals and although Breckfield narrowed the deficit by the break, Swansea doubled their tally in the second half and Breckfield couldn't really get back in it, losing 2-4. St Peters, Shipley, semi-finalists in 2002, lost to the students, Loughborough Uni CU after being 3 up! St Peters could have scored even more, due to shocking defending by the students but they finally roused themselves from their slumbers, to score twice before the interval and then levelled almost immediately afterwards. Some defensive errors cost the Shipley side dearly, eventually losing 3-5! AC Mitchell, Liverpool won a very close encounter with Halesowen Zion, 4-2. However, the Mersysiders started sluggishly and Zion took a 2-0 lead but AC Mitchell eventually got their game together and drew level before the break. A good save from the AC 'keeper kept them in the game and they took the lead after a fortunate deflection and then began to dominate. They now looked the likelier side to score, eventually getting the fourth, courtesy of a goalkeeping error from the Midlanders, to seal the game, in a much improved second half peformance, after Zion struggled to show their good form of the first half. Another Liverpool based side, Focus, also made it to the last 16 by overcoming their Yorkshire opponenets, Morley BSC, Leeds, 6-4. This high scoring game was a real see-saw encounter, with Morley taking the lead after only a few minutes. Focus then went into a 3-1 lead but with only 7 minutes remaining, Morley scored twice to take the game into extra-time and then early on, took the lead. But Focus weren't finished and scored no less than 3 times to put the game out if reach of their plucky visitors. They will now host a 'local' derby against FC Bootle, who enjoyed their visit to Hertfordforshire, beating a plucky Adeyfield Free Church, Hemel, 7-0. Bootle's early pressure rewarded them with 2 goals. Adeyfield started to string some passes together but 2 late first half Bootle goals made it an uphill sruggle for the Hemel side after the break. More Adeyfield pressure came to nothing, with the Liverpool side scoring 3 more times for a convincing win. The remaining Merseyside team left in the Competition are Mill Lane Churches, who beat FC Ecclesia, Sheffield in a very high scoring game, 9-4! Mill Lane scored after 5 minutes from a wind assisted corner but Ecclesia soon equalised, only for Mill Lane to take a 3-1 half-time lead. Further goals sealed a convincing win, but they have a tough challenge ahead as they now play away to Genesis, Loughborough, who won easily, 15-1, against the LUCU Reserves. Genesis were far too strong for the students, who never gave up and were able to stroke the ball around, and included a couple of spectacular long range goals. Another Loughborough team, Emmanuel just made it through, beating Cardiff United Churches on penalties after it finished 3-3, in a very even and competitive match. The game ebbed and flowed, as both teams took the lead at different stages but Emmanuel managed to score just one more penalty, 6-5! They will now host reigning Champions, Kings Sports, Herts, who had some difficulty overcoming a very decent Tabernacle, Worthing side, in a game involving two sides from the top of their District League Premier Divisions. Kings took the lead early on but Tabernacle kept battling and equalised at the beginning of the second half, to set up a very tense finish, with both teams having good chances to settle it. However, Kings scored 3 in extra-time as well as missing a penalty, to win 4-1, a somewhat flattering scoreline but a great advert for the CPO Cup! Hemel Army continued their good Cup run, with a solid performance away at New Life, Croydon. Hemel scored twice early on in the second half but this was after New Life had missed 2 great opportunities to take the lead, with Hemel defenders clearing both off the line. Once behind, the Croydon side found it an uphill struggle to get back in it, Hemel eventually finishing comfortable 3-0 winners, in a very sporting contest. They now play away, to Christchurch Roxeth who beat Doncaster Evangelical Church 3-2. The Yorkshiremen generally controlled the first half but Roxeth got the only goal of the half and then with a greater purpose, scored 2 early second half goals to give them a seeming unassailable 3-0 lead. However Doncaster had other ideas, replying with 2 goals in 5 minutes and the last 20 minutes was real cup-tie Football, Christchurch just hanging on under great pressure! Bridge Street United, Leeds move into the 4th round for the second year running with a hard earned victory over Calvary FC, Birmingham. The Leeds team started the stronger and took the lead after 15 minutes but Calvary got back into the game but missed several good opportunities. However, Calvary did equalise early on in the second half only for Bridge Street to up the pressure and score 2 more, including a 25 yard strike, to seal the result. They now have to travel south to Suffolk to play Sporting '87, who overcame Christchurch, Bromley, 6-1. This very sporting and well refereed game, was close to start with and both teams had chances but Sporting proved too strong in the end. However, the score somewhat flattered the Suffolk side, who took advantage of Christchuch committing players forward to try and get back in the game, and got caught on the break several times. Richard Latteman, the Bromley Manager and CPO Cup Chairman 'felt his side woz robbed'!?! United Christian Centre, Chelmsford were involved in another tight game against Beaconsfield Rangers, from the Chiltern Churches League. There was a first half goal rush with UCC taking an early lead, only for Rangers to equalise but another 2 goals from UCC, including a great 25 yard free-kick, put them in the driving seat. Beaconsfield were allowed back in the game with a UCC own goal and then levelled the game early on in the second period. The goal feast then ended and UCC won 5-4 in the penalty shoot out. Tower Hamlets Kings went to St Albans Romans and were under a lot of pressure as Romans started the brighter and, helped by a strong wind, scored 2 early goals, the second a long range cracker. The London side responded strongly, overcoming their earlier difficulties and pulled one back missing several others. They equalised with a great goal early in the second period and then took the game with 2 late strikes in a match played in an excellent spirit. Their reward is a long trip to Devon to face Lords XI, Tiverton who beat Hayes Lane Baptist, Kent 3-2.The Devon side took the lead after 30 minutes only for Hayes to equalise. Lords took the lead but Hayes again responded with an equaliser but a great team move gave Lords the winner with just 12 minutes left, in a game played in a good spirit.