CRAIG BARNETT smashed four goals to help Bromsgrove Sunday League side Meadow Park defeat Kidderminster outfit Darby End Athletic and reach the Worcestershire Junior Cup quarter-finals.
Barnett’s finishing exploits led the way in a 7-0 victory over the Kidderminster Division One high-fliers, who had two players sent off, with veteran Andy Crowther, Dave Powell and Chris Glover also on target.
Meadow Park will now head to Rednal Social Club in the last eight after the latter edged out Stoke Sporting 4-3 in an all-Bromsgrove League contest.
Ben Markall netted twice, with Connor Wilson and Jamie Ashmore bagging the other goals. Jon Snell, Ben Johnson and Pete Warman replied for Rednal.
In the Worcs Premier Cup, WCT Youth Raiders, without a few key players through suspension, bowed out 3-0 to Black Horse.
Division One side GLA produced a shock in the WA Harris Cup, knocking out Premier Division high-fliers Thomas Brothers 5-2, with Matt Bedford netting a maiden hat-trick.
Bedford and Kit Wozniak put GLA 2-0 ahead by half-time, only for Stu Hall’s penalty and Anthony Wright’s effort to level matters. But Bedford added two more and Mariusz Manczak gave GLA the win and a tie at Belbroughton in round two.
Colin Rudge netted a hat-trick as Division One Wychbold RBL proved too strong for Division Three Chaddesley Corbett Res with a 4-2 win. Aaron Stephens hit Wychbold’s other goal, with Gaz Moriarty bagged two for the Villagers.
Adam Billingham converted from a Chris Stringer cross but it was only a consolation goal for Laburnum as they lost 2-1 at home to Callowbrook Green. The winners now have a home tie with FC Bromsgrove in the quarter-finals, with the winners at home to Stoke Prior in the last four.
In the Bridgwater Cup, Sporting Club Redditch won 4-1 away at FC Bromsgrove to finish second in the group, James Cope opened the scoring for SCR with a curling shot before Shaun Maynard converted a Steven Rainbow cross. Harry Sharpe provided the assist for Dan Sill to make it 3-0.
In the second half, conditions turned ugly but both sides battled through. Maynard provided an assist to Tom Higgins to net the fourth before FCB scored a late tap-in consolation.
Stoke Prior got their first win in the group, defeating hosts Stoke Sporting Reserves 4-2, with goals from Carlos Santos (2), Adam Harris and late substitute Elliott Nottingham. Dave Penn scored both goals for Sporting, who had Ollie Clayton sent off for two yellow cards.
In the Premier Division, VBG Fairfield had a routine 7-0 win away at The Grove, courtesy of hat-tricks for Shaun May and Laurence Martin plus one from Scott Smith. May’s goal took him past the 250-goal mark in a ‘Vic’ shirt.
Listowel Fereday netted an impressive hat-trick in in-form Alcester Town’s 7-0 away win at Belbroughton Athletic. Josh Green (2), Ryan Watson and Ellis Kalach also hit the target as Alcester showed their fire power is very much up to the standard required in this division.
The top three in Division One all picked up three points.
The biggest and most convincing winners were Northfield Athletic who made it seven wins in a row after a 11-1 romp against nine-man AFC Northfield. Jake Thomas and Michael Teji both had hat-tricks, with regular scorer Reiss Brians (2), Daniel Gibbs, Josh Moore and John Jackson also on target.
Danny Lawrence and Carl Martin were the scorers as Bartley Green Sunday put in a professional performance against their old friends Chaddesley Corbett to win 2-0, while Conway Albion, who switched their home game to the ground of Spa Athletic as Earlswood Town FC was waterlogged, won 5-3 in an entertaining game to keep up their title hopes.
In Division Two, the Redditch derby between Hizza United and LPR ended 2-2 after Hizza came back from 2-0 down to secure a point via Josh Bowen and an own goal.
Awkies Allstars got their third win from five games winning 5-2 at Bromsgrove Brentnal, who seemed to lose their heads after midfielder Jake Exley was sent off. Awkies took full advantage and the stylish Jim Carnihan netted four goals, with one for Chris Mcgrory too.
Rubery Juniors visited Hewell Prison for the second time this season and Hewell got their revenge after a previous 7-3 defeat with a 4-3 win.
Hewell bossed the first half to lead 3-0 but Juniors pulled it back to 3-3, with goals from Rob Beadle (heading in a Jake Wicketts assist), Zac Nearney and then Sean Hoare. However, with minutes to go, Hewell counter-attacked and netted the winner. Ryan Khan, finally able to move out of the sticks, picked up the Juniors man of the match award.
In Division Three, Rubery fought back from going behind to an early penalty win defeat Bromsgrove Corinthians 5-1, with four second-half goals giving the scoreline a slightly unfair look.
