Buckingham Insurance League Challenge Cup First Round 23 September, 2023
Church Lane was buoyant on Saturday (23) afternoon as Linby, who won the League Challenge Cup in 2022, began this season’s competition with a comfortable, 3-0 win, over the previous weekends’ opponents, local rivals Arnold Town.
Matt Peberday’s side again raced out of the blocks but, different to recent weeks, pushed on to extend the advantage gained, although an early goal was disallowed for offside after Dylan Walker had found the back of the net just five minutes in.
Just the one goal was netted in the first period though, despite several chances from the hosts, Patrick Stefaniak and Gregg Conn combining before the latter released Mason Moore who slotted into Piotr Strycharz’s bottom corner with less than twenty on the clock.
Home shot-stopper, Will Wass, denied Toby Francis midway through the half, pulling off a double save, whilst both Walker, and Moore, saw efforts saved at the other end.
The second began as the first had finished, the hosts in the ascendency, and they doubled their lead within minutes of the restart when a deep cross from defender Rory Smith reach Brad Gregory at the far post, and he volleyed beyond Strycharz and into the top corner.
Linby boss, Peberday, made a couple of changes a little under ten minutes later, and they paid instant dividends for the hosts when, on the hour, Mitchell Slawson, on for Greg Conn, lays off Gregory, and the visitors shot-stopper brings him down in the box, referee Ibrahim Arsali pointing to the spot and Alex Patterson made no mistake from twelve yards out.
As the game moved into the final twenty, the visitors found themselves reduced to ten men when Billy Bradley saw red, both sides though continuing to create opportunities; a through-ball from Evan Gibson (on for Paterson), misses Strycharz and Smith somehow strikes the ball off the bar, whilst at the other end a well-struck free-kick from Francis is saved well by Will Wass in the home goal.
A deserving save at the last from Wass in what was a hard-fought win, and a deserving clean sheet as Linby now look forward to the draw for the next round.
Linby CW – Will Wass, Rory Smith, Tom Coupe (E. Fells, 75), Alex Patterson (E. Gibson, 70), Billy Brooks, Josh Wass, Dylan Walker, Mason Moore (C. Wood, 57), Greg Conn (M. Slawson, 57), Patrick Stefaniak (C. Gillan, 70), Bradley Gregory (subs – Connor Gillan, Cory Wood, Evan Gibson, Mitchell Slawson, Ethan Fells)
Arnold Town – Piotr Strycharz, James Jackson, Callum Triance, Adam Clift, Kyme Mason, Lewis Neville, Billy Bradley, Craig Taylor, Ben Cooke, Toby Francis, Matty Hubbard (subs – Lewis Radford, Aaron Wainainan, Liam Black, Darren Milnes, Tyler Cobb)
Linby MOM: Dylan Walker
Att: 106
Match Officials: Ibrahim Arsali/Ellis White/Steven Devine
Elsewhere in Linby colours, the clubs’ reserves side, in the Division One East won 1-0 away to Clipstone Reserves as Zac Hamilton grabbed the decisive goal three minutes from time; and the U16s defeated Aspire Academy 4-1 in what was a comfortable, enjoyable day for the club.
To wrap up a successful weekend for the Club, the Vets beat Bestwood Vets ,3-2, with the goals coming from Luke Parkin, Jimmy Applegate and Steve Chaplin.
It’s County Cup action next for Linby, they at home on October 7 to Notts Senior League side, Meden Vale Colts, followed by the return fixture, away to Teversal in the league, three days later; the reserves meanwhile, joint-second in the table, are next in action on 14 October, away to Blidworth Welfare.
