Aylesbury & District League: Cup competitions hotting up

As we entered February this week we are in the final month before the semi-finals and finals of the various cup competitions. There are a number of important quarter-final games being played which resulted in our second set of semi-finals being confirmed.

The Marsworth Reserve Cup last four will be three of the top four in Division Two with the other side Ludgershall Reserves who are the holders. They will face AWFC Reserves after a 4-0 win over Rivets Sports Reserves, Collins Takaitei (2). Danny Salim and Shay Craib scoring.

AW Reserves saw off Stewkley Reserves 6-0. Jez Spreyer opened the scoring then grabbed a rare assist to Rhys Cairnie. Elliot Johnson added a goal and a penalty before Shoaib Ali and Joe Pitts finished things off.

Leaders Prestwood Reserves won a nine-goal thriller at Thame C 5-4, despite Ben Ward’s hat-trick. Thame were downed by Noah Johnson (2), Ryan Coker, Dom Small and Jake Randall goals. Prestwood will face Stoke Mandeville Reserves who beat Aylesbury Vale Reserves 4-2 away after the game finished 2-2 at full time.

In the Presidents League Cup we now know six of the eight quarter-finalists.

Division One high-flyers Aylesbury Vale beat Rivets Sports 5-1; Shazad Hussain with a double.

Thame B avoided a banana skin tie as they were made to work by Division Three title hopefuls Potten End, 3-2 the final score with Ryan Binnee, Luke Dowie and Jordan Lawrence netting.

FC Bierton saw off Toqeer Titans 5-2, while Great Missenden had to work hard to see off AWFC 3-1 via a Dan Moss hat-trick, whilst Wingrave went down 4-2 at Elmhurst.

Both Wingrave sides are out as their Development did well against higher opponents St Leonard's before losing 4-2.

Ludgershall host Wendover this weekend and AVD Sports play Haddenham the week after to complete the last eight.

Back in league action Prestwood grabbed a huge three points with their first win since mid-November and only their second this season with a 4-3 away win at old foes Wendover.

The six-pointer leaves Prestwood five points behind their opponents with three games in hand as they look to beat the drop.

At the top AVD Sports used their game in hand to go to the summit with a 4-0 away win at Tring Athletic Zebras.

In Division One it looks like a five-horse promotion race still. Stoke Mandeville won a six-pointer over Oving 3-1, George Scott with two quickfire goals.

Haddenham Utd’s games in hand and hectic schedule could cost them but their 5-1 away win at Thame D keeps them in the hunt. Dylan Langley (3) and Luke Lindsay (2) got the goals.

At the bottom it was the two sides in the relegation zone facing each other as Stone Utd picked up their first win since early November as they beat King Sports 2-1 despite James Reid's red card. Kieran McGlinchey and the returning Sean Williment on the scoresheet.

There was just one game in Division Two as Aylesbury Hornets battled for 80 minutes again before succumbing to a Callum Thomas header as Wendover Reserves snatched a 1-0 win late on.