HUTCHINSON TILES: No major cup upsets

The big game at Fulton Park between Balnamore and last year's runners up Mountview ended with a narrow victory for the Coleraine team.

Last year's winners Hillview fell at the first hurdle as they went down to the odd goal in three to 2008 winners Bertha's FC. Macosquin Village won the village derby at the Crescent 2-0 while Somerset saw off the challenge of FC Macosquin.

The Taverner's went through against Finn McCool's with Andrei Graur the hero of the day with four goals in that game, a feat that was matched by Jason Wilmont of Dunaghy Old Boys as his team crushed Coleraine Olympic.

In the remaining game, West Bann Athletic knocked out 2007 winners Riverside Athletic on penalties. In the only League game played on the day, Hazelbank banged 11 unanswered goals past hapless Ballyrashane Coronation.

All winning or home team (in the event of a draw) managers are reminded to text in their result no later than 2pm on the Saturday afternoon. Keep up to date with the league @ www.htwl.leaguerepublic.com.

Balnamore 1 Mountview 2

When this match kicked off in Fulton Park there was still a bit of snow on the pitch and the ground was a bit hard under foot in some places, but with the sun starting to appear it didn't take long to soften. Balnamore got things underway and from the off they attacked Mountview in numbers.

The home team created a few half chances early on, Mooney having the best chance, but McLaughlin saved well at his near post.

With Balnamore pushing men forward and Mountview playing on the counter attack the game was played at a frantic pace for the first 20 minutes.

It was Mountview who took the lead on 22 minutes when Caldwell turned in Smyth's corner, Elder in the Balnamore goal unlucky to see the ball slip between his legs and into the goal. Mountview created another good chance towards the end of the half when McCorriston and Fillis linked up well on the left, but Fillis's cross was turned away by Connor.

Mountview made it 2-0 early in the second half, when McCorriston picked up the ball in midfield and played a good pass through to Tosh who carried the ball to the by-line, he held off his man and slipped the ball to Fillis who played a square ball to McCorriston 25-yards from goal, his first time shot curling beyond the keeper and in off the back post.

This seemed to take the wind out of the Balnamore's sails and Mountview continued to press forward and indeed had a few chances to kill off the game.

Balnamore managed to pull one back with only minutes remaining Hogg getting in front of his marker to head the ball into the bottom corner from four yards out. Balnamore pushed men forward in a bid to find the equaliser and take the match to extra time, but they had left it too late and Mountview won the match 2-1. Man of the Match: Billy McVicker (Mountview)

Bertha's FC 2 Hillview 1

Both teams started this game with changes to their teams. Berthas gave a run out to a number of fringe players while Hillview had a reshuffle with a few positional changes.

It was the home team that took the lead not long in when new signing Aaron Rankin showed pace and power to get past both McClemments and Dunlop before coolly sliding the ball underneath McVey and into the net. Hillview started to enjoy a lot of possession without actually creating anything clear-cut with the Berthas engine room of Greene and Rainey battling hard to break-up their play.

The closest the visitors came was strikes from distance from Dunlop and Mullan which never really troubled McCrory in the Berthas goal. The home team came close to doubling their lead but Loughery and McVey combined to keep out Peters Blacks fiece drive.

As the half came to a close Hillview thought they had got on level terms when Friel lobbed the ball into the net but the 'goal' was chalked off as Nathan Black, who was in an offside position, was adjudged to have been interfering with play. The second half was similar to the first with Hillview having slightly more of the ball while Berthas looked dangerous every time they went forward.

The home team got the crucial second goal midway through the second half. Rankin this time became the provider as he brushed aside Dunlop before squaring to Rainey and the big man twisted and turned before burying the ball into the back of the net. Hillview went to a 3-4-3 formation in an attempt to get back into this game and came close through Black and Close. Bertha's also had their chances with Rankin and Drake both failing to capitalize on good opportunities.

Hillview were given a lifeline with 10 minutes to go when Mullan was brought down in the box and the same player picked himself up to score from the spot. Hillview pushed forward in numbers but couldn't find a second goal and it was Berthas who progressed to the next round. Man of the Match: Barry Greene (Bertha's FC)

The Villagers 0 Macosquin Village 2

The first twenty minutes of this match was very much end-to-end stuff with both teams creating some good chances. The breakthrough came on thirty five minutes when Clarke's corner fell to Gavin Johnston to play a through ball to McBride who's saved shot fell to Chrisy Wade to tap in.

The Villagers came close straight from the restart only for McFarland to see his shot sail wide, the half finished with Macosquin one up.

The second half started the same as the first with both teams going at each other from the off, Macosquin eventually settled and started to put pressure on the Villagers defence with Holmes and Stewart going close on several occasions.

This seemed to spur Macosquin with Adam Clarke and Gavin Johnston dominating the midfield. Macosquin got their second on seventy minutes when Chrisy Holmes played a defence splitting ball to put Stevie Campbell in, his fist two attempts were brilliantly saved by Jones in the Villagers net but the wee wingers third attempt thundered into the top right-hand corner of the net.

Macosquin dominated the remainder of the game with substitutes Aaron Laverty and Daryl Marshall on the wings and not to forget Sam (TUBBY) Laverty who replaced Darren Stewart up front. The match ended with Macosquin winning two nil in a hard and entertaining game. Man of the Match: Craig McDonald (Macosquin Village)

FC Macosquin 0 Somerset 3

This was a tightly fought contest with Somerset on the front foot from the start of the game. FC Macosquin held their own in the first 20 minutes but were caught out when Scott Fraser did well on the right to pick out Barry McGonigle, whose miscued shot fell to top marksman Gary Miller and he tapped the ball in from three yards.

Somerset continued to dominate with a glorious chance for Scott Fraser after Gary Miller put him through but he fired wide of the goal.

FC Macosquin kept in the game with the odd counter attack but a great save from Keith Harkin after he fumbled a cross kept Somerset's 1-0 lead to the break. Somerset began the second half continuing to press for their second goal and should have had it early in the second half after Scott Fraser was fouled in the box to give the away team the penalty.

Gary Miller failed to extend the lead after striking the post from the penalty spot. Chris Dunlop looked lively on the right by producing the odd glimpse of magic and was unlucky to see a scissor kick go just over the bar.

Chances came at both ends with Harkin thankful for strong defending in front of him after he flapped at another cross but Marc McGerty rescued him with a clearance off the line. Again Somerset should have killed the game as Miller found himself with space in the box but got it awfully wrong after putting the ball wide.

Somerset wrapped the game up with 15 minutes to go when Miller released Barry McGonigle with Scott Fraser knocking in the rebound after a good save from the FC Macosquin keeper.

The third goal came 10 minutes from the end when Chris Dunlop used great skill to beat his man on the right and delivered an inch perfect cross to Gary Miller who glanced his header in from a tight angle for his second of the game.

David McCombe nearly scored his first Somerset goal after he beat the off side trap only to see his shot saved by the FC Macosquin keeper. Man of the Match: Stephen Loughery (Somerset)

West Bann Ath 2 Riverside Ath 2

This Hutchinson Tiles Cup game got under way at Rugby Avenue after a minutes silence was observed by both teams and all watching in memory of Ryan Quinn, and as far as football matches go this game had a little bit of everything.

The first half of the game was keenly and evenly contested with both teams going at each other looking for the all important first goal, both teams had their chances to take the lead with Riverside having the more clear-cut, missing from yards out on a couple of occasions when it appeared easier to score.

Riverside did take the lead 30 minutes in when a good move down the right side found a cross break kindly for McGoldrick who made no mistake finishing well.

This lead lasted all of two minutes, West Bann Athletic won a corner on the left hand side took by McCorriston whose cross was headed into the back of the net by Pancott. West Bann Athletic took control of the game for the majority of the second half playing some great football going forward and defending strongly when it mattered.

Athletic took the lead, deservedly 10 minutes into the half from another corner, this time took by Olphert who's in-swinging cross found the back of the net via the far post, his 20th goal of the season in all competitions and more importantly 2-1 West Bann Athletic.

Riverside were finding it increasingly hard to deal with the forward line of Olphert, McCorriston and Biggart and as the half wore on West Bann Athletic created numerous chances to put the game out of sight but failed to take any of them and as chance would have it they were ultimately punished as a 10 man Riverside broke forward in the last minute of normal time and won a penalty which McGoldrick put away well under pressure. West Bann Athletic also had a man sent off as a result of the penalty awarded, so at full time it was 2-2 and 10 men each.

West Bann Athletic were quickly reduced to 9 men in extra time for a deliberate hand ball and as a result dug in and battled and played mostly on the break, Riverside pressed but rarely troubled seriously a very strong and organised West Bann Athletic rearguard marshaled well by Tosh in the West Bann Athletic goal, full time in extra time the teams could still not be separated.

Penalties it was then that decided a great cup tie with West Bann Athletic scoring all 4 spot kicks took by McCorriston, Olphert, Biggart and K Doherty with Tosh in goals making a great penalty save along the way and Riverside's McGoldrick missing from the spot with the all important first spot kick which saw an impressive West Bann Athletic team progress to the quarter finals of the cup. Man of Match: Chris Shirlow (West Bann Athletic)

The Taverner's 4 Finn McCool's 2

The Taverner's welcomed back the experienced McCracken, Love, McCurdy and Small and from the first whistle it clearly showed that they were up for this cup tie after last week's hiding at the hands of Balnamore.

Without the missing Dallas manager McNabb had to put DJ McBride between the sticks and to be fair he kept not bad. The goals started to flow and a great through ball from Small released Hadji Graur and he outpaced the McCool's defence to slot home.

The same player scored his second when great play from McCurdy and Patton released Robinson and he unselfishly crossed for Graur to tap in to make it 2-0. Second half started as first ended and the impressive McCracken beat two men before crossing for Hadji to complete his hat trick with a diving header.

The best was kept for last when great play from Love and Patton put Hadji clean through and he kept his cool to round the keeper and score his fourth goal and put the result beyond doubt. Fair play to McCool's and they kept battering away and got a couple of consolation goals through Ferguson and McDonald but the day belonged to McNabb's Romanian striker Graur. He also had praise for his teams spirit and desire to put matters right after last week. Man of the Match: Andrei Graur (The Taverner's)

Coleraine Olympic 1 Dunaghy OB 9

Dunaghy went through to the next round with this very easy win over Coleraine Olympic with the away side scoring nine goals for the second week in succession.

Goals coming from Wilmont with four, Cairns with a double while Platt, Murray and Blair also got their names on the score sheet. A Chris Morrow screamer got Olympic their only goal on the day. Man of the Match: Jason Wilmont (Dunaghy Old Boys)

Ballyrashane Cor 0 Hazelbank 11

Colin McClarty continues to find the net adding five to his tally, carrying on from last week's hat trick. The first half ended 4-0 to the visitors with McClarty and Ciaran Wilson getting two apiece.

The second half was much similar to the first with endless Hazelbank pressure, Colin and Ciaran both fighting for the bragging rights with both getting second half hat tricks, five apiece on the day. Nigel Sheppard got the other goal, having provided most of the ammunition for Colin and Ciaran. Mark Boorman should have added to the score but just couldn't manage to get the ball in the net. Man of the Match: Colin McClarty (Hazelbank)

Fixtures for Saturday 6 February

Ballyrashane Cor v Brook Street, Ballysally 2

Bertha's FC v Hillview FC, Castlerock

Coleraine Olympic v Somerset, Rugby Avenue 1

Dunaghy Old Boy's v FC Macosquin, Dunaghy

Finn McCool's v Riverside Athletic, Bushmills

Hazelbank v West Bann Athletic, Rugby Avenue 3

Macosquin Village v Balnamore FC, Rugby Avenue 2