Sherburn and Goal Sports book semi-final spots

Only five games survived the torrential rain which waterlogged the pitches on Saturday.

Sherburn opened the scoring after only five minutes against their third division rivals Sleights Reserves, Liam Scott heading past Dave Fish.

Ten minutes later the lethal Paul Mills added a second to put Andy Adamson’s side in the driving seat.

Nick Beattie’s superb solo goal just before half-time, which saw him beat two Sherburn defenders before firing home, gave the visitors hope of a second-half comeback. This was Beattie’s first goal for the club.

Scott restored Sherburn’s two-goal lead after the interval but Beattie also completed a brace to keep Sleights in with a shout, converting a Simon Taylor cross.

Mills hammered home a penalty after a foul by Mike Brennan to make it 4-2, and an own goal from Marc Kipling after a cross from the lively Mills sealed the hosts’ spot in the semis.

Taylor fired in a late penalty but it was a case of too little too late for the Whitby side, whose man of the match was Beattie.

The star man for Sherburn was central midfielder Harry Walmsley, with Mills and Scott also reinforcing their reputation as the danger men for the village team.

Goal Sports joined Sherburn in the semi-finals after a 3-2 home win against Fishburn Park, despite playing for an hour with only 10 men after the dismissal of Dan Pickard.

Mark Plumpton’s home side made a strong start and were rewarded for their efforts when they opened the scoring on 15 minutes, George Friend setting up Kieran Friett to slot home.

Fifteen minutes later the home side’s chances were dented by the sending-off of Pickard for a combination of throwing the ball away and swearing after a decision had gone against him.

Despite this the hosts went close to adding to their lead, but Mike Grayshan and Niall Prentice both missed the target when well-placed.

Ten minutes before half-time, completely against the run of play, Park levelled the scores.

In the 55th minute Goal Sports went back in front, more fine work from Friend setting up fellow forward Prentice to shoot past the Park keeper.

Ten minutes later Goal Sports doubled their lead when a Friend shot rebounded out for Prentice to slot in his second.

Park struck a second goal from the penalty spot in the 85th minute but Goal Sports managed to see the game out to move into the final four.

Friend and Prentice shared the man of the match award for the victors.

In Division One of the Saturday League, Whitby RUFC and Cayton Corinthians shared the honours in a thrilling 4-4 draw played on a very boggy pitch.

Josh Venner put Shaun Rennison’s side on front early on and in the 15th minute it was 2-0 as Isaac Sands fired in from outside the area.

Whitby then scored a goal either side of the interval to level the scores, but Sands’ second made it 3-2, only for the hosts to level once again.

Sands made it 4-3 from the penalty spot to complete his hat-trick but five minutes from time Whitby claimed a point that may prove crucial in their battle to stay in the top flight.

Lewis Peel scored twice and was named as the Whitby RUFC man of the match, with Mikey Kilpatrick and James Inglis also netting for Ste Mothersdale’s side.

The Whitby RUFC boss said: “Despite the conditions it was a great team performance, we are now getting our team back together, and with Marc Usher, Paul Jobling and Chris Charlesworth all to come back in this point gives us something to build on.”

Edgehill Reserves turned on the style to secure an 11-0 win at basement club Snainton and race into second spot in Division Two.

Tom Scales was man of the match for his first-half haul of five goals, the striker forced to leave the pitch at the interval through illness.

Lee Dennis also banged in a brace, while Andrew Noon, Nathan Patterson, Alistair Jennings and Benny Davis also notched for Martyn Ferrey’s team, who played the final 10 minutes with only eight men due to injuries.

Ferrey said: “Tom was man of the match for a superb first-half show, while Dave Ledden had a cracking game at right-back and our stand-in goalkeeper Paul Manning also had a fine match.

“A couple of players picked up knocks near the end, and as we had used all our subs I let them come off as we have an important game, against Snainton again, next Saturday in the League Trophy quarter-finals at Staxton.”

Commercial slumped to a 7-2 loss at home to Hunmanby United Reserves in Division Three.

Ryan Crawford banged in five goals for United, with Max Wood scoring twice, and goals from Reggie Smith and Steve Pratt completing the rout.

Macca Riley scored both goals for the home side, with Sam Raper and Adam Smith impressing in central midfield for Commercial.