Queen beat fancied Linthwaite 2-1 in a tense affair at Leeds Road in the quarter-finals of the Huddersfield FA Sunday Challenge Cup.
Both sides had key players missing – Queen’s Ryan John (injured), Craig Cartwright (work), Andy Hunt (away) and Callum Crosby recovering from ankle injury playing on Wednesday night at the John Smith’s Stadium with Royal Dolphins and, for Linthwaite, regular keeper Paul Day (injured), Bryn Jenkins, Tom White, Declan Thomas and Connor Beaumont.
Iwan Hanley went in goal for Linthwaite in the first half but was powerless to stop Queen taking a 2-0 lead when, firstly, Danny Naidole (21 minutes) wove his way through the defence to slot home a low drive, then Rob Piercy (28 minutes) found the back of the net with a well-placed 25-yard free kick, leaving Hanley clutching thin air.
Naidole was a constant menace for the Linthwaite defence, with Dave Brennan, Paddy Maylett and him linking up well in Queen’s attack. Maylett and Piercy also made some strong tackles in centre midfield.
Linthwaite’s Schofield (who doesn’t usually get a lot of game time) had a few long-range efforts but they didn’t give Queen keeper Luke Haigh many problems, apart from a good 40-yard effort that the stopper needed to tip over the bar. The tricky Courtney Allette was well marshalled by the Queen defence.
Linthwaite had most of the possession in the first half, but Queen created the more clear-cut chances.
After the break Linthwaite slowly got back in the game with Hanley (coming out of goal to be replaced by Elliot Wilkinson) playing a big role in frequently and skilfully probing the Queen defence.
Linthwaite’s Allette had a close shot turned around the post by Haigh and Schofield saw another shot tipped over the bar.
Naidole went close at the other end.
After 81 minutes Linthwaite’s pressure told as Danny Walker pulled one back (a close-range header from a cross by Josh Shields), and it was backs to the wall for Queen after that, having to withstand a number of corners and superior possession from Linthwaite.
Walker was then through on goal for Linthwaite but was stopped by a determined challenge.
A controversial moment came on 87 minutes when Hanley was weaving through the Queen penalty area and appeared to be felled, but an advantage was played which didn’t materialise and Queen escaped punishment.
Queen will now face Walkers Hounds in a semi-final tie tomorrow at Lepton Highlanders (11am).
The other semi-final will be between Town Rangers and Wellington A at Grange Moor (2pm).
Golcar Conservative overturned a 2-0 deficit against Field Head by winning 5-1 in the second leg of their Lockwood Private Hire Trophy semi-final at Longfield Avenue (aggregate score 5-3).
Golcar started well and the breakthrough came on 20 minutes when Iain McCaig crossed for Luke Robertson to score.
Field Head, however, were level 10 minutes later through striker Dan Wright. The game looked like it would be heading into half time level but Golcar went ahead with an own goal following confusion at a corner, but were still trailing 3-2 on aggregate.
The second half started much like the first with Golcar attacking and, on the hour, Mathew Brooke charged forward from right back to poke the ball past the advancing keeper.
The all-important fourth goal for Golcar came in the 80th minute. A long ball from the back was misjudged by the defence and Robertson pounced.
The last 10 minutes were then all Field Head as they were looking for that goal to send the game into extra-time, but this left them exposed at the back and a clearance by Golcar’s Sam Pinnick led to a race between the Head centre back and Danny Murray, which Murray won easily to score.
Golcar will now play neighbours Walkers Hounds in the final at Lepton Highlanders on May 3 (2pm).
In KSL Division I, Meltham Victoria beat Wellington B 6-1 at Dryclough Rec. Craig Vant (2), Daniel Tindall, Matthew Norgate, Josh Worrall and Jack Ellis-Pownell were on target for Meltham, with Dave Khangura replying for Welly.
The result enabled Meltham to rise two places to sixth.
