British Lion bounce back to beat Penhill

Penhill started well and immediately sprayed the ball around showing the class that put them top of Swindon league division one, but it was the Lion who first tested either goalkeeper on six minutes. Lee Campbell's rasping 20 yard well clasped by Daryl Simms. It was no surprise when Penhill took the lead on 13 minutes when, left in space, midfielder Lee Bailey's rifled home from 20 yards. Lee Edgell should have made it 2-0 three minutes later but his hooked shot whistled wide and a minute later Dalton's six yard header really should have tested Mark Stonestreet in the Lion goal. Out of nothing the Lion equalised in the 18th minute. Andrew Webster flicked on Stonestreet's long kick and Luke Enderby tapped home after Simms had blocked the initial shot. The rest of the half saw Campbell, Darren Brown and Mark Hulland more than match their Swindon counterparts in the middle of the park as the Lion started to take the game to the visitors. It was thus a surprise that Penhill regained the lead on 31 minutes. Steve Bunting's cross was well met by Darren Smart and Stonestreet acrobatically turned his header over. The resulting corner from Dalton was again by Smart's header but this time found the back of the net. Any relief that Penhill had was short-lived as within a minute, Enderby had made it 2-2. Campbell's squared ball leaving the charismatic striker a relatively straightforward finish. Webster could have given the Lion the lead four minutes later but his shot was kicked off the line by centre half Gary Hill.

The second half continued to flow from end to end and both Lee Bailey and Chris Flanagan blasted good chances for Penhill over the Lion bar. Penhill keeper, Simms, then denied centre half Duncan Biggin on 67 minutes with a smart block from close range. Penhill took the lead for the third time on 69 minutes when Stonestreet dropped Flanagan's corner and Hill fired home from three yards. Smart could have extended the lead a minute later but swept wide when well placed inside the Lion box. Enderby had already teased and tormented the Penhill defence and with game going into the final twenty minutes, the Devizes Town ace then showed what a great player he has become. On 71 minutes he weaved past three players before unleashing an unstoppable 25 yard pile driver to make it 3-3. Seven minutes later a similar mazy run and skip past his marker allowed him to sublimely curl his chip in off the post to give the Lion the lead. With Hulland's injury, and all subs having been played, the Lion effectively limped through the last 12 minutes with ten men as Penhill sought an equaliser. However, it the Lion who finished in style in the last minute as John Stockman outpaced Porter from the halfway line to round Simms and score the Lion's fifth and killer goal. British Lion's reward for their victory Penhill is a trip to Swindon where they will face cup holders and nine time winners Greyhound who have yet to play a match in the defence of their crown, as they received a bye to this stage and they received a walkover to the third round after Chippenham League side Chippenham Police gave them the game as they were unable to raise a team due to work commitments, which is the third time in a month that the boys in blue have been forced to postpone a match.

AFC Melksham put in a spirited display against last terms beaten finalists Nine Elms United and Melksham had numerous chances to find the net before Nine Elms took a first half lead and Mike Rogers team who were missing a number of key players including striker Wayne Bailey were made to pay for missed opportunities as Nine Elms took their chances in the second period to run out 4-0 victors.