New name to appear on famous trophy
THERE will be a new name on the CNet Training Suffolk Senior Cup this season.
None of the four sides - AFC Sudbury Reserves, Claydon, Framlingham Town and Halesworth Town - to make it through from Saturday’s quarter-finals have previously won the competition which dates back to the 1885-86 season.
And three of them have yet to feature in the showpiece final, guaranteeing at least one new finalist in the 2022-23 edition.
Sudbury Town Reserves did lift the trophy back in the 1986-87, before the merger with Sudbury Wanderers to form the current AFC Sudbury in 1999.
Halesworth Town, who won the Suffolk Junior Cup as recently as the 2019-20 season, have never previously reached the semi-finals.
They looked on course to do on Saturday, before requiring a penalty shoot-out to knock-out Haverhill Borough, who fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 before losing 5-4 on penalties.
Lewis Chenery is pictured above scoring the decisive penalty past Haverhill Borough goalkeeper Joe Wilson. Photograph: Ian Smillie.
They will be joined in the final four by fellow Macron SIL Senior Division side Claydon, who will take their place in the final four for the first time after they were 2-0 winners away to Beccles Town.
However, the other two SIL sides both bowed out to Thurlow Nunn League Division One North opposition.
AFC Sudbury Reserves proved too strong for Ransomes Sports at Sidegate Avenue as they won 3-0, while Framlingham Town required a late goal to get past current SIL champions Henley Athletic 2-1.
The draw for the semi-finals will be announced on BBC Radio Suffolk’s Non-League Hour on Thursday at 8.30pm, as well as simultaneously being released via the Suffolk FA Twitter feed.
The wet weather disrupted quarter-finals day in the Suffolk Girls' Youth Cups, with six of the 16 ties being postponed.
The semi-final draws will be announced at 5pm on Tuesday via the Suffolk FA website.
Weekend Results
Saturday
CNet Training Suffolk Senior Cup Quarter-Finals: Beccles Town 0 Claydon 2, Framlingham Town 2 Henley Athletic 1, Halesworth Town 2 Haverhill Borough 2 – Halesworth Town won 5-4 on pens, Ransomes Sports 0 AFC Sudbury Res 3.
Sunday
Suffolk Girls’ Under-12 Cup Quarter-Finals: Capel Plough v Debenham – postponed, Haverhill Rovers v Ipswich Valley Rangers – postponed, Kirkley & Pakefield Royals 2 Kirkley & Pakefield Diamonds 8, Waveney Lionesses 1 Kesgrave Kestrels 1 – Kesgrave Kestrels won 3-0 on pens.
Suffolk Girls’ Under-13 Cup Quarter-Finals: Brett Vale v Haverhill Rovers Red - postponed, Coplestonians 3 Woodbridge Town 0, Cornard Dynamos v Haverhill Rovers Black – postponed, Waveney Wildcats 2 Ipswich Valley Rangers 3.
Suffolk Girls’ Under-14 Cup Quarter-Finals: Beccles Town 5 Stowupland Falcons 1, Cornard Dynamos v Needham Market Phoenix – postponed, Ipswich Valley Rangers Whites 3 Debenham 0, Saxmundham 0 Woodbridge Town 4.
Suffolk Girls’ Under-16 Cup Quarter-Finals: Coplestonians 2 Ipswich Vale Exiles 1, Cornard Dynamos v Stonham Aspal - postponed, Haverhill Rovers 4 Bury Town 5, Ipswich Valley Rangers 0 Waveney Foxes 10.