**KIRBY MUXLOE RANGERS 4-1 FROLESWORTH UNITED**
JAKE Pantony’s ninth goal of the season after just 11 minutes gave Frolesworth the perfect start at Leicester Lane on Sunday morning, but a calamity of errors gifted high-flying Kirby Muxloe Rangers another three points to send them top of Division One.
Pantony ghosted through the heart of the hosts’ defence after a sweeping counter-attack from the Rabbits to put the visitors in command, but the lead didn’t last long as goalkeeper Matt Errington raced off his line to concede a penalty, and injure himself in the process.
Mark James then lost possession on the edge of his own box after he was put under pressure from an Errington throw soon after, and with United pushing for a leveller in the second period, Jack Rudman put through his own net to effectively kill the game at 3-1 in the 69th minute.
United made the trip to Desford off the back of a disappointing Quarter-Final exit at the hands of Perrin Rangers, but Ben Harris and Jordan Halford’s attempts to make amends were seriously hampered by Luke Evans’ 21st birthday celebrations a night previous.
As a result, both Evans and striker Joe Cook were absent without due notice, meaning Harris handed starts to youngsters Miles Splevings and Steven Bottom. Dan Morrow returned to the fray after a lengthy spell on the treatment table, while Daniel Herring was named as the target man in the absence of Liam Barratt, whose transfer from Sparta Parva had not yet cleared.
But in spite of arriving at the ground late for kick off, the Clarets started on the front foot and soon found themselves ahead. Mark James got his head to a Kirby corner, and Greg Garner found Pantony in space with an intelligent pass inside.
But from then onwards, it was all about the wizardry of the little number 8 as he weaved his way through a series of challenges, using Morrow’s sublime run as a decoy, before effortlessly rounding the keeper and slotting home for his ninth of the season.
The decision to move him further up the pitch was proving a masterstroke, although his contribution of late has often come from a more deep-lying midfield position.
However, the lead wasn’t to last too long, as goalkeeper Errington mis-timed his challenge from a diagonal ball over the top and clattered opposing striker Matt Copson, who then dusted himself down after the collision to duly convert the spot kick.
The incident left Errington with a dead leg, which prevented him from kicking the ball downfield and Frolesworth were quickly made to pay for his misfortune once again in the 34th minute. He decided to roll the ball out to right-back James, who was caught in possession on the edge of his own box and captain Lee McNairn was the beneficiary as fired his side in front at the break.
United soon changed to a 4-4-2 formation in the second-period, in an attempt to claw themselves back on to level terms. But the closest they came to an equaliser was from captain Mark Baker’s 30-yard pile-driver, which was well turned over the crossbar.
Instead, it would be the home side who would get the game’s crucial fourth goal, although it would be scored by a Frolesworth player. Richard Kirk galloped down the left flank for Kirby, before sending a sumptuous cross across the face of the United goal and Rudman inadvertently volleyed in to his own net.
Game over.
And Kirk himself would put the proverbial icing on the cake 16 minutes from time, as Errington could only push his powerful drive in at the near post to complete the rout.
FROLESWORTH: ERRINGTON 4, JAMES 6, BOULTON 6, BAKER 6, RUDMAN 6, PANTONY 6, BOTTOM 6, MORROW 6, GARNER 6, SPLEVINGS 6, HERRING 6. SUBS: SWANWICK 6.
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