**WHITE LION 2-5 FROLESWORTH UNITED**
FROLESWORTH United returned to winning ways with an impressive victory against Division One rivals White Lion in Group C of the Arthur Moore Cup on Sunday morning, but the result was overshadowed by an horrific injury to new signing Christian Capell.
The defensive midfielder was stretchered off 12 minutes from time after suffering a clean break of his tibia following a full-blooded challenge on the edge of the opposing area and he is now likely to be sidelined for the remainder of the season.
The Rabbits have had no luck on the injury front so far this campaign, losing striker Luke Hammond to a dislocated knee and Miles Splevings, who has been suffering from a recurring groin strain before this shocking incident.
United had earlier fallen behind in the tie, before a quick fire double from Jake Pantony and a second half Joe Cook brace either side of Joe Swanwick’s tap-in put United within touching distance of qualification for the Quarter-final.
Assistant manager Jordan Halford had urged his side to put the disappointment of last week’s defeat against Sparta Moshdock firmly behind them and he and Chairman Josh Baines made the trip to collect manager Ben Harris from Nottingham just hours before kick off.
The trip appeared to hinder Frolesworth’s preparations too, as they arrived in North Kilworth just moments before the game was scheduled to get underway. Goalkeeper Matt Errington was restored in goal following Evans’ catastrophe last week and Mark James returned at the expense of Jack Boulton, who had returned to Norfolk.
Martin Finnigan replaced Bedford-bound Jack Rudman, while Matt Pell completed a new-look defence. Swanwick returned from Sheffield to replace club captain Craig Rowbottom and young winger Dan Morrow replaced Matt Rains on the left.
Evans was given a starting berth in spite of last week, but as the lone striker this time where he has impressed with two goals already this season. The Clarets weren’t slow to start either and both Swanwick and Morrow fired wide before Pantony had his shot turned away inside the opening 10 minutes.
However, United fell behind largely against the run of play in the 14th minute via a method, which has established itself as the Achilles heel of Harris’ side. Rob Edge’s long throw eluded Mark Baker and he was duly punished as the Clarets left themselves facing an uphill battle.
But their heads didn’t drop and Cook forced a smart save from the home goalkeeper as his spectacular volley bounced clear soon after. Baker then came close himself, as Cook nudged a dead ball to him and the skipper sent a rasping drive just wide of the post.
It was all one-way traffic and United hauled themselves onto level terms through the vivacious Pantony. He slipped the ball through one defender’s legs before calmly rounding the keeper and a sprawling defender on the goal-line for a well-deserved equaliser.
But it was to get even better for the visitors just three minutes later, when Pantony completed a fantastic double salvo. Morrow picked the ball up on the left before switching the play with a brilliant cross-field ball across to Cook, his shot rebounded kindly to Evans, who cleverly slipped it to Pantony and he uted a devastating finish into the top corner.
There was no time to draw breath, though, as this pulsating encounter witnessed two further goals in stoppage time at the end of the first half. Firstly, Swanwick put the Rabbits two goals to the good as he gambled on Pantony’s nod back across goal before captain Baker could only watch on in despair as he inadvertently stabbed into his own net just thirty seconds after the restart.
The game had ebbed and flowed from end to end in the first period, but there was only one side in it after the break as Cook, enjoying a new lease of life on the right, stole the show in the second-half.
He put the game beyond doubt just shy of the hour mark, picking the ball up in his own half and then receiving it back from Pantony, he drove at the heart of the Lion defence.
They backed off, to their peril too, as he lined up and drilled a low drive into the far corner to give United some breathing space before 10 minutes later, he converted Pantony’s drilled centre to put the game beyond the home side’s reach.
Frolesworth continued to create a host of chances, but they failed to add any further gloss on the scoreline as they put themselves in pole position to qualify for the Quarter final. They do, however, still have to beat one of the Premier Division’s sides in Sporting Highcross or Magna 73 Rangers to guarantee they proceed to the last eight.
FROLESWORTH: ERRINGTON 7, FINNIGAN 7, BAKER 7, JAMES 7, PELL 6, CAPELL 7, SWANWICK 7, MORROW 7, COOK 9, PANTONY 10 (MOM), EVANS 6. SUBS: BOTTOM 6.
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