LOCAL FOOTBALL: Petty cracker clinches place in semi-finals as Huntingdon side chase more trophy glory
Dan Gentile (right) scored twice for Huntingdon United in their Percy Oldham Memorial Cup success. - Credit: Archant
Huntingdon United are two games away from lifting another piece of Cambs League silverware.
Lee Milton’s men enjoyed an honours double last season when roaring to the Division 1B title and lifting the Creake Charity Shield.
And they are already impressing in higher-level competitions this term. They have climbed to the top of the Kershaw Senior B Division and eased into the semi-finals of the Percy Oldham Memorial Cup last Saturday when beating Cambridge University Press 4-2.
“We’ve started well,” said Milton. “And that was important after winning promotion.
“We had a little blip with a draw and a defeat early on, but we have really had the bit between our teeth since then.
“We’re getting results and playing some good stuff in the process. We’ve had a lot of compliments from teams we have beaten.
“We’re consistently playing against better opposition, but we’ve handled it well. Momentum is a big thing in football.
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“Ultimately people play the game to win titles and trophies – and that’s exactly what we want to do again.
“We want to be involved in big matches and hopefully the experience of last season will stand us in good stead.
“But there is still a lot of football to be played and we won’t make the mistake of looking too far ahead. Taking things one game at a time has served us well.”
United fell behind against Cambridge University Press Reserves to what Milton described as a ‘soft’ penalty, but they turned the game before the break courtesy of a Dan Gentile brace.
Dom Everett stretched the advantage early in the second half before the visitors hit back with 10 minutes to go.
But Aaron Petty produced a high-class clincher with a free-kick to set up a semi-final showdown at Whittlesford United.
Another local team, Ramsey Pavilion, could follow in the footsteps of Huntingdon United by lifting the Creake Charity Shield.
They made eye-catching progress in that competition last Saturday when thumping higher-level Fordham to advance to the last 16.
Kyle McPartlin hit a hat-trick for the locals, who played in Division 2B as they put out opponents from Division 1B. Stephen Hurst, Tom Lloyd and Oliver Westcott-Rudd also found the net.
