FOOTBALL: Brothers aim to take centre stage (From This Is Wiltshire)

FOOTBALL: Brothers aim to take centre stage

8:13am Friday 4th May 2007

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THE second weekend of North Wilts & District Youth & Minor League cup finals promises to be a real family affair.

Brothers Steven and Dave Groom are both in the hunt for silverware - for different teams.

While Steve will be trying to help Stratton Juniors to victory against Highworth Juniors in the under 16s final on Sunday, Dave will be in action for Highworth against Tetbury Town in the under 13 showpiece immediately afterwards.

Remarkably, it is the second consecutive year that the pair have both made the finals and this year will be Dave's fourth consecutive appearance in a North Wilts final.

Danny Mueller, Sam Farr, Joe Chapman and George Hughes are matching Groom's achievement, all five having been with the club since its formation in 2000.

Steve's Stratton Juniors side meanwhile, have been relatively untroubled on route to the under 16 showpiece, facing Wickham Wanderers in their first round tie and winning 9-1.

A 5-0 home win against Shaw followed and Brunel Boys were dismissed 2-0 in the semi-final.

Highworth Colts have also conceded a solitary goal en route to Sunday's final.

Strikes from Danny King and Dean Taylor took them past Croft, Tom Gardner firing the only goal of the game against Swindon Soccer Skills.

King and Jack Duckers put them in command of their last-four clash with Ferndale Rodbourne, but the nerves were jangling when Ferndale pulled one back with 10 minutes to go.

UNDER 15 FINAL FERNDALE Rodbourne do have representatives in the weekend finals, with their under 15s A side taking on Lydiard Youth.

They came through a repeat of last year's under 14 final in the first round this time, needing extra time and goals from Sam Jackson, Gianluca Costabile, Nathan Gambling, James Trevers and Josh House to get past Croft.

They hammered 12 past South Swindon in round two and were in the goals against against Liden as nine found the net.

The semi-final against league leaders Bemerton Heath Harlequins was a much closer affair, Ferndale emerging victors by the odd goal in five as Lee Horgan and Nathan Blackford's double took them through.

Lydiard were extra-time winners over Purton in round one, but have not conceded a goal since.

Victories over Stratton Juniors (3-0), Swindon Soccer Skills (7-0) and Hungerford (3-0) earned them their finals chance.

UNDER 18 NORTH Swindon Panthers and Swindon Badgers will contest the under 18 final, hours after Swindon Town's League Two promotion crunch clash with Walsall.

Panthers entered the competition in round two with a 6-0 home win against Walcot Wanderers, overcoming Wootton Bassett 3-0 to set up the final.

Badgers won a hard-fought battle with Wroughton A 4-3 in round one, edging out Purton Westbrook 5-3 in the next round.

It was another close call in round three, the team gaining a 2-1 win over Kingsdown United.

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