A SHOCK in the York FA Sunday Morning Senior Cup semi-finals saw Nestl Rowntree unable to raise a team for their tie against Severus SC.

The other semi saw Hounds have a tough 4-2 win over Ainsty at Pocklington.

The Selby side took the lead after only five minutes when Shane Forrest headed home following a corner. Hollis Bills made it two when following up an Alan Jackson shot, who added another before half-time.

In the second half, Ainsty staged a fight-back with David Hyde netting following a defensive error and Paul Barron scoring from a scramble. The pressure was all from Ainsty but in the final minute Hounds made the game safe when Richard Gladwell netted direct from a corner.

Yorkshire Herald went through to their second consecutive final in the York FA Sunday Morning Junior Cup by defeating Wigginton Grasshoppers 3-0.

Herald took a lucky lead on 20 minutes when a shot took a deflection off a defender. Two further goals early in the second half killed off Grasshoppers, Steve Blake heading in from a corner and then Graham Ward scoring direct from a flag kick.

Grasshoppers did not give up and looked the stronger team at the close.

The other semi-final saw Bishopthorpe United beat Burnholme SC 4-2.

Bishops took a sixth-minute lead when Joe Gardham put Paul Broadbent through to net, but within 60 seconds John Thornton had levelled.

Both sets of forwards were worrying defences and it was no surprise when following a corner Andrew Manns shot home from 12 yards to restore Bishopthorpe's lead.

They made it 3-1 when the superb Gardham put Broadbent in again and, with the speed of their attack worrying Burnholme, Gardham ended a great solo run by coolly slotting home.

Burnholme, from a lower division, never gave in and were rewarded with a goal via a tremendous glancing header from Thornton. They provided a spur but Bishops held on.

York FA Sunday Afternoon Cup holders Saville AV had no problems in reaching the final again with Simon Collins and Mark Taylor putting them into a two-goal lead against Puss in Boots.

Saville 'keeper Danny Foxton then saved a penalty before Taylor completed his hat-trick, and there were further goals by Collins and Carl Fenwick for Saville to run out 6-0 winners.

In the other semi, Darren Renwick shot St John's into a half-time lead against Fossway but it all turned round after the break.

Jamie Boulton levelled on the hour when scoring from 35 yards through a crowd of players. John Thornton then followed up on a parried shot to put Fossway ahead, and with ten minutes remaining Steve Ward volleyed into the corner to give Fossway a 3-1 success.

Copmanthorpe Under-17s scored twice in the last eight minutes to go through to the final of the York FA Senior Minor Cup by beating Rawcliffe Under-16s 2-1.

Rawcliffe took a ninth-minute lead when a back pass fell to Adrian Metcalfe, who lobbed the stranded 'keeper.

Both sides fought hard in an exciting game dominated by the midfields and it looked as though each side was going to cancel each other out until fine play on the right resulted in the ball being played through to Richard Hare to slot in an equaliser. Then with extra time looming, Chris Bell cracked home the winner.

Cop's final opponents will be Selby Olympia Under-16s, who defeated Pickering Town Under-17s 4-1.

Lee Gemmell smashed the ball home six yards to give Olympia a tenth-minute lead, Wayne Brooke doubled it with a bullet header and by half time Jamie Adamson had volleyed home a third from outside the area.

Pickering pulled one back soon after the break when substitute Paul Hodgson ran through but as the Pikes pushed forward a late goal by Brett Collier confirmed Olympia's final place.

The Intermediate Minor, Junior Minor and Acaster Steel semi-finals take place on Sunday, April 6.

Updated: 12:09 Wednesday, April 02, 2003