DH FITNESS manager Luke Jones was chuffed to see his side grit their teeth and muscle past Haydon in the Swindon Sunday League Chairman’s Trophy, despite enduring an ‘off-day’ last weekend.

The Division Two leaders needed extra time to overcome their opponents, who currently top Division Three, eventually running out 6-4 winners after the two teams were drawing 3-3 at the end of 90 minutes.

DH Fitness can now look forward to the quarter-finals of the competition and their manager believes that his team showed character in abundance to win a lung-busting cup tie.

“We don’t usually concede a lot of goals. We’re top of our league and when we played a team like DPR, who beat people 10 or 11-0, we managed to win 2-0,” said Jones.

“We were 2-0 up and in control of the game but we somehow let them back into it.

“It was an off-day and our worst performance of the season but I’m glad we got through it the way that we did.

“I think that it shows team spirit and it was good to see us grind out a result.”

Elsewhere, DPR blazed a trail into the next round by thrashing PSV Swindon 11-1, while, like DH Fitness, Paxton House United and Coleshill Youth both needed extra time to seal their progress as they beat Sevenfield United and Swindon Athletic 4-3 and 4-2 respectively.

Division Four side Rudis overcame Division Three rivals Stratton Saints 2-1, Division Two basement boys Wanborough saw off Eldene 3-2 and Woodlands Edge triumphed 5-1 against Nationwide.

In the league’s top-tier competition – the Knockout Cup – Cleeve Tech came out on the right end of a thrilling last-16 tie at AFC Cricklade, eventually running out 5-4 winners.

Deers Leap hammered Cricklade Park Rangers 9-1, while fellow Division One outfit AFC Gas also overcame opposition from Division Five as they edged out Highworth Town Sunday 3-2.

Reigning champions Greyhound beat Penhill United 2-1, while goals from Jake Bryan and Ryan Allen saw Purton Freshbrook move into the last eight courtesy of a 2-0 win over Athletico Marlborough.

In the league, FC Walcot demolished struggling Jovial Monk 13-1 in Division One, while in Division Two, Rodbourne Real and Fairford Town shared the spoils after a high-scoring 5-5 draw.

There were also two matches in Division Five, with Purton Red House thrashing Northern Lights 10-0 and Save on Tyres Athletic winning 5-0 at Swindon Rovers.