CARLSBERG WEST CHESHIRE A.F.L.

New Brighton took advantage of Beb Athletic and Hale being inactive to leapfrog above them both into the top spot in Division 2. Tom Cullen and Paul Lindfield took the plaudits as the Seaside club fashioned a 2-0 success at Marshalls Reserves. Ashville Reserves remain 4th after Peter Wright and Carl Murphy netted as they overcame lowly Heswall Reserves who had Gordon Harrison replying. Manor Athletic entered their clash with Capenhurst Villa still harbouring hopes, with games in hand, of thrusting themselves into a promotion spot by the season’s end. They were boosted by an early goal from midfielder Joe McKeown but had to settle for a point after Mike Urmston grabbed a 2nd half equalizer. In midweek, Cape had defeated leaders Beb Athletic, 2-1, thanks to strikes by Urmston and Alan Locke. Prescot Cables Reserves hopes suffered another blow as Jack Webb hit a hat trick and Ben Johnson a brace for Runcorn Linnets Reserves who ran out 6-3 winners. In the Division’s remaining fixture resurgent Mallaby found the net through a Gerard Mullen penalty but this was wiped out when John Garner was on target for Richmond Raith Rovers.
Division 1 leaders Ashville garnered a single point from their midweek 1-1 draw at Newton but a goal direct from a 2nd half corner delivered by Paul Casey was enough for them to gain maximum reward from Saturday’s encounter with Cammell Laird Reserves and they now require just one win to be crowned champions. On Wednesday Jamie Kenyon’s strike after 67 seconds was sufficient for Lairds to gain a vital win against Christleton. The big midweek Division 1 winners were Vauxhall Motors Reserves who handed out a 5-1 drubbing to Chester Nomads but in contrast, 3 days later they were on the wrong end of a 4-0 scoreline as Mike Brown, Steve Gale, Phil Ferguson and Peter Donnelly all struck for Marine Reserves. Josh Williams and Trevor Worsley registered for Willaston as the table trailers drew 2-2 at Ellesmere Port [Mark Price, Ryan Nicoll] but fellow strugglers Marshalls [Richard Jones] suffered a 4-1 reversal at Chester Nomads whose Ilya Haycock, Kieran Smith, Dale Harris and Steve Cunningham were on target. Marshalls were able to add one point to their tally in midweek as they drew 1-1 with Marine Reserves while Maghull were single goal winners over Southport Trinity. Simon Andrews had 2 goals to his name as Upton AA eased to a 3-0 win over Newton while Dave Byrne also plundered twice as Mossley Hill Athletic edged a 7 goal thriller with West Kirby. Heswall have risen smartly up the table due to Wednesday’s 3-0 triumph over West Kirby being backed up as Lee Cairns and Richie Foulkes found the mark in a 2-0 win at Maghull.
South Liverpool assured themselves of promotion from Division 3 at the 1st attempt by overcoming Christleton Reserves, 2-1. Gary Pollard and Tom Kinsella were South’s marksmen with Paul Holifield notching one for the hosts. Hot on South’s heels are Helsby who romped home 5-1 at Capenhurst Villa Reserves [Jamie Johnson] courtesy of Tom Smith, James McCartney, Ian Cox, John Coady and Josh Cullen. At the opposite end of the table, Hale Reserves [James Standish] picked up their 9th point of the campaign after sharing 2 goals with New Brighton Reserves [Kyle Williams] while Neston Nomads battle to climb away from the re-election zone was greatly enhanced when Alex Clare, 2, Nick Jones, Dean Jones and Ian Holland posted in the 5-1 defeat of highly placed Chester Nomads Reserves [Elliott Gorst].
The contest between the Youth Division’s top 2 went the way of leaders Maghull who were indebted to Adam Wilkinson for posting the only goal of a close contest against South Liverpool, while Lower Breck Boys [Andy Hardy, Matty Howard, Elliott Blakeney] remain 3rd after defeating Widnes Town 3-0.