Maghull increase lead at the top

Maghull established themselves as firm Division 1 title favourites on Saturday thanks to an emphatic 4-0 home success against nearest rivals South Liverpool. Recent signing from 3rd Division Belfry, Colin McDonald, showed that the higher sphere held no terrors and led the way with a double as Lee Tynan and Mick McGinn completed a win that leaves them 13 points ahead of South albeit having played 3 games more. The ever dangerous Yusuf Malik scored the only goal of the game as Mossley Hill Athletic took over 3rd spot after overcoming lowly Mallaby. Matters go from bad to worse for League champions Heswall and their outing at the weekend saw them on the wrong end of a 7-1 trouncing inflicted by a rampant Hale outfit. A Wayne Smith hat trick was the feature for Hale who also had Mike Massey,2, Carl Latham and Chris Piercy on target while Martin Whaley hit Heswall’s consolation. Improving Southport Trinity gained maximum reward from their visit to Vauxhall Motors Reserves where Danny Ventre and Tommy Hughes found the net against hosts unable to muster a reply. Local rivals Newton and West Kirby shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw at Millcroft as Jamie Hannah struck for Newton early in the first half only for Stuart Jackson to net for Kirby late in the game in an end to end encounter and there was a similar result at bottom side Upton AA whose Adam Kelly helped them to a point against inconsistent Cammell Laird Reserves who had Ben Holmes obliging.
All 3 Division 1 clubs in the Chester Senior Cup progressed to round 3 with Christleton’s Joel Douglas a two goal man in the 4-1 victory over Malpas when he was joined on the scoresheet by Adam Thelwell Wilson and Jake Turner. Chester Nomads had to fight all the way to overcome Hoole Rangers, 2-1 while the players of Blacon YC were able to sample the joys of Christmas shopping due to the side being given a walkover against Lodge Bar.
In Division 2 Capenhurst Villa are carrying all before them and with games in hand now head the table. In midweek they fell behind to a Liam Malley strike midway through the 1st half of their encounter at Ashville Reserves but powered back to claim a 3-1 victory courtesy of Mike Banks, Lewis Walters and Rob McDowell. At the weekend Villa saw off Prescot Cables Reserves who have promotion ambitions of their own, by 6 goals to 2. McDowell was again on target with a double which was matched by the impressive Simon Thelwell while Dan Wainwright and Mike Banks also registered. Charlie Wilson and Sam Gifford netted for Cables. Deposed leaders Manor Athletic slipped to an unwelcome 3-1 defeat at 3rd placed Helsby who bounced back from successive cup defeats to record their success. Carl Rendell was the star of the show by grabbing all his sides’ goals as Andy Johnson replied for Manor. Redgate Rovers had a hat trick hero of their own in Jake Connelly as they fired a shot across Richmond Raith Rovers Mags’ hopes with a 3-1 triumph in which Joe Bligh netted for Mags. Anthony Scotland, Joe Connolly and Kurtis Owens were on the mark as Gateacre Village consolidated a mid-table placing following last season’s promotion with a 3-1 defeat of hosts Mossley Hill Athletic Reserves [Phil Duncan]. Willaston enjoyed their best win of the season when overcoming fellow strugglers West Kirby Reserves, 4-1. Andy Noonan underpinned the visitors’ success by bagging a brace which was supplemented by James Gardiner and Aiden Ryan as Paddy O’Sullivan notched Kirby’s consolation.
Wirral Amateur Cup 2nd round action brought success to Ashville Reserves who got the better of league rivals Heswall Reserves, 4-2. Hero of the day for the Wallasey outfit was Paul Howells who claimed a superb hat trick which was added to by Ryan Clarke with Christian Lea and Owen Davies netting for Heswall. Beb Athletic were indebted to Matty Earp, Ben Crossley and Steve Duckers as they edged out a battling Shaftesbury outfit by the odd goal in 5.
The thrilling battle for Division 3 promotion places intensifies weekly and table toppers St. Helens Town Reserves had Dan Norris to thank for bagging the games’ only goal against fellow new boys and rivals Ford Motors. Second placed Rainhill Town [Matt Dooling,2, Colin Lynch, Luke Garvey, Jack West] enhanced their chances by overcoming Bootle Reserves [John Cheetham, Connor Christiansen] 5-2 but Hale Reserves [Andy Ming, Phil McDiarmid] fell to a surprise 3-2 reversal at Marshalls Reserves [Ashley Hawthorne,2, Jordan Redford]. Third placed South Liverpool Reserves [Michael McNally] also tasted defeat when visiting Capenhurst Villa Reserves who had Jamie Easton and Phil Quilliam obliging in their 2-1 success. Chester Nomads Reserves [Callum Johnson,2, Alan Bond, Jake McCallum, Michele Appolonio] gained maximum reward from their derby clash with Christleton Reserves [Tom Shaw, Josh McEwan] virtue of a 5-2 triumph and Ben Pearson, Neal Ellison and Adam Moore found the net for Neston Nomads who returned from Belfry [John Harrikie, Tom Seddon] with the spoils on the strength of a 3-2 scoreline. Upton AA Reserves [Paul Jones, Paul Head] lifted themselves from bottom slot after garnering a point from a 2-2 draw at Widnes Viking Reserves [Evan Morris, Tom Butler].
Cy Sullivan was the toast of his team mates when bagging a brace for Vauxhall Motors Youth as they as they came from behind to maintain top spot in the Youth Division courtesy of a 2-1 win at South Liverpool who had Matt Read netting. Maghull’s Tom Baker and Kevin Furlong were on the mark as they drew 2-2 with Newton who had Joe Molyneux and Tom Morgan replying.