Last gasp winner by Foulkes moves Heswall to within a point of leaders

Richie Foulkes guided home a 90th minute header to earn his Heswall side an important 3-2 success at leaders Cammell Laird Reserves and boost their own hopes of claiming this season’s Division 1 title. A competitive encounter saw Lairds make the early running but it was the visitors who went in front midway through the 1st period when Robbie Courtney leapt highest to head home a right side corner. Lairds drew level 8 minutes before the break when Chris Hesketh fired home from the penalty spot but early in the 2nd period Heswall regained the lead with a spectacular Chris Adamson effort. Gaining possession just inside the Lairds half and out on the touchline his perfectly executed lobbed shot left the home keeper with no chance of recovering his ground as the ball sailed into the net. Thirteen minutes remained when the hosts regained the quality their play deserved as substitute Josh Hughes headed in at the far post but it was Heswall who had the last laugh thanks to Foulkes’ late winner. With title ambitions of their own, West Kirby staged a superb comeback when coming from 2 goals down at Hale before storming to a 4-2 triumph. Chris Piercy and Anthony Gray were the home side’s marksmen but were outgunned by leading marksman Mike McGraa who added to his burgeoning total with a slick hat trick which was supplemented by Paul Casey. The win sees Kirby join Lairds on 36 points, with 2 games in hand while Heswall have 1 point fewer but have played 5 games less than Lairds. Vauxhall Motors Reserves shared the spoils with visiting Maghull as Christian Banesko’s effort for Motors was wiped out by Michael O’Brien but in midweek Vauxhalls had suffered a 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Ashville. An entertaining encounter played out in tricky conditions was decided in the 2nd minute courtesy of a Jay Clare strike for Ashville.
Postponements and cup ties meant that there were no 2nd Division games played but congratulations go to Richmond Raith Rovers who reached the final of the Liverpool FA Junior cup thanks to a 4-2 win over South Liverpool Reserves. Rob Madine, Paul Goothwaite, Anthony Lee and Danny Powell netted for Rovers while Francis Evans and Mitchell McNally responded for South. Marshalls Reserves [Lucas Porquet, Andy Iniabere, Kadeem Mekki, and Rabbi Alexanre] progressed to the semi-finals of the Liverpool FA Intermediate cup by defeating DLS Academy, 4-2 but despite a Kurt Sherlock strike, Mossley Hill Athletic bowed out of the Liverpool FA Challenge cup when going down 3-1 to South Sefton Borough.
The Wirral FA Amateur final will be contested by Mallaby and West Kirby Reserves with Kirby [Shaun Skillen, Stewart Jackson, Eddy Hutchinson] defeating Beb Athletic [Shaun Heggarty] 3-1 in the semis while Mallaby [Gerrard Mullen, 3, John Hedges] returned to form when easing through 4-0 at Maghull Reserves. Chester and District FA Senior cup 3rd round action saw Christleton’s Ryan O’Hare net the game’s only goal against a Chester Nomads outfit who had a man dismissed as did Christleton just before the break.
In Division 3, Widnes Town continue to carry all before them and with a Joe Brizell double and an Alex Pybus strike they inflicted the season’s 1st league defeat on Gateacre who had John McGrattan replying in Town’s 3-1 victory. There was an amazing turn round at the home of leaders Belfry who led 3-0 at one stage courtesy of goals from Colin McDonald, Jamie Ranford and Jordan Stafford only for lowly visitors Ellesmere Port to hit back in grand style to emerge as 4-3 victors as Ricci Neil, Ronnie Morgan, John Lynch and Anthony Lynch all obliged. Redgate Rovers took advantage of Belfry’s defeat to takeover top spot as they overcame Neston Nomads, 5-1 with Ben Helme, Clark Lawler, Craig Blackwell and 2 own goals making up their tally. Two Sherif Yusif strikes featured as South Liverpool defeated Halton RBL Allstars, 5-2, in the Halton and West Cheshire Youth Division while Gateacre [Kieron Owens] drew 1-1 with Vauxhall Motors [Cy Longstaff].