A surprise result took place in the fifth Domestic Cup Final of The Houlihan’s Birkenhead Sunday Association Football League, with treble chasing KRCT dipping out 7-3 to mid-table Saughall FC.
Saughall had won the David Tacy Cup back in 2017 and joined Lancelyn Glenavon by becoming the only two clubs to lift the trophy on two occasions.
Saughall took the lead via Scott Nickson and KRCT hit back through Jon Pomphrett. Saughall responded with an effort from Tom Ashcroft to take a 2-1 half time lead.
Virtually straight from the kick off in the second half, Jon Pomphrett notched his second and KRCT’s equaliser to make it 2-2; it was game on. Andy Noonan got himself on the scoresheet for Saughall and Scott Nickson doubled his goals haul for the game to go 4-2 up.
KRCT hit back again for Jon Pomphrett to complete his hattrick. At 4-3, it was anyone’s game, but with Saughall having the wind behind them a couple of wind-assisted goals that looked like worldies, Saughall FC moved into an unassailable 6-2 lead with Tom Ashcroft completing his hattrick then Owen Wharton completed the rout to finish a great entertaining game.
Despite KRCT losing in the cup, they still have a chance to lift The Karl Davies Memorial Division Two Trophy as their closest rivals Wellington FC lost their first League game of the season 1-0 to mid-table Prenton FC thanks to a Tom Leyland strike.
During the week JPL Jets shot down last season’s 3rd Division champions New Ferry Rangers 3-0 who are looking for back to back promotions. Carl Hamm with double and a strike from Liam McCrellis for JPL Jets may have just done enough for the third promotion place.
The only game in Division One was Bromborough Rake who defeated Lions 6-0 with efforts from Carl Boyd with a double, supported by singles from Connor Hughes, Charlie Weston, Michael Jeffs and Tom Oliver.
Bromborough Rake now just need one more point to secure the second promotion place to the Premier Division, but they do have to face The Division Champions The Lukes in the final game on Sunday 22 May at Plymyards.
The Lukes in midweek completed a league and cup double. Despite going down 1-0 to Upton Town from a Brendan Doherty goal, The Lukes equalised to take the game to a penalty shootout, and won the Presidents Cup 4-3 (pens) to go alongside the Division Championship.
Whitby Rangers recorded back to back wins 6-1 and 4-1 with latter being against close rivals AFC Park North to lift the Division Three Title. Brad Bland and Dom Hoppe both helping themselves to a brace each with Billy Rainbow replying for AFC Park North.
On the scoresheet in midweek for Whitby Rangers over North Wirral Saints (Zach Wilmer) were Brad Bland with a hattrick and solos from Toby Cogswell, Sam Bartley and Matty Vickers, with the top two clubs already securing promotion and the championship being decided.
Barkers Armchair posted a 6-2 result at one-time promotion hopefuls AFC Tima (Mike Redgrift, Ryan Innes) with Louis Brown leading the way with a treble and supported by efforts from Jack Catterall, Sam Price and Cirian Atkinson in midweek.
In the crunch game last Sunday, Barkers Armchair earned the vital 4-1 win at North Wirral Saints (Callum Sait) to edge them out of a promotion spot. Netting for Barkers were Lee Doyle, Dom Swift, Dom Thomas and Louis Brown to claim that third place in Division Two next season.
With a maximum of two games to go for some of the teams in The Premier Division, the runner-up spot is still up for grabs as four clubs can still claim it. Rivacre FC drew 3-3 with Dock AFC (Levi Chiduka, Kieran Hamm, Jack Kelly.)
In midweek, Dock traded goals and points again with Champions Rock Ferry Social (Josh Dunroe) 1-1. On the mark for the former Champions was Kieran Holsgrove.
A surprise result came from Lancelyn Glenavon with a superb result to dent the challenge of Woodchurch Hotel (Danny Povall) 3-1. Lancelyn goal-getters were Danny Dixon and a pair from Joe Downey.
Draw specialists Beechwood (Mitch Duggan, Robert Courtney) had to share the points for the ninth time and their fifth 2-2 draw of the league campaign with Cheshire CFA finalists Neston Nomads (Luke Blondel, Kasey Smith.)
Tony Houlihan Memorial Challenge Cup
Corsair FC V Woodchurch Hotel FC – Sunday 22 May at Ashville FC Kick Off 2.00pm
The Houlihan’s Birkenhead Sunday Association Football League
The Houlihan’s Birkenhead Sunday Association Football League are now accepting applications for the new season that is scheduled to start in August 2022 in both Open Age and Youth, any Youth clubs that wish to enter two teams can do so, one team will be known Youth U/18’s and a second team is normally known as a Colts U/17’s, please visit the League website for contact details
| Tuesday 10 May 2022 | |
| Division One | |
| Bromborough Rake W | L Woodchurch Rovers |
| Division Two | |
| KRCT FC 6 | 2 MSC Eastham |
| New Ferry Rangers 0 | 3 JPL Jets |
| Prenton FC W | L Saughall FC |
| Division Three | |
| AFC Raeburn 1 | 2 West Kirby United |
| AFC Tima 2 | 6 Barkers Armchair FC |
| Whitby Rangers 6 | 1 North Wirral Saints |
| Thursday 12 May 2022 | |
| Premier Division | |
| Dock AFC 1 | 1 Rock Ferry Social |
| Great Float S&S W | L Lancelyn Glenavon |
| Rivacre FC 0 | 2 Corsair FC |
| Presidents Cup Final | |
| The Lukes FC 4 (1) | (1) 3Upton Town |
| Sunday 15 May 2022 | |
| David Tacy Memorial Trophy Final | |
| Saughall FC 7 | 3 KRCT FC |
| Premier Division | |
| Beechwood FC 2 | 2 Neston Nomads |
| Rivacre FC 3 | 3 Dock AFC |
| Woodchurch Hotel FC 1 | 3 Lancelyn Glenavon |
| Division One | |
| Bromborough Rake 6 | 0 Lions FC |
| Division Two | |
| Eagle Stirrup FC L | W New Ferry Rangers |
| Glenavon Athletic 0 | 2 MSC Eastham |
| Wellington FC 0 | 1 Prenton FC |
| Division Three | |
| North Wirral Saints 1 | 4 Barkers Armchair FC |
| Old Parks FC 5 | 1 Oval FC |
| Whitby Rangers 4 | 1 AFC Park North |
| Wirral Athletic 2 | 4 West Kirby United |
Premier Division Table
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Diff | Pts |
| 1 | Rock Ferry Social | 19 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 54 | 18 | 36 | 47 |
| 2 | Great Float S&S | 18 | 11 | 2 | 5 | 36 | 28 | 8 | 35 |
| 3 | Woodchurch Hotel | 19 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 45 | 27 | 18 | 34 |
| 4 | Dock AFC | 18 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 44 | 27 | 17 | 30 |
| 5 | Rivacre FC | 18 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 46 | 31 | 15 | 30 |
| 6 | Corsair FC | 19 | 8 | 2 | 9 | 33 | 34 | -1 | 26 |
| 7 | Beechwood SC | 19 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 42 | 34 | 8 | 24 |
| 8 | Queens Park | 19 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 39 | 40 | -1 | 24 |
| 9 | Neston Nomads | 19 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 34 | 52 | -18 | 15 |
| 10 | Lancelyn Glenavon | 20 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 23 | 44 | -21 | 13 |
| 11 | FC Bidston | 20 | 3 | 1 | 16 | 28 | 89 | -61 | 10 |
Division One Table
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Diff | Pts |
| 1 | The Lukes FC | 17 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 49 | 10 | 39 | 48 |
| 2 | Bromborough Rake FC | 17 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 51 | 20 | 31 | 40 |
| 3 | Bushell Grange Athletic | 18 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 51 | 23 | 28 | 40 |
| 4 | Upton Town | 18 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 39 | 29 | 10 | 30 |
| 5 | Neston United | 18 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 41 | 52 | -11 | 23 |
| 6 | Wirral Radio FC | 18 | 7 | 1 | 10 | 34 | 40 | -6 | 22 |
| 7 | AFC Shaftes | 18 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 33 | 41 | -8 | 21 |
| 8 | Woodchurch Rovers | 18 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 32 | 34 | -2 | 18 |
| 9 | Poulton Vics S&S | 18 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 25 | 55 | -30 | 13 |
| 10 | Lions FC | 18 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 15 | 66 | -51 | 4 |
Division Two Table
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Diff | Pts |
| 1 | Wellington FC | 19 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 73 | 12 | 61 | 50 |
| 2 | KRCT | 19 | 16 | 0 | 3 | 95 | 24 | 71 | 48 |
| 3 | JPL Jets | 21 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 60 | 26 | 34 | 47 |
| 4 | New Ferry Rangers | 20 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 59 | 18 | 41 | 46 |
| 5 | Prenton FC | 21 | 13 | 1 | 7 | 63 | 36 | 27 | 40 |
| 6 | Victoria Colts | 19 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 29 | 54 | -25 | 24 |
| 7 | MSC Eastham | 20 | 7 | 2 | 11 | 41 | 52 | -11 | 23 |
| 8 | Saughall | 18 | 7 | 1 | 10 | 48 | 39 | 9 | 22 |
| 9 | Eagle & Stirrup FC | 22 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 29 | 71 | -42 | 17 |
| 10 | Barcode FC | 21 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 19 | 59 | -40 | 12 |
| 11 | Silva Athletic | 21 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 24 | 91 | -67 | 11 |
| 12 | Glenavon Athletic | 21 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 26 | 84 | -58 | 9 |
Division Three Table
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Diff | Pts |
| 1 | Whitby Rangers | 22 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 105 | 31 | 74 | 60 |
| 2 | AFC Park North | 21 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 69 | 27 | 42 | 57 |
| 3 | Barkers Armchair FC | 21 | 13 | 2 | 6 | 65 | 41 | 24 | 41 |
| 4 | North Wirral Saints | 20 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 57 | 43 | 14 | 32 |
| 5 | Old Parks FC | 21 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 43 | 37 | 6 | 29 |
| 6 | AFC Tima | 21 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 49 | 52 | -3 | 28 |
| 7 | West Kirby United | 21 | 8 | 2 | 11 | 53 | 54 | -1 | 26 |
| 8 | Oval FC | 21 | 8 | 1 | 12 | 37 | 67 | -30 | 25 |
| 9 | AFC Rangers | 22 | 6 | 2 | 14 | 37 | 66 | -29 | 20 |
| 10 | Wirral Athletic | 22 | 5 | 4 | 13 | 34 | 72 | -38 | 19 |
| 11 | Parkgate St Germain | 21 | 5 | 3 | 13 | 34 | 58 | -24 | 18 |
| 12 | AFC Raeburn | 21 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 36 | 70 | -34 | 11 |
Main image credit: Bob Shaw Action from the David Tacy Memorial Trophy Final
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