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The race for the Maxwell Barbers Division One title has been blown even further wide open with the top three clubs all losing in midweek.
No doubt there will be a few hair-raising moments over the next four-five weeks when the championship could be won by any of the top seven clubs.
Adam Larway shot a fabulous hat-trick for JPL Jets but could only manage a 3-3 draw with Upton Town who had Tom Ward bagging a pair and a Brendan Doherty strike. JPL Jets finished outside of the automatic promotion places last season but were invited up to get a better balance for the whole league and have remarkably well so far, currently sitting at the top of the table. Upton Town has nine league games to play as do Rig Move who also have a booking in the Frank Robinson Presidents Cup Final and a place in the Tony Houlihan Memorial Challenge Cup semi-final on Easter Sunday.
Rig Move scalped leaders Bushell Athletic 3-1 (Stuart Toner) with strikes from Lee Ludgate and Ellis Williams (2).
Wellington FC have secured back-to-back wins; 1-0 at Cheshire Cheese in midweek and a narrow 2-1 success over Woodchurch Rovers on Sunday. Paul Ellison was the hero who knocked the smiles of Cheshire Cheese while Shay Roberts and Nathan Leyland secured the points away from Woodchurch Rovers (Liam Williams).
After their midweek setback, Cheshire Cheese put in a five-star performance. Calling the tunes were Luke Warrington, Sam Hughes, Lewis Gouldson (2), and Lorcan Rogan; 5-1 at Wirral Radio (Aaron Buckley).
It was an Adam Lea strike that separated Dock AFC and Great Float S&S in last season’s final of the Veronica Conway Premier Cup but this time Adam netted twice for Dock AFC and a Kieran Hamm effort with Great Float Sports & Social after both teams finished the game at 3-3.
On the mark for Great Float were Jake Stewart with a brace and a Frankie Ward effort. It then became a penalty shootout and it was the Float goalkeeper, Tom Byrne, who was the hero of the hour anchoring his team with three penalty saves.
Great Float will meet Queens Park on Sunday 16 April at Villa Park (Cross Lane) with a 2.00pm kick off .
It is now looking to be a three-club race to lift the Ryan ‘Gigsy’ Atherton Trophy. Woodchurch Hotel moved into pole position after securing a 3-0 result over Queens Park, with Danny McLaughlin, Ben Holes, and Danny Povall all netting. They remain unbeaten in their league with four games to go and some are key games and could be title deciders.
Beechwood FC returned maximum points from two games in the last few days and are level on points with Woodchurch Hotel but have played a game more. In midweek, Morgan Woods hit a first-half hat-trick combined with Mitch Duggan strike against Great Float S&S 4-1. The week end saw a 3-0 win over KRCT, with Charlie Macinnes, Rob Cull, and Jack McGrotty on the scoresheet.
Bedford FC continue to head up Division Two after a six points haul the latter being in a 3-0 eclipse of Lions FC. Leon Jones, Mike Sweeney, and Ben Cotgrave all making their mark on the scoresheet.
Prenton FC got back to winning ways after a 4-1 reversal in midweek at Whitby Rangers with a 5-3 result at Victoria Colts. Respective goalgetters were Luke Wynne (2), Tom Fenley, Iain Bennett, and Ryan Youds, Gaz Dickinson (2), and Billy Harrison.
A late surge is expected from Whitby Rangers who have nine games in hand on some clubs and are also in two cup finals. They are currently lying in fourth place, having only dropped two points all season.
Old Parks continue to hunt down silverware; they have a semi-final in The David Tacy Cup this week and are handily placed in Division Three after a resounding 5-0 win (pictured) at AFC Raeburn. A vital point was earned in midweek with Oval FC. Ash Power (2), Jack Harrison, James Kirkham, and Declan Iveson found the net at Raeburn.
Old Parks have five games in hand on West Kirby United who only have one game to play and are just three points behind but have few tough games to play. They are closely followed by AFC Rangers (Ben Hobden, Lewis McKnight, Peter McNulty) who slipped up with a 3-4 reversal with Wirral Athletic (Jake Ives (2), Danny Allen, Joe Roberts). It was the perfect warm-up for Wirral Athletic who have a cup final to play on Thursday 6 April with Athletic VH at Ashville FC with a 7.00m kick off.
Fourth-placed Oval FC (John Skipsey), who are also on 18 games played, had to trade goals and points with AFC Tima (Mike Redgrift).
The Wirral District Football Association was dealt a blow and had to pull The Junior Cup Final that was scheduled for Sunday between Eastham Rangers (Jack Jones, Jordan Crowder pen) and Higher Bebington Kelma but with the co-operation of both clubs, a league was organised with less than 24 hours notice. The game finished with the honours even at 2-2
The Houlihan’s Birkenhead Sunday League has secured a two-year sponsorship extension with Maxwell Barbers that helps to keep grassroots costs down for the clubs.
The Houlihan’s Birkenhead Sunday Association Football League are now accepting applications from new prospective clubs to join the League for the 2023-2024 season, a limited number of vacancies are available also a proposed Youth Division for the same season that is scheduled to start in August 2024, any Youth clubs that wish to enter two teams can do so, one team will be known as 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.
Images: AFC Raeburn (Red) v Old Parks FC (Yellow) – Credit: Bob Shaw
Premier Division
Division One
Division Two
Division Three
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