AFC Shaftes secured their passage into the second round of the Tony Houlihan Memorial Challenge Cup, shooting down JPL Jets on penalties after both teams were locked in a 2-2 draw after 90minutes.
Kevin Day and Adam Larway were on the mark for Jets, while Kyle Platt and Eddie Jebb netted for Shaftes.
Upton Town also eased their way through with a convincing 7-2 win at North Wirral Saints, thanks to Matty Crawford with a treble, and singles from Liam Healy, Leigh Carter, Jack Evans, and Tom Ward. Saints replied via Mike Manser and Sam Platt.
Wirral Radio called the tune in another penalty shoot-out 5-3 at Barkers Armchair in The David Keith Tacy Cup first round clash. Mike Searson for Armchair and Josh Ross for Radio boys after the scores were level 1-1 after normal regulatory time.
In an all Division Two clash, newcomers Sheridan’s saw off the challenge of Eagle Stirrup (James Lally) 3-1 with Leon Jones, Leon Bower, and Dylan Doyle netting for the Wallasey Village side.
Cheshire Cheese eased to a comfortble win at nine-man AFC Park North to secure their place in round two.
Game of the day was in the Premier Division of The Houlihan’s Birkenhead Sunday Association Football League, with Dock AFC losing their 100% record. Hosts Dock went 1-0 up midway through the first half through Danny Cross, but Woodchurch Hotel FC hit back 10 minutes later from Jake Prescott who hammered home to make it 1-1.
Jordan Deer put the Woody boys in front, and then Jonathan Roberts hit another breathtaking goal from the edge of the box. The best was yet to come from Michael Burkey who hit another pile driver into the roof of the net to secure all three points. It has certainly put a small dent into AFC Dock’s hopes of picking up another title,
It is definitely one of the best Premier Division seasons in the Ryan ‘Gigsy’ Atherton Trophy for many years. Hot on the heels of Dock are Beechwood FC who had Jack McGrotty on hand to earn all three points 1-0 at the The Lukes FC.
Honours were even between Corsair PV (Jason Bull) and Neston Nomads (Callum Blondel, Callum Hulmston) 2-2. With the demise of Bromborough Rake last week, Corsair lost their points from their only win a couple of weeks ago but have now registered a point.
Goals were plentiful between KRCT Bidston and Lancelyn Glenavon. Lancelyn claimed their second maximum points haul 5-3 with Connor Courtnel, Danny Dixon, Joe Downey, John Adediran, and Cal France all on the mark. Replying for KRCT were John Mearns, Alan Goodhall, and Ben Kearney.
There was hair raising moment in the Maxwell Barber’s Division One with Bushell Athletic inflicting a rare defeat on Wellington FC 2-0. Wayne Gibbons opened the scoring and Ben Glover followed up with a worldie and moved into second place.
Eastham Rangers Colts registered their first win scalping Rig Move FC thanks to marksmen Nath Rowe and Harry Davies.
Woodchurch Rovers picked up their first point of the season with a 0-0 draw at MSC Eastham.
One the mark in the eclipse of Victoria Colts (Mike Williams) in Division Two were Tom Leyland (2), Ryan Morris, Tom Molloy, and Luke Wynne for Prenton FC, who have taken second spot on goal difference.
Saughall FC (Tom Ashcroft (3), Ben Noble (2), Craig Johnson, Andy Noonan, Ben Beard, Terry Ainswoth) found their shooting boots romping to a 9-0 scoreline over Glenavon Athletic.
A Matty Murphy strike and a brace from Robbie Douglas were enough for West Kirby United to maintain their fine form 3-0 over Higher Bebington Kelma in Division Three.
Oval FC shaped up with a narrow 2-1 win at Parkgate Panthers (Hawkins) from Ollie Nicholson and evergreen John Skipsey.
Athletic VH shared the spoils with AFC Raeburn (Dan Owen, Dan Piggott) 2-2, it was Raeburn’s first point of the new campaign.
With the same scoreline, Eastham Rangers (Martin Marshall, Kieran Hodgson) shared the honours with AFC Rangers (Billy Newman, Shaun Anderson) who are both chasing the teams at the top.
AFC Tima (Albie Mitchell (3) and Kyle Pulford accounted for Wirral Athletic (Joe Roberts, Harry Huggins).
The Houlihan’s Birkenhead Sunday Association Football League are now accepting applications for a proposed Youth Division for the season 2023/24 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: Bob Shaw. West Kirby United FC v Higher Bebington Kelma
Premier Division Table
| # | Team | Pl | HW | HD | HL | AW | AD | AL | W | D | L | F | A | Diff | Pts |
| 1. | DOCK FC | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 10 | 8 | 18 |
| 2. | BEECHWOOD FC | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 8 | 6 | 17 |
| 3. | QUEENS PARK FC | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 12 |
| 4. | WOODCHURCH HOTEL FC | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 12 |
| 5. | ROCK FERRY SOCIAL | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 11 | 5 | 10 |
| 6. | GREAT FLOAT SPORTS & SOCIAL FC | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 14 | 1 | 9 |
| 7. | NESTON NOMADS | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 8 |
| 8. | LANCELYN GLENAVON | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 19 | -7 | 8 |
| 9. | KRCT BIDSTON FC | 8 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 21 | 33 | -12 | 6 |
| 10. | THE LUKES FC | 8 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 23 | -14 | 3 |
| 11. | CORSAIR PV | 6 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 17 | -8 | 1 |
Division One Table
| # | Team | Pl | HW | HD | HL | AW | AD | AL | W | D | L | F | A | Diff | Pts |
| 1. | JPL JETS | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 3 | 15 | 12 |
| 2. | BUSHELL ATHLETIC | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 11 |
| 3. | WELLINGTON FC | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 8 |
| 4. | UPTON TOWN FC | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 7 |
| 5. | CHESHIRE CHEESE FC | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 7 |
| 6. | RIG MOVE SERVICES FC | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 7 |
| 7. | MSC EASTHAM | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 21 | -11 | 7 |
| 8. | EASTHAM RANGERS COLTS | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 10 | -3 | 5 |
| 9. | AFC SHAFTES | 7 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 22 | -14 | 3 |
| 10. | WOODCHURCH ROVERS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | -6 | 1 |
| 11. | WIRRAL RADIO FC | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 0 |
Division Two Table
| # | Team | Pl | HW | HD | HL | AW | AD | AL | W | D | L | F | A | Diff | Pts |
| 1. | WHITBY RANGERS FC | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 2 | 20 | 13 |
| 2. | PRENTON FC | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 4 | 15 | 11 |
| 3. | BARCODE FC | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 11 |
| 4. | SAUGHALL FC | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 5 | 19 | 10 |
| 5. | SHERIDANS FC | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 5 | 15 | 10 |
| 6. | LIONS FC | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 7 |
| 7. | EAGLE & STIRRUP FC | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
| 8. | BARKERS ARMCHAIR FC | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 15 | -9 | 6 |
| 9. | AFC PARK NORTH | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 17 | -11 | 3 |
| 10. | GLENAVON ATHLETIC | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 26 | -20 | 3 |
| 11. | POULTON VICS S&S | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 20 | -15 | 2 |
| 12. | VICTORIA COLTS | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 25 | -18 | 2 |
Division Three Table
| # | Team | Pl | HW | HD | HL | AW | AD | AL | W | D | L | F | A | Diff | Pts |
| 1. | OLD PARKS FC | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 8 | 11 | 14 |
| 2. | WEST KIRBY UNITED | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 7 | 11 | 14 |
| 3. | OVAL FC | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 13 |
| 4. | EASTHAM RANGERS | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 12 | 2 | 12 |
| 5. | AFC RANGERS | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 12 |
| 6. | AFC TIMA | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 17 | 20 | -3 | 9 |
| 7. | HIGHER BEBINGTON KELMA | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 10 | 6 | 8 |
| 8. | PARKGATE PANTHERS | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 7 |
| 9. | PARKGATE ST GERMAIN | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 7 | -1 | 6 |
| 10. | ATHLETIC VH | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 4 |
| 11. | WIRRAL ATHLETIC | 7 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 15 | 32 | -17 | 4 |
| 12. | NORTH WIRRAL SAINTS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 15 | -8 | 1 |
| 13. | AFC RAEBURN | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 21 | -13 | 1 |
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