Billy Rainbow found his shooting boots for Wellington FC in the David Tacy Memorial Cup in a 4-0 win over Wirral Athletic, notching a fine hat-trick with Ellis Byrne adding the other.
Sheridans FC also made progress to round three, with Leon Jones on hand, firing a treble against Athletic VH. Leon Boweer was also on the mark in a 4-1 success.
Match of the day in The Premier Division saw current champions, Rock Ferry Social, visit Dock AFC who have lifted the title on 10 occaisions at Vauxhalls. Even though they play at the same venue, Rock Ferry have blown the competition wide open even more with a 3- 2 win. Dock threw everything at them in the second half. Chay Dysart, Robbie Hicks, and John Breeze all found the net for The Ferry boys, while Dock replied via Jack Kelly and Jack Wood.
Having played two more games than their three nearest rivals, Beechwood FC have a five point advantage after a 2-0 win in a local derby at Corsair FC, thanks to Owen McMahon and Fenton Cavanagh strikes.
Woodchurch Hotel, who sit in second place, registered a fine 3-0 win at Neston Nomads, with Jordan Deer (2) and a Michael Burkey effort on the mark.
Twenty-one times League Champions, Queens Park FC, have not given up their challenge for the Ryan ‘Gigsy’ Atherton Trophy with a narrow 1-0 win at KRCT Bidston.
The Premier Division gets more and more exciting each week and there are seven clubs with a realistic chance of taking the honours as just a fraction over the half way mark of the fixture list has just passed.
It is a similar story in The Maxwell Barbers Division One as seven teams are looking for promotion to the elusive Premier Division. JPL Jets fired their way into pole position after a resounding 5-2 result at AFC Shaftes. Adam Larway was amongst the goals again with a hat-trick and was supported by a Kevin Day brace. Matt Walsh responded for Shaftes with a double. Post-match, JPL Jets had a whip round for the Shaftes player who suffered a very bad ankle break – what a brilliant gesture in these such hard times.
Bushell Athletic – Jay Lewis Hanson, Ben Glover, Ryan Clarke (2) – moved into second spot, accounting for Woodchurch Rovers 4-1, while unbeaten Upton Town, who have a couple of games in hand, could only share the points with Rig Move 3-3. Netting for Upton were Scott Billington with a pair and a single from Brendan Doherty.
Game of the day in Division Two saw second place Prenton FC romp home to a 9-0 win at third place Saughall and claim top spot. The goal-getters for Prenton were Luke Wynne with a hat-trick and singles from Matty O’Shea, Tom Molloy, Jake Whittaker, Dean Wylde, Tom Leyland, and Jackson McKeever.
Whitby Rangers (Conor Harwood (2), Matty Vickers, Nath Lightfoot, Brad Bland) have only dropped two points and that was in the first game of the season, again took maximum points to enhance their chances of a back-to-back promotions with a fine 5-1 away win at Barkers Armchair.
James Lally, Callum Jones, and Jamie Gibson were on hand for Eagle Stirrup FC, to share the spoils with Poulton Victoria S&S (Liam Jameson, Jack Gordon) in a 3-3 draw with both clubs earning a vital point each.
Barcode FC (Danny France, Paul Johnstone, Alex Tucker) posted a fine win over Glenavon Athletic 3-0 to stay in mid-table.
Unbeaten West Kirby United got back to winning ways with a narrow 1-0 win over North Wirral Saints to stay at the top of Division Three.
It was an early Christmas present for AFC Rangers, who inflicted a rare defeat on Old Parks (Daryl Hellon) with Darren Caplin and Lewis McKnight doing all the damage.
Christmas has definitely come early for AFC Raeburn who have celebrated a first league win of the season thanks to Danny Wharton and Johnny Cable 2-0 over Parkgate Panthers.
Eastham Rangers recorded a 2-0 scoreline and have put themselves in the mix in the top six chasing the three promotion positions, after Martin Marshall and Kieran Hodgson bagged a goal each at Parkgate St Germain.
Higher Bebington Kelma (Connor Cox (2), Adam Clarke) shared the points in a mid-table tussle 3-3 with Oval FC (John Skipsey, Ollie Nicholson 2)
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: Woodchurch Rovers FC (blue/black) v Bushell Grange Athletic FC (red/blue) Credit: Bob Shaw
Premier Division
| # | Team | Pl | HW | HD | HL | AW | AD | AL | W | D | L | F | A | Diff | Pts |
| 1. | BEECHWOOD FC | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 26 | 12 | 14 | 27 |
| 2. | WOODCHURCH HOTEL FC | 10 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 26 | 12 | 14 | 22 |
| 3. | ROCK FERRY SOCIAL | 10 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 30 | 19 | 11 | 22 |
| 4. | DOCK FC | 10 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 25 | 16 | 9 | 21 |
| 5. | QUEENS PARK FC | 9 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 25 | 13 | 12 | 16 |
| 6. | GREAT FLOAT SPORTS & SOCIAL FC | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 22 | 17 | 5 | 14 |
| 7. | NESTON NOMADS | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 15 | -1 | 12 |
| 8. | LANCELYN GLENAVON | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 18 | 30 | -12 | 9 |
| 9. | KRCT BIDSTON FC | 13 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 25 | 48 | -23 | 7 |
| 10. | CORSAIR PV | 10 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 24 | -11 | 3 |
| 11. | THE LUKES FC | 9 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 11 | 29 | -18 | 3 |
Division One
| # | Team | Pl | HW | HD | HL | AW | AD | AL | W | D | L | F | A | Diff | Pts |
| 1. | JPL JETS | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 33 | 9 | 24 | 18 |
| 2. | BUSHELL ATHLETIC | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 6 | 12 | 17 |
| 3. | CHESHIRE CHEESE FC | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 25 | 10 | 15 | 16 |
| 4. | EASTHAM RANGERS COLTS | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 15 |
| 5. | WELLINGTON FC | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 21 | 12 | 9 | 14 |
| 6. | UPTON TOWN FC | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 18 | 7 | 11 | 12 |
| 7. | WIRRAL RADIO FC | 8 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 17 | 20 | -3 | 12 |
| 8. | RIG MOVE SERVICES FC | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 8 |
| 9. | MSC EASTHAM | 11 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 11 | 42 | -31 | 7 |
| 10. | AFC SHAFTES | 10 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 32 | -21 | 3 |
| 11. | WOODCHURCH ROVERS | 8 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 31 | -23 | 1 |
Division Two
| # | Team | Pl | HW | HD | HL | AW | AD | AL | W | D | L | F | A | Diff | Pts |
| 1. | PRENTON FC | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 39 | 5 | 34 | 20 |
| 2. | SHERIDANS FC | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 7 | 23 | 19 |
| 3. | WHITBY RANGERS FC | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 4 | 24 | 16 |
| 4. | SAUGHALL FC | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 26 | 14 | 12 | 13 |
| 5. | LIONS FC | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 13 |
| 6. | BARKERS ARMCHAIR FC | 9 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 32 | -20 | 12 |
| 7. | BARCODE FC | 9 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 13 | -3 | 11 |
| 8. | EAGLE & STIRRUP FC | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 10 |
| 9. | VICTORIA COLTS | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 39 | -27 | 5 |
| 10. | POULTON VICS S&S | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 25 | -15 | 3 |
| 11. | GLENAVON ATHLETIC | 9 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 40 | -36 | 0 |
Division Three
| # | Team | Pl | HW | HD | HL | AW | AD | AL | W | D | L | F | A | Diff | Pts |
| 1. | WEST KIRBY UNITED | 12 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 29 | 16 | 13 | 24 |
| 2. | AFC RANGERS | 10 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 21 |
| 3. | AFC TIMA | 11 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 29 | 26 | 3 | 19 |
| 4. | OLD PARKS FC | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 28 | 18 | 10 | 18 |
| 5. | OVAL FC | 10 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 23 | 15 | 8 | 18 |
| 6. | EASTHAM RANGERS | 9 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 18 | 12 | 6 | 18 |
| 7. | PARKGATE PANTHERS | 10 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 28 | 22 | 6 | 12 |
| 8. | HIGHER BEBINGTON KELMA | 10 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 26 | 24 | 2 | 12 |
| 9. | ATHLETIC VH | 10 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 18 | 16 | 2 | 12 |
| 10. | PARKGATE ST GERMAIN | 8 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 21 | -7 | 8 |
| 11. | WIRRAL ATHLETIC | 11 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 21 | 47 | -26 | 7 |
| 12. | NORTH WIRRAL SAINTS | 9 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 16 | 22 | -6 | 5 |
| 13. | AFC RAEBURN | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 14 | 35 | -21 | 4 |
Why not follow birkenhead.news on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter? You can also send story ideas to news@birkenhead.news
Subscribe to our FREE newsletter