Clubs from The Houlihan’s Birkenhead Sunday Association Football League continue to dominate the Wirral District Football Association Sunday Cup competitions, having an all-Birkenhead final in both The Sunday Premier Cup and Sunday Amateur Cup.
It is looking favourable in the Sunday Junior Cup, but that is still a couple of ties behind and are guaranteed at least one finalist.
Whitby Rangers crushed Vineyard FC, to secure a place in the WDFA Sunday Amateur Cup Final, 5-1. Thanks to marksmen Tom Ruffer, Matty Vickers (2), Brad Bland, and Kie Fair, they will meet fellow league members and current holders, Wellington FC, who shot down Trident FC, with Brad Greer hitting a fine double.
There was plenty of action at Vauxhalls S&S’ fabulous sports fields, with both WDFA Sunday Premier Cup semi-finals taking place there. Jack Brown put Rock Ferry Social into the lead, but an 85th minute equaliser from Beechwood’s Rob Cull took the game to penalties. Beechwood took the honours 5-3.
The second semi-final was between old rivals Queens Park and Dock AFC. It was just a solitary goal from Kieran Hamm that settled the score, with Dock AFC securing a place in the final that will be played at Cammell Lairds on Wednesday 26 April with a 7.00pm kick off.
AFC Tima move into the quarter-finals of the WDFA Sunday Junior Cup by beating AC Innovent 6-5 on penalties after the game finished 0-0 after normal regulatory time.
Lancelyn Glenavon made it five Houlihan’s Birkenhead Sunday League teams into the last eight of the Cheshire County Football Association Sunday Challenge Cup after a narrow 2-1 win over Organ Athletic. Tom Wingfield hit the first with a worldy and Danny Stevens notched the vital second to secure their passage into the quarter-finals.
Domestic cup action saw AFC Shaftes claiming a place in round 4 of The Tony Houlihan Memorial Challenge Cup after finishing on 90 minutes 2-2 with Lions FC they took the tie 4- 1 on penalties.
Also into the last 16 are KRCT Bidston after notching a comfortable 5-2 success against Eastham Rangers (Martin Marshall). Netting for Bidston was Tyler Gill with a brace, supported by singles from Vinny O’Toole, Ben Kearney, and Thomas Murray.
It was an all Maxwell Barbers Division One clash in the David Tacy Cup round 2 tie when Eastham Rangers eased through after Nath Saunders led the way with a fine hat-trick while Cole Saunders and Matty Howe added one each over Woodchurch Rovers.
Upton Town sank MSC Eastham in the quarter-finals of the Frank Robinson Presidents Cup and sailed into the semi-finals after posting a 2-0 result with Brendan Doherty and Danny Andrews on the scoresheet.
Victoria Colts left their league form behind to claim a place in the last four of the Tony Smith Memorial Cup at Barkers Armchair FC, registering an impressive 3-1 scoreline that was mainly due to goal-getters Robbie Campbell and a double from Mike Williams. Barkers responded via Lee Doyle.
Woodchurch Hotel triumphed 5-0 over Neston Nomads and maintained pole position In the Premier Division. Jordan Deer with a pair, Ben Dufton-Kelly, an of, and Mark Madden finding the net in a five-star display. Woodchurch are now just slight favourites, but there are plenty more games to be played to lift the Ryan ‘Gigsy’ Atherton Trophy. Great Float accounted for Corsair PV (Nathan Brady) 2-1.
Match of the day in the Maxwell Barbers Division One saw leaders Bushell Athletic host second-placed JPL Jets, with Jets taking maximum points and closing the gap to two points with three games in hand. Jake Smith and Kyle Bennett were on hand for Jets in the 2-0 win.
It was a similar situation in Division Two with second-placed Bedford FC visiting division leaders Prenton FC. Bedford put their markers down in an attempt to gain promotion to the Maxwell Barbers Division One. They had all the answers for Prenton FC and leapfrogged them with a solid 4-1 victory. Marksmen for Bedford (Ian Sheridan) were Leon Jones (2), Dylan Doyle, and Louis Brown.
A slightly surprising result saw Barcode FC take the spoils with a resounding 6-1 result over Saughall FC (Andy Noonan). Kenny Hawks bagged a four-timer for the black n white stripes with Neil Davies chipping in with a couple.
Poulton Victoria S&S (Liam Jameson (2), Lewis McBurney-Dodd, Ryan Mason) earned maximum points 4-1 with Glenavon Athletic.
An Adam Clarke strike separated the sides between Higher Bebington Kelma and West Kirby United. Mid-table Kelma put the blocks on West Kirby, increasing their lead at the helm of Division Three.
Old Parks (Cody Blackburn, James Swindlehurst, Jack Harrison) took full advantage to chase down West Kirby to narrow the gap to three points with three games in hand and both have almost identical goal difference after recording a 3-1 win over North Wirral Saints (Ben Done).
AFC Rangers (Peter McNulty, Shaun Anderson) lost a little bit of ground after consecutive 2-2 draws this week the points were shared with Athletic VH.
Oval FC, who are aiming for a place in the three automatic promotion places, enhanced their chances with a firm three points 3-1 against Parkgate Panthers (Jay Harvey). John Skipsey, Ollie Nicholson, and Michael Simpson all made the scoresheet.
Wirral Athletic (Joe Roberts, Jake Ives) collected all the points in a bottom half of the division tussle with Parkgate St Germain (John Gibson).
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: Wirral Fa Sunday Amateur Cup Third Round – Vineyard FC (Blue) v Whitby Rangers FC (Yellow). Credit: Bob Shaw
Premier Division
| # | Team | Pl | HW | HD | HL | AW | AD | AL | W | D | L | F | A | Diff | Pts |
| 1. | WOODCHURCH HOTEL FC | 12 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 34 | 14 | 20 | 28 |
| 2. | ROCK FERRY SOCIAL | 12 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 34 | 23 | 11 | 25 |
| 3. | BEECHWOOD FC | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 25 | 12 | 13 | 24 |
| 4. | DOCK FC | 10 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 21 |
| 5. | QUEENS PARK FC | 11 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 27 | 15 | 12 | 19 |
| 6. | GREAT FLOAT SPORTS & SOCIAL FC | 9 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 21 | 16 | 5 | 14 |
| 7. | NESTON NOMADS | 11 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 25 | -11 | 9 |
| 8. | LANCELYN GLENAVON | 12 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 17 | 33 | -16 | 9 |
| 9. | CORSAIR PV | 12 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 16 | 28 | -12 | 6 |
| 10. | KRCT BIDSTON FC | 14 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 22 | 54 | -32 | 4 |
Division One
| # | Team | Pl | HW | HD | HL | AW | AD | AL | W | D | L | F | A | Diff | Pts |
| 1. | BUSHELL ATHLETIC | 12 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 27 | 12 | 15 | 26 |
| 2. | JPL JETS | 9 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 35 | 9 | 26 | 24 |
| 3. | CHESHIRE CHEESE FC | 9 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 31 | 10 | 21 | 19 |
| 4. | WELLINGTON FC | 9 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 27 | 17 | 10 | 17 |
| 5. | EASTHAM RANGERS COLTS | 9 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 23 | 16 | 7 | 16 |
| 6. | UPTON TOWN FC | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 20 | 11 | 9 | 12 |
| 7. | WIRRAL RADIO FC | 10 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 17 | 26 | -9 | 12 |
| 8. | RIG MOVE SERVICES FC | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 11 |
| 9. | MSC EASTHAM | 12 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 11 | 42 | -31 | 7 |
| 10. | AFC SHAFTES | 11 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 34 | -22 | 3 |
| 11. | WOODCHURCH ROVERS | 10 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 12 | 38 | -26 | 2 |
Division Two
| # | Team | Pl | HW | HD | HL | AW | AD | AL | W | D | L | F | A | Diff | Pts |
| 1. | BEDFORD FC | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 10 | 29 | 25 |
| 2. | PRENTON FC | 11 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 42 | 9 | 33 | 23 |
| 3. | BARCODE FC | 12 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 21 | 17 | 4 | 20 |
| 4. | WHITBY RANGERS FC | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 4 | 24 | 16 |
| 5. | LIONS FC | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 16 |
| 6. | SAUGHALL FC | 9 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 29 | 25 | 4 | 13 |
| 7. | BARKERS ARMCHAIR FC | 10 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 35 | -21 | 12 |
| 8. | EAGLE & STIRRUP FC | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 10 | -1 | 10 |
| 9. | POULTON VICS S&S | 10 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 15 | 27 | -12 | 9 |
| 10. | VICTORIA COLTS | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 39 | -27 | 5 |
| 11. | GLENAVON ATHLETIC | 11 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 46 | -42 | 0 |
Division Three
| # | Team | Pl | HW | HD | HL | AW | AD | AL | W | D | L | F | A | Diff | Pts |
| 1. | WEST KIRBY UNITED | 16 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 37 | 22 | 15 | 30 |
| 2. | OLD PARKS FC | 13 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 38 | 22 | 16 | 27 |
| 3. | AFC RANGERS | 12 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 29 | 19 | 10 | 23 |
| 4. | OVAL FC | 12 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 28 | 19 | 9 | 21 |
| 5. | AFC TIMA | 12 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 30 | 27 | 3 | 20 |
| 6. | EASTHAM RANGERS | 10 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 20 | 16 | 4 | 18 |
| 7. | HIGHER BEBINGTON KELMA | 12 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 29 | 26 | 3 | 16 |
| 8. | PARKGATE PANTHERS | 12 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 30 | 25 | 5 | 15 |
| 9. | ATHLETIC VH | 12 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 21 | 19 | 2 | 14 |
| 10. | WIRRAL ATHLETIC | 13 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 25 | 51 | -26 | 10 |
| 11. | PARKGATE ST GERMAIN | 11 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 16 | 25 | -9 | 9 |
| 12. | NORTH WIRRAL SAINTS | 11 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 20 | 27 | -7 | 8 |
| 13. | AFC RAEBURN | 12 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 15 | 40 | -25 | 5 |
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