Despite efforts from Jamie Leyland and Jack Ledsham, MSC Express West Cheshire League Division One reigning champions, Mersey Royal, suffered their first defeat of the season when replies from Chris Hughes, Mark Barnes and Alex Kelly inspired hosts, Aintree Villa, to a 3-2 victory.
That result enabled the chasing pack to take closer order, after third-placed rivals, Newton, posted a 6-1 result over Marshalls while fellow title contenders, Mossley Hill Ath. and new leaders, Bootle St. Edmunds shared the points following a 1-1 stalemate, which saw a goal from Mossley’s Jake Skyner negated by a reply from Saints’ Brad Shearwood.
George Maddock obliged for Marine U23s but it was Chester Nomads who profited, with efforts from Ben Coward (3), Brandon Dickinson, and Hugo Barreto-Eames securing a 5-1 victory. Capenhurst Villa romped home by the same score line at Prescot Cables Res. courtesy of goals from Ryan Nicoll (2), Jamie Easton, Richie McQuade, and Dom Hoppe. Cables netted via Ryan McMahon.
Fifth-placed challengers, Maghull, stayed in contention, after Robbie McDonald, Sam Lawrenson, and Charlie Taylor scored in a 3-0 win at Rainhill Town.
In midweek, basement outfit Prescot Cables Res., took a break from league activity and enjoyed a 3-0 win against former WCL members Rainford Utd. in the Liverpool LCFA Challenge Cup. Ben Jackson, Charlie Glennon and Dave Bockarie were the marksmen.
Division Two leaders, Poulton Victoria, made maximum returns from their first ten outings, after winning 5-1 at South Sefton Borough, inspired by a Frankie Ward hat-trick. Further goals from Jason Bull and Liam Grealish completed the scoring with Sam Dempsey in reply for Borough.
A smart double from Tom Black was supplemented by further efforts from Fenton Cavanagh, Danny McLoughlin, and Ellis Byrne as Mallaby won 5-2 against Mossley Hill Ath. Res., who had Harvey Bleasdale and Jack Boden on the mark.
South Liverpool Res., with goals from Jahquesa Smith (3) and Adam Shelton led second-placed Ashville Res. 4-1, but were deprived of maximum spoils after efforts from Robbie Williams, Leighton Clarke, Danni Kelly, Jordan Dilworth, and Billy Rainbow swung a 5-4 decision in favour of the visitors.
A goal from Cheshire Lines‘ Andy Dickson was surpassed by a double from West Kirby‘s Ollie Dutton. Lee Ludgate also struck twice, in helping third-placed Sutton Ath. to 3-1 result at Maghull Res. Joe Whittle also made the scoresheet for Sutton with Harry Monaghan scoring Maghull’s consolation.
Goals from Will Quayle and Lewis Elwood failed to prevent Marshalls Res., from capitulating 5-2 at home to Bootle Res., who sealed the issue thanks to efforts from Mambou Djabi (2). Salam Djabi, Cam Grant, and an own goal.
On target for Helsby in their 4-1 eclipse of Poulton Royal were Josh Clayton (2), Jack Samuel, and Jamie Hooper. The New Brighton outfit replied through Harvey Bolton.
Division Three leaders, Aintree Villa Res., increased their lead at the top to ten points, when goals from Dylan Lawless (2) and Dave Pursglove clinched a 3-1 win at third-placed challengers, Higher Bebington Kelma, who had Jamie Balderston on target.
Second-placed Neston Nomads scored through Will Sara-Kelly (2) and Cam Meadows but had to settle for a share of the spoils when replies from Dan O’Halloran, Harry Huggins, and Sam Sutton-Jeffs helped local rivals, Heswall Res. to a 3-3 draw, which enabled third placed Poulton Vics. Res. to make up ground, Jack Walker (3), Neal Ellison (2), Kyle Bennett (2), Tom Breslin, Ant Jacobs, and Leo Jones finding the net in a 10-1 rout of Helsby Res., who responded through Tom Brady.
Also on the receiving end were Ellesmere Port Town Res. who crashed 6-0 to efforts from Hooton‘s Matt Redmond (3), Danny Cross, Lloyd Ithell, and Ben Noble.
Harley O’Brien-Williams claimed all three goals as Capenhurst Villa Res. savoured a 3-2 success over Rainhill Town Res., Callum Gorman and Lewis Peterson scoring for the losers.
A goal apiece from Spencer Postles and Cam Clarke earned Chester Nomads Res. a 2-1 win over Groves who scored through Ryan Maxwell.
West Kirby Res. had Thomas Davies on target at South Liverpool 3rds, but the hosts proved the better side on the day, and emerged 4-1 victors courtesy of efforts from Joe Ferguson (2), John Foulkes, and Jeff Adekunie.
Saturday’s Youth Division action saw leaders Mossley Hill Ath. maintain their four-point cushion at the top, after Asher Duncan (2), Charlie Fisher (2), and Yasine Warsane hit the target in a 5-2 victory over Ormskirk West End, who answered via Charlie Hogan and Adam Procter but that result failed to deter nearest rivals, South Liverpool, who won 3-2 at Runcorn Linnets with goals from Louie Smith, Richie Mellor, and Steve Swindells, with Jake Hill bagging both replies for Linnets.
Josh Jeffery, Danny McHugh, and Will Fitzgerald made the scoresheet as Vauxhall Motors edged a 3-2 decision over Maghull, Harry Ley and Lewis Jones scoring for the visitors.
Elsewhere, City of Liverpool, thanks to efforts from Sam Craig, Will Harrison, Sean Pollard and Mickey May overcame BRNESC 4-3. Jack Todd, Alex McDermott, and Shea Housey netted the visitors’ consolations.
First Division
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS |
| 1 | FC Bootle St Edmund’s | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 37 | 10 | 27 | 25 |
| 2 | Mersey Royal | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 30 | 5 | 25 | 24 |
| 3 | Newton | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 30 | 10 | 20 | 22 |
| 4 | Mossley Hill Athletic | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 21 | 9 | 12 | 19 |
| 5 | Maghull | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 22 | 15 | 7 | 18 |
| 6 | Vauxhall Motors Res | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 24 | 20 | 4 | 18 |
| 7 | Capenhurst Villa | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 29 | 27 | 2 | 16 |
| 8 | Marshalls | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 20 | -5 | 12 |
| 9 | Litherland Remyca Res | 11 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 23 | 31 | -8 | 12 |
| 10 | Aintree Villa | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 21 | 27 | -6 | 11 |
| 11 | Rainhill Town | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 21 | -9 | 11 |
| 12 | Ellesmere Port Town | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 24 | 26 | -2 | 10 |
| 13 | Marine U23s | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 16 | 20 | -4 | 8 |
| 14 | Chester Nomads | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 18 | 28 | -10 | 7 |
| 15 | Heswall | 9 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 20 | -13 | 6 |
| 16 | Prescot Cables Res | 12 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 51 | -40 | 4 |
Second Division
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS |
| 1 | Poulton Victoria | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 5 | 17 | 30 |
| 2 | Ashville Res | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 34 | 24 | 10 | 22 |
| 3 | Sutton Athletic | 11 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 29 | 22 | 7 | 21 |
| 4 | Helsby | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 22 | 10 | 12 | 17 |
| 5 | Mallaby | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 28 | 22 | 6 | 17 |
| 6 | Maghull Res | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 16 |
| 7 | South Liverpool Res | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 22 | 23 | -1 | 13 |
| 8 | Runcorn Sports | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 8 | 9 | 12 |
| 9 | Mossley Hill Athletic Res | 10 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 21 | 27 | -6 | 12 |
| 10 | Cheshire Lines | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 16 | -4 | 11 |
| 11 | West Kirby | 10 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 30 | -20 | 9 |
| 12 | Bootle Res | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 15 | -3 | 6 |
| 13 | Poulton Royal | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 14 | 20 | -6 | 6 |
| 14 | South Sefton Borough | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 24 | -14 | 4 |
| 15 | Marshalls Res | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 10 | 29 | -19 | 0 |
Third Division
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS |
| 1 | Aintree Villa Res | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 46 | 9 | 37 | 32 |
| 2 | Neston Nomads | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 27 | 16 | 11 | 22 |
| 3 | Poulton Victoria Res | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 26 | 12 | 14 | 19 |
| 4 | Higher Bebington Kelma | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 7 | 11 | 19 |
| 5 | Helsby Res | 13 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 39 | 38 | 1 | 18 |
| 6 | Hooton | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 29 | 22 | 7 | 15 |
| 7 | Capenhurst Villa Res | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 17 | 19 | -2 | 14 |
| 8 | South Liverpool Third | 10 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 23 | 20 | 3 | 13 |
| 9 | Runcorn Sports Res | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 18 | 25 | -7 | 13 |
| 10 | Chester Nomads Res | 13 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 16 | 30 | -14 | 11 |
| 11 | Groves Athletic | 11 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 15 | 21 | -6 | 10 |
| 12 | Ellesmere Port Town Res | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 15 | 31 | -16 | 10 |
| 13 | Rainhill Town Res | 10 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 13 | 28 | -15 | 9 |
| 14 | West Kirby Res | 11 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 21 | 32 | -11 | 8 |
| 15 | Heswall Res | 11 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 14 | 27 | -13 | 7 |
Youth Division
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS |
| 1 | Mossley Hill Athletic | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 7 | 21 | 19 |
| 2 | South Liverpool | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 14 | 6 | 15 |
| 3 | Poulton Victoria | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 9 |
| 4 | BRNESC | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 9 |
| 5 | City of Liverpool | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 11 | -1 | 7 |
| 6 | Vauxhall Motors | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 14 | -3 | 7 |
| 7 | Ormskirk West End | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 10 | -1 | 6 |
| 8 | Runcorn Linnets | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 19 | -6 | 6 |
| 9 | Victoria Colts U18 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 17 | -8 | 4 |
| 10 | Maghull | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 23 | -18 | 0 |
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