Reigning MSC Express West Cheshire League Division One champions, Mersey Royal, won 2-1 at Capenhurst Villa thanks to a Kieran Cartwright effort and an own goal and as a result, extended their advantage at the top to seven points with two games in hand.
McKenzie James bagged the hosts’ consolation and as other results went in their favour, the Royal are firmly on course to retain the title they won for the first time last season.
Nearest rivals, Bootle St. Edmunds, scored through Karl Bergvist and Brad Shearwood but forfeited ground after Maghull hit back via Chris Wilkinson and an own goal. It was a similar story for third-placed Newton, who had Ryan Beigan on the mark but were denied maximum spoils due to an equaliser from Aintree Villa‘s Sam Dahl.
At the other end of the table, basement outfit, Ellesmere Port Town, had a goal from Harvey Foster to show for their efforts, but were second best on the day at Litherland Remyca Res. who played their joker in four-goal hot-shot Elliot Taylor. Further efforts from Jake Preston and Ellis Carroll completed a 6-1 rout.
Fellow strugglers, Heswall, suffered another bad day at the office when Connor Anderson (2) and Owen Cassidy obliged to earn fourth-placed Mossley Hill Ath. a 3-0 result.
Despite a goal from Stewart Jackson, Vauxhall Motors Res. capitulated 2-1 to replies from Marshalls‘ Jacob Till and Callum Hodgkinson.
Elsewhere, the points were shared after a double from Chester Nomads‘ Brandon Dickinson was negated by a Dave Kelly effort and an own goal for Rainhill Town.
Division Two’s match of the day saw leaders, Poulton Vics, and third-placed Helsby battle out a 0-0 stalemate which left Vics six points in credit at the top, while Runcorn Sports upped the ante in their promotion bid after goals from Ryan Burnell (2) and Steve Woodward sealed a 3-2 victory at a depleted Mallaby, who had Seb Pierce and Paul Ellison in reply.
South Sefton Borough, with goals from Sam Dempsey (2) and Sean Robinson, pulled off a welcome 3-0 win at Poulton Royal, who in midweek had recorded a surprise 4-0 victory at promotion candidates, Ashville Res.
90 minutes failed to produce a goal between Mossley Hill Ath. Res. and West Kirby while in contrast, there was no stopping Bootle Res., who romped home 7-1 against Cheshire Lines. Doubles from Cam Grant and Baf Djabi were supplemented by further efforts from Jack Barton, Joe Williams and Sal Djabi. Andrew Dickinson found the net for the visitors.
There was a shock result in Division Three, as current leaders and Wirral DFA Amateur Cup finalists, Hooton, crashed 5-0 at home to Chester Nomads Res. who celebrated the win courtesy of efforts from Mitch Mowatt, Curtis Hall, Jamie Edge, Marco Appollonio, and Spencer Postles.
Second-placed Aintree Villa Res. duly took advantage, and eroded the leaders’ advantage to a couple of points with two games in hand, after they recorded an 8-0 triumph at Ellesmere Port Town Res. Dave Pursglove was a four-goal hero with Jamie Watkinson, Dylan Lawless, Jay Felton, and Paul Jackson also making the scoresheet.
Sam Telford netted for Helsby Res., but it was visitors, Poulton Vics Res., who profited; Neal Ellison and Derek McShane replying in a 2-1 result. The winning margin was the same for West Kirby Res. who eclipsed Neston Nomads with efforts from Ashton Jameson and Ben Keane. The visitors scored through Joe O’Donnell.
Despite goals from Steve McLeod and Owen Haycock, Runcorn Sports Res., went down 3-2 at home to replies from Groves‘ Jack Sailes (2) and Ryan Maxwell.
Saturday’s Youth Division action (pictured) saw Poulton Vics spurn the opportunity to take closer order in the race for the title, when they scored through Rylee Gibson and Matty Barclay but were undone by a hat-trick from BRNESC‘s Alex McDermott.
Form side, Victoria Colts, with goals from Joe Emery, Lewis Howard, and Dylan Roche held out for a 3-2 victory over Ormskirk West End, who had Charlie Hogan and Adam Procter on target.
Singles from Jack Colburn, Ben O’Brien, and Kian Skinley steered fifth-placed challengers, South Liverpool, to a 3-0 decision over Maghull.
Two-goal Adam Lyons left his calling card as City Of Liverpool beat Runcorn Linnets 2-1, Mike Martin scoring for Linnets.
On the County scene, hats off to Division Two promotion chasers, Ashville Res., who clinched a dream Cheshire County FA Amateur Cup semi-final clash with current Division One leaders, and cup holders, Mersey Royal, after goals from Billy Rainbow and Matty Maguire secured a 2-1 result over Cheadle FC.
In the other semi, Division One rivals, Newton, will lock horns with Cheshire Association League Premier Division leaders, Broadheath Central. The young guns certainly did themselves proud in the Development Trophy first round, highlighted by Youth Division leaders, Mossley Hill Ath., who posted an impressive 7-2 win over Division Three opponents, Heswall Res. Asher Duncan and Matty Lawler each scored hat tricks, with a Cal Jones effort rounding of a job well done. San Hogan and Sam Jeffs scored for the visitors.
It was celebration time also for Youth Division rivals, Vauxhall Motors, who had Josh Jeffery, Jack Gordon, and Will Smith on the scoresheet, in Saturday’s 3-1 eclipse of Division Three outfit, Rainhill Town Res., who consoled themselves with a goal from Darren Moran.
Images: Poulton Vics FC Youth (Blue) v BRNESC U18s (Red) Credit: Bob Shaw
First Division
| POS | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mersey Royal | 17 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 40 | 48 |
| 2 | FC Bootle St Edmund’s | 19 | 13 | 2 | 4 | 34 | 41 |
| 3 | Newton | 17 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 41 | 39 |
| 4 | Mossley Hill Athletic | 17 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 29 | 37 |
| 5 | Marine U23s | 21 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 31 |
| 6 | Rainhill Town | 20 | 7 | 5 | 8 | -8 | 26 |
| 7 | Vauxhall Motors Res | 16 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 25 |
| 8 | Maghull | 17 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 25 |
| 9 | Litherland Remyca Res | 21 | 7 | 3 | 11 | -14 | 24 |
| 10 | Marshalls | 15 | 6 | 3 | 6 | -6 | 21 |
| 11 | Aintree Villa | 18 | 5 | 4 | 9 | -9 | 19 |
| 12 | Chester Nomads | 18 | 5 | 2 | 11 | -32 | 17 |
| 13 | Capenhurst Villa | 14 | 5 | 1 | 8 | -5 | 16 |
| 14 | Heswall | 20 | 3 | 0 | 17 | -32 | 9 |
| 15 | Ellesmere Port Town | 18 | 2 | 1 | 15 | -56 | 7 |
Second Division
| POS | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Poulton Victoria | 20 | 16 | 1 | 3 | 26 | 49 |
| 2 | Sutton Athletic | 23 | 14 | 1 | 8 | 15 | 43 |
| 3 | Helsby | 15 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 22 | 34 |
| 4 | Runcorn Sports | 16 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 21 | 34 |
| 5 | Ashville Res | 14 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 31 |
| 6 | South Liverpool Res | 18 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 27 |
| 7 | Maghull Res | 17 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 26 |
| 8 | Mallaby | 19 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 25 |
| 9 | Bootle Res | 17 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 10 | 24 |
| 10 | Mossley Hill Athletic Res | 21 | 7 | 2 | 12 | -18 | 23 |
| 11 | Poulton Royal | 16 | 6 | 2 | 8 | -3 | 20 |
| 12 | Cheshire Lines | 20 | 4 | 5 | 11 | -24 | 17 |
| 13 | West Kirby | 20 | 4 | 2 | 14 | -32 | 14 |
| 14 | South Sefton Borough | 16 | 3 | 3 | 10 | -26 | 12 |
| 15 | Marshalls Res | 16 | 2 | 1 | 13 | -26 | 7 |
Third Division
| POS | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hooton | 20 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 35 | 42 |
| 2 | Aintree Villa Res | 17 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 49 | 40 |
| 3 | Higher Bebington Kelma | 16 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 28 | 39 |
| 4 | Runcorn Sports Res | 20 | 11 | 1 | 8 | -14 | 34 |
| 5 | Neston Nomads | 19 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 33 |
| 6 | South Liverpool Third | 16 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 23 | 31 |
| 7 | Capenhurst Villa Res | 17 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 31 |
| 8 | Poulton Victoria Res | 20 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 29 |
| 9 | Helsby Res | 23 | 8 | 4 | 11 | -16 | 28 |
| 10 | West Kirby Res | 24 | 8 | 2 | 14 | -13 | 26 |
| 11 | Chester Nomads Res | 18 | 6 | 4 | 8 | -5 | 22 |
| 12 | Groves Athletic | 21 | 5 | 2 | 14 | -27 | 17 |
| 13 | Ellesmere Port Town Res | 19 | 4 | 2 | 13 | -37 | 14 |
| 14 | Heswall Res | 20 | 2 | 6 | 12 | -25 | 12 |
| 15 | Rainhill Town Res | 18 | 3 | 1 | 14 | -26 | 10 |
Youth Division
| POS | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mossley Hill Athletic | 13 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 36 | 32 |
| 2 | Vauxhall Motors | 16 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 27 |
| 3 | Poulton Victoria | 12 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 23 | 25 |
| 4 | BRNESC | 13 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 24 |
| 5 | South Liverpool | 13 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 22 |
| 6 | Victoria Colts U18 | 15 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 22 |
| 7 | City of Liverpool | 13 | 4 | 4 | 5 | -3 | 16 |
| 8 | Ormskirk West End | 13 | 5 | 0 | 8 | -10 | 15 |
| 9 | Runcorn Linnets | 13 | 4 | 0 | 9 | -16 | 12 |
| 10 | Maghull | 13 | 0 | 0 | 13 | -41 | 0 |
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