Weekend and midweek round-up - will Prem go down to the wire?

TUESDAY 5TH APRIL

Only the one game played last Tuesday, with Kendal United emerging victorious in their Division Two scrap with Carnforth Rangers. The game ended 1-0 to the visitors thanks to Bailey Kenny’s goal.

FRIDAY 8TH APRIL

Another standalone Division Two game here as Storeys rescued a dramatic point against Garstang. Ric Tomlinson’s double had initially put Garstang ahead within fifteen minutes, with Andrew Murphy then adding to the scoreline to put the home side 3-0 up within minutes of the second half beginning. It took a spectacular comeback from Storeys to escape with the points shared. Alex Parrott got one back on 63 minutes. Gary Louth scored twenty minutes later before Parrott got his second in the 93rd-minute to tie the game up.

SATURDAY 9TH APRIL

Premier Division: Weaver Wallops Vickerstown

Fulwood Amateurs continued their Thornton Cleveleys hunt with a 7-0 smashing of Vickerstown. Lucas Weaver (pictured top) scored a hat-trick for the chasers with Will Pitt, Guy Hall, Owen Sewell and Brett McGovern also netting. This win takes Fulwood within six points of Thornton Cleveleys at the top of the table, with two games in hand.

Thornton Cleveleys show no sign of stopping, however, as they beat Euxton Villa, the team who were once the Premier Division pace-setters, 2-0 thanks to Billy Dollin’s double.

That result saw Euxton lose ground in their battle for top four, with Burscough Richmond, Hurst Green and CMB all rivalling them at the head of the table. Burscough Richmond picked up the result of the weekend between these sides; beating CMB 2-1 to move above them in the table. CMB had gone ahead through Olly Turner before Adam Sutton and Jordan Lorde secured the points for Burscough.

Hurst Green also won convincingly. 4-1 was the score of their game against Slyne with Hest as a late flurry of goals helped the home team push above CMB in the league. Paul Jarvis’ 60th-minute goal had levelled the game for Slyne after Finley Devenney’s early opener, but James Wolfenden, Jordan Monk and Ryan Bolton all ensured that any fears of dropped points were misplaced.

Coppull United took home the points in a mid-table clash with Lytham Town. Nathan Lindley, Jimmy McIver and Jonty Mattock all ensuring that Ross Ainsworth’s 89th-minute goal was nothing but the footnote to a 3-1 home win.

Tempest United also won 3-1; their opponents were Blackpool Wren Rovers. Aaron Thorpe, Kurt Farlow and Lucas Robinson had all scored to put Tempest ahead within 25 minutes and while Jake Marsden’s 55th-minute goal threatened a comeback, Blackpool could never grab hold of the momentum to get themselves back into the game.

Division 1 - Corinthians walk it in

With two games left in Division 1, Milnthorpe Corinthians have a lead of seven points over their closest rivals and so the celebrations following their 3-0 win over Askam United at the weekend would have been understandably excessive. Steven Yawson has been a constant source of goals for them this season and scored another double here, with Tom Kilfin’s late finish adding a sheen to an already gleaming performance and, indeed, season.

Hesketh Bank would be only one point behind Corinthians, but for their six-point deduction for fielding an illegible player. They did manage to secure a big win on Saturday though; winning 5-1 against Haslingden St Marys. Harris Labery scored twice for the visitors before Brady Boardman got one back for Haslingden. Hesketh had too much though and Kevin Edgar, Tom Smyth and Daniel Birkby all ensured that Boardman’s goal would not have a huge impact on the outcome of the game.

Sam Pinnegor’s goal for Ulverston Rangers was another that the scorer will have little fondness for, considering that it came in a 6-1 loss against Croston Sports.

Horwich St Marys Victoria beat Millom 4-2 whilst Wyre Villa beat Stoneclough 3-0.

Division 2: Kendal crack on

Kendal County picked up their second 1-0 win of the week against Burnley United thanks to Danny Craig’s 82nd-minute winner. The result took Kendal to within one point of the top four with a game in hand over Walney Island to boot.

The title-winning Rossendale kept rolling on also with their 2-0 win over Charnock Richard Reserves.

Division 1 Reserve: Howling Hounds Fulwood Amateurs Reserves

Turton Reserves recorded a startling victory over 5th-placed Fulwood Amateurs Reserves on Saturday with Tom Howling scoring FIVE goals for the side now occupying 8th. Dave Hamnett and Simon Fairhurst scored the other two for Turton. Kane Froggatt netted for Fulwood from the spot.

Olly Hesford scored twice in Blackpool Wren Rovers Reserves’ win over Eagley Reserves. Ben Seear scored the other for Blackpool with Jack Littlewood’s 60th-minute goal offering little in terms of consolation for Eagley.

Horwich St Marys Victoria Reserves beat Poulton Reserves 3-0 whilst Tempest United Reserves squeezed past Lostock St Gerards Reserves with a 3-2 win.

Division 2 Reserves: Storeys still struggling

Storeys Reserves look set to finish the season on -2 points following a 6-0 defeat to Haslingden St Marys Reserves on Saturday. The strugglers faced a three-point deduction for fielding an illegible player back in August and have been unable to pick up the requisite points to get back to zero. The side have one game left to work their way back into credit.

Goals from Owen Brighty, Brad Marsh and George Brown helped Rossendale Reserves to a 3-1 victory over Thornton Cleveleys A, moving the away side a step closer to Wyre Villa Reserves ahead of them.

Dan Nowell and Gregg Bruckell cancelled each other out in the match between Milnthorpe Corinthians Reserves and Coppull United Reserves. That game ended 1-1.

Chipping Reserves beat Galgate Reserves 3-2.

MONDAY 11TH APRIL

Another day with a single game thrust into the schedule. Croston Sports Reserves rescued a point against Burscough Richmond Reserves in Division 1 Reserve thanks to Carl Busby’s late equaliser. His goal cancelled out Louis Burke’s first-half opener.

TUESDAY 12TH APRIL

Premier Division: Too little too late for Hesketh

Burscough Richmond missed out on a chance to go third in the league with a surprise 2-1 loss to a Southport Hesketh side who find themselves already consigned to lower level football next season. Hesketh had only won three games ahead of their match-up but they will hope that this 2-1 victory will be a sign of things to come for next season. Kyle Bell and Danny Singleton were the scorers for the victors and Raj Uppal scored for Burscough.

Division 1: Allen key to unlocking Lostock St Gerards

Richie Allen scored a hat-trick in Wyre Villa’s 6-2 victory over Lostock St Gerards. Oliver Evans scored two for the visitors with Harvey Close also getting on the score sheet. Lostock were the beneficiaries of an own goal just before the break, but neither that, not Jordan Wignall’s penalty, could help them back into the game.

In a weirdly symmetrical game, Millom beat Crooklands Casuals 6-2. Jamie Pattinson was the hat-trick hero in this one. Ben McDonald scored two and Theo Dreghorn also converted. Joe Blackshaw scored both of Crookslands’ goals.

Division 2: Kendal Close in on top four

Ryan Close was another treble-scorer midweek; his three goals against Galgate helped Kendal United to a 4-2 win over Galgate. Joe Hodgeson scored Kendal’s last, with Ryan Yates and Jordan Lynch getting one each for Galgate.

Carnforth Rangers won 1-0 on the road to Storeys courtesy of Damian Murphy’s first half goal..

Division 1 Reserve: Dixon double in six-goal sizzler

Harry Dixon scored twice for CMB Reserves in their 3-3 away draw with Eagley Reserves. Tom Slattery, Alfie Flitcroft and Zach Browne were the Eagley scorers and Danny Halloran scored CMB’s other goa.

Zac Wilkes dramatically won Euxton Villa Reserves three points against Horwich St Marys Victoria Reserves. The two sides were level after the finishes of Ashley Ball and Alex MacKenzie, only for Wilkes’ 90th-minute winner bagging all three points for Euxton.

WEDNESDAY 13TH APRIL

Division 1: Burns brands Croston Sports

A flurry of first-half goals was enough to see Hesketh Bank beat Croston Sports. Kevin Edgar and Daniel Birkby gave Hesketh a strong lead ealy on, and Sam Swarbrick’s goal for Croston was soon knocked back by Andrew Burns’ goal just before the break. Jordan Freeman got another for Croston in the second period, but it was insufficient to close the advantage that Hesketh had built up.

Division 1 Reserve: Tempest blow by Turton

Tempest United Reserves beat Turton Reserves 2-1 =, with Gareth Gemmell’s goal the decider after Nick Skelly’s opener had been cancelled out by Andy Lane. The result gives Tempest one point to make up on Thornton Cleveleys Reserves in the battle for second - hough Thornton do have games in-hand.