Fulwood blow away new year cobwebs to go top

They climbed to the top of Division Two after a 5-1 win at Walney Island.

Will Pitt scored on two minutes to put Fulwood ahead, and the lead was extended to three just before the break by Alfie Raymond and Hugo Strand’s goals.

Dylan Jackson-Cooney and Wes Enoma scored well into proceedings to make it five before Jordan Mason got one back for the hosts.

“You never know what to expect really on your first game back after the new year,” said Ward, “We’ve trained a couple of times and we had no game last week.

“We had the travel up to Barrow as well which, for some of the lads, is probably a new experience, we’ve got three or four under 18s in our team and they’ve probably never had to travel that far, play a game and then travel back.

“The preparation was good and we trained on Thursday.

“We got an early goal which always helps and, to be fair to Walney, they were really good in the first half. Our keeper Mason made a great save to keep it at 1-0.

“Our fitness shone through in the last 15 minutes of that first half and we got a couple of goals, which always makes it a bit comfortable, and we managed the game from there.

“In the last 10 or 15 minutes of the second half, again, our fitness came through and we got a couple more goals.

“It was a really pleasing performance, it’s never easy to go to the Barrow teams who are always big, strong and competitive.

“It was also pleasing when you consider that we’ve not played a game for four or five weeks.”

Fulwood Amateurs’ move to the North West Counties in the summer saw the reserves move to Division Two and they, along with the A Team in Reserve Division Two, are performing excellently this season.

Given how new the reserves are to the division, their top of the league status is something the management team are ‘’surprised’ by but would love to hold on to.

“It’s obviously good for us to go top and for results to go our way,” said Treuberg.

"And it brings a different pressure, but we’re very much looking at it game by game.

“I think initially, with the first team moving up into the North West Counties, it was new territory for us and, first and foremost, it’s about supporting the first team.

“You always want to compete in a new league but we’re nicely surprised by how well it’s going so far.

“There’s no aims as such in the league and it’s just about the whole club, and ourselves being a reserve team.”

The side have had a perfect home record, playing their games at the University of Lancashire’s Sports Arena.

“We made the conscious decision to let the first team play at our club’s home so we play at the sports arena,” said Ward.

“We’ve played some really good stuff at home, pre-season was great, we worked them really hard and play in a certain formation, it really suits the lads we’ve got.

“They’ve bought into the training and playing on a big pitch like that helps us going forward.”

“On the other hand,” said Treuberg, “We’ve dealt really well against some tough away opponents so really good performances both at home and away.”

The club are prospering at a time when their teams are having to adjust to new challenges in new divisions.

“The structure was put in place over the summer, it was new territory for the club being in the Counties as well as ourselves being in Division Two”, said Treuberg.

“The A Team and the junior section are all supporting us and it’s working really well at the minute, we’re seeing a lot of progressions of lads from the reserves into the first team, from the A Team to the reserves and so on.”

“One of the aims was to make both West Lancs teams competitive”, said Ward. “It’s going really well at the moment and everybody’s buying into it and the attacking football we’re wanting to play.

“The training is tough, pre-season we were doing Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and it was hard but we’re actually seeing the benefits of that now.

“What we’re doing is working so fingers crossed we keep progressing and we can help some more of the lads who are coming through.”

Fulwood went top after a 2-1 win for Thornton Cleveleys Reserves over previous leaders Stoneclough, who are now second.

Danny Hadcraft gave Thornton Cleveleys the advantage on 18 minutes and it was doubled shortly after the second half began through Harry Fryer; Joe Howlin halved the deficit on 74 minutes but Stoneclough couldn’t put more past a determined Thornton Cleveleys side, who are up to fourth.

Mill Hill relocated from their Griffin Ground for one afternoon only to ensure their game could go ahead, and that it did - not without its fair share of drama too - they needed a 91st-minute goal to rescue a point in a 2-2 draw with Garstang Reserves.

The hosts had the lead at half time thanks to Owen McPartlan but Garstang turned the game on its head, first levelling on the hour mark through Ali White before Liam Painter made it 1-2 on 74 minutes.

The final goal action was Callum Newton scoring for Mill Hill in the first minute of time added on.

Bamber Bridge Reserves played host to Friday night football and secured a 2-1 win over a usually free-scoring, third-placed Euxton Villa Reserves side.

The visitors started brightly and earned their reward as Jacob Greenhalgh gave them the lead on 10 minutes, but Billy Bould equalised for Brig with five to go in the first half.

Macauley Hopkins scored on 78 minutes to give them a win that now puts them just six points behind their opponents.

In the Premier Division, CMB produced a ruthless performance in the final 20 minutes to defeat Poulton 3-1 away from home.

Dan Smith gave Poulton the lead on 65 minutes but just five minutes later, Dylan Winstanley equalised.

Callum Walsh turned the game on its head soon after, and the win was sealed by Carl Grimshaw’s finish on 89 minutes.

A revitalised Milnthorpe Corinthians got their first home win of the season as they saw off Burscough Richmond 2-1.

Joe Dickinson scored an early opener before Burscough Richmond hit back through Billy Whittle, but the hosts regained - and held onto - the lead after the break as the prolific Zach Clark grabbed the winner.

Cleator Moor Celtic picked up a 2-0 win at Millom thanks to second half goals from Rhys Little and Jamie Martin.

Pause United moved up to third in Division One after a highly impressive 7-0 win at fellow promotion-chasing Lytham Town.

Ben McMeeking scored four goals to make it 13 for the season, while Ben Roberts, Tom Knight and Jack Preston also found the net.

Turton got a first away victory of the season - and a big one too - defeating Holker Old Boys Reserves 5-2.

Jake Lamb gave Holker the lead on 15 minutes, after which a relentless Turton scored four across the rest of the half.

Jack Goodinson, Richard Woodward, Jack Cabrelli and Ricardo Pembele all netted before the half time whistle, and Pembele got his second and Turton’s fifth shortly after the restart. Nathan Reid reduced the deficit on 72 minutes.

Askam United picked up a vital 2-1 win over second placed Ulverston Rangers to move three points clear of the drop zone.

A first half Callum Rayner spot kick looked like it would be the difference in the game, but Askam added a second shortly before the 90 was up. Chris Wraighte pulled one back two minutes into time added on.

Lostock St Gerards Reserves produced a comprehensive display in Reserve Division One as they saw off Poulton Reserves 7-0.

Ben Harrison scored a hat trick with goals also coming from Joel Chester (2), Greg Brickell and Ryan Fletcher.

Reserve Division Two gave us 13 goals in their two called on games - Lytham Town Reserves came out 4-3 victors in a thriller at Fulwood Amateurs A.

Fulwood had the lead twice in the first half through James Sidebottom and Liam Taylor but were pegged back on both occasions by Ollie Heywood, who turned the game around and secured a hat trick early in the second half.

Tom Kelsey made it four for the visitors before Ryan Dodd made things interesting at 3-4, but that’s how the game ended.

Astley & Buckshaw Reserves responded well to an early setback to defeat Thornton Cleveleys A 5-1.

Leo McGee gave Thornton the lead before Luke Williams and Haasaan Toorowa’s goals sent Astley & Buckshaw into the break 2-1 up.

And that lead only got healthier in the second half: Charlie Swindlehurst and Gideon Okundia grabbed the third and fourth before Williams got the last goal of their five-star performance.