Narrow losses slow Storeys' impressive progress

They came out on the losing side of a 4-3 thriller at third placed Euxton Villa Reserves.

Reece Pearce bagged all three for Storeys while the hosts had four different scorers: Tom Fletcher, Jacob Greenhalgh, Sam Bottoms and Thomas Henderson.

Rigby said that over the season, like many teams, Storeys have had to deal with absences and injuries, and there was a big one in yesterday’s game as their goalkeeper became unavailable before kick off and a midfielder had to play between the sticks.

“We beat Euxton Villa Reserves earlier on in the season at home and yesterday we played them on their 3G and they looked a stronger outfit," said Rigby (pictured above with son Jake)

“The first 20 minutes or so we really struggled to get to grips.

“We could have been two or three goals down but luckily it was only one.

“We had to change formation a couple of times to try and cope, and eventually we went 2-1 up just after half time.

“They still just kept coming at us though really and they finished their three second half goals really well.

“We competed well but ultimately we were beaten by a better team.”

The aim for Storeys is to push on and try and get promoted, but they have had a tough few weeks.

“The Fulwood Amateurs game last week (2-1 loss) should have probably been a draw, Langho beat us and they were much better than us and sometimes you have to accept that, but they were all good games to be involved in.

“I think every year challenging at the top has to be the aim, whether you fulfil that or not is another question because the league that we’re in is a very difficult league to get out of.

“It sort of has to be a perfect season in terms of no injuries, no players leaving the club and having our best 11 out every week but with most teams in the league, there’s always players unavailable, things are always happening.

“It’s been a good start to the season, August is probably always a difficult month in terms of availability and that’s been the case in all the four years I’ve been here.

“Up until three games ago we were in a decent position but we’ve had a tough run, and the next few are tough too but it’s about getting back up there.

“The performances across the season have been pretty good but we had a couple of key players who left to go to Milnthorpe and it can be hard to replace players when you’re playing that level of opposition.”

Storeys have had a very smart, modern clubhouse that has been open for the past couple of years and have a developing youth set up too, with girls teams recently having been formed in addition to many boys teams.

“It’ll take time, but the main aim is for everything to keep growing at the rate it is right now," said Rigby.

Elsewhere in Division Two across another dismal weekend weather-wise, Scott Hamill found the net on four occasions as Bamber Bridge Reserves beat Walney Island 7-0.

Matty Dewhurst, Lewis Pilgrim and Joey Richardson also got themselves on the scoresheet.

In the Premier Division, Tempest United defeated Rossendale 5-3 to move up to fourth.

These two sides met in an end to end encounter as part of the West Lancs Groundhop back in August and this game was just as exciting, if not more so.

It was 3-3 at the break following a rollercoaster first half in which both teams had had the advantage at some stage - Tempest a two-goal one for a brief time.

Rossendale’s scorers were Reagan O’Brien, Jack Mouncey and Scott Wylie, and Tempest got their first three courtesy of Joel Shorthouse, Nathan Monson and James Dean.

Dean added his second and Tempest’s fourth on 55 minutes before Tom Booth clinched the three points later in the half.

There is now daylight between Whitehaven and Coppull United after the Premier Division bottom two faced off, the latter winning 3-1.

Alessio Degrassi’s double and a Will Hopper goal meant Coppull went four points clear of Whitehaven.

Division One leaders Hesketh Bank proved why they are just that, never giving up until the last and securing a 4-3 win in the final kicks of the game against Pause United.

Josh Brierley gave Hesketh Bank the lead before a goal for either side in quick succession through Kevin Edgar’s spot kick and Nathan Murphy.

Jordan Lynch drew Pause level with two minutes until the break and Jack Preston gave them a 3-2 lead on the hour mark.

However, the team at the top of the tree found a way to win, Aiden Johnson levelled 68 minutes in before Kevin Edgar’s winner in the fifth minute of added time.

Ulverston Rangers are their closest title challengers, albeit 11 points behind, but they maintained the distant pressure with a 3-2 victory at Turton thanks to goals from Mark Jackson, Chris Wraighte and Jordan Chubb.

Jack Goodinson and Richard Woodward got Turton’s two.

The only game in the reserve divisions was to be found in Reserve Division Two but it was a hugely significant one.

Finley Clarke’s second half double meant Fulwood Amateurs A defeated Hurst Green Reserves 2-0 to leapfrog their opponents and climb to the summit of the table.

Finally, Lostock St Gerards Reserves progressed to the next phase of the Lancashire Amateur Cup following a 2-1 win over Old Mancunians in the third round.