Weekend Review: Lancashire and Cheshire Football League

The recent gloomy weather relented to allow the bulk of the scheduled fixtures to go ahead.

In the Premier Division, the leaders Whalley Range put aside their Lancashire Amateur Cup defeat to stay clear at the top with a comfortable 8-0 win at Milton.

Reigning champions Rochdalians kept in touch with a 6-0 defeat of Salford Vics keeping them just three points behind Range.

Waterloo are also a big threat to Range after they cruised to a 6-1 win at Trafford United to remain unbeaten and with three games in hand on the leaders.

Dom Doyle have four games in hand over the leaders and showed their intent of chasing down the top teams with a 4-2 win over South Manchester keeping the top group in their sights.

It’s still neck and neck at the top of Division One, but both leaders Radclyffe and AFC Oldham had to work hard for victories to retain their 100 per cent records.

Radclyffe were taken all the way by a determined Swinton to win 2-1 and AFC Oldham also had to pull out all the stops to win 4-2 at Moston Brook.

Irlam Tigers and Signol Old Boys kept chasing the top two with Tigers winning 3-0 hosting Newton and Signol accounted for Bury Ams by 4-2.

The other game in the division was also a close contest with Manchester Polonia winning by the odd goal in three over Urmston Town.

It was seventh heaven for South Manchester reserves who made it seven wins from seven games with a comfortable 4-0 win hosting Mellor seconds. The prolific Josh Harper bagged his second successive hat-trick for South with Nathan Cox also on target.

Dukinfield Athletic stay in second place five points adrift of the leaders with an exciting 6-4 win over Rochdalians reserves.

Bedians present the main threat to South Manchester as they retained their 100 per cent record with a gritty 3-2 win hosting Barrhill with Julian Patterson bagging a brace for Bedians to keep them six points off South with two games in hand.

Hadfield Athletic stay on the tails of the leaders with an exciting 7-4 win over a reconstructed Didsbury and Santos shared four goals in an even contest with North Walkden and the other game had Oldham Vics defending well in a 2-0 win over Chorltonians reserves.

It’s all to play for in Division Three with several tight games led by leaders Chadderton Cott who stay three points clear thanks to a hard-earned 2-1 win at Abacus Media reserves.

The most exciting game of the day was at Aldermere with visitors Chadderton Park winning a breathless game by the odd goal in nine.

Park raced into a 3-1 lead, but Aldermere bounced back to draw level early in the second half.

Park then added two more and Aldermere took them all the way with another late strike following a superb penalty save by the Park keeper.

Netting for Aldermere were Pete Walester (three) and Paul Hilton with Park’s firepower coming from two own goals backed by Martin Kenny (two) and Jake Richardson.

It was the same scoreline at Salford Vics reserves who lost out to Denton Town reserves who stay five points adrift of Cott but with two games in hand. Elton Lib Hargreaves beat Milton seconds 3-2 and Village Manchester shared four goals with Hooley Bridge Celtic to show how little there is between the teams in this division.

It is also tight at the top of Division A with AFC Stockport and Old Strets reserves locked on 16 points.

AFC Stockport had few problems in beating Waterloo reserves 5-1, but Strets were given a good game by Wythenshawe Wanderers before winning 6-3.

Matt Hignett gave Strets an early lead, but Wanderers came back well to lead 2-1 before left back Nathan MacNamara drew Strets level and set them back on the victory trail and they have a vital game in hand on Stockport.

The other games saw Dukinfield Athletic reserves win 4-2 at Salford Storm and Mellor thirds accounted for Rochdale Galaxy 5-1, while AFC Oldham seconds and Deans shared four goals.

The recent good run of Trafford United reserves was ended with a 2-1 home defeat by Moston Brook reserves.

Just three games played in Division B and Parrs Wood Celtic rule the roost after an emphatic 5-0 win at Flixton Juniors.

Old Stretfordians thirds moved into third spot with a gritty 2-1 win over Spurley Hey seconds and Chadderton Cott reserves and Bury Ams reserves were deadlocked at 1-1.

The top-of-the-table clash in Division C saw Irlam Tigers Rangers overtake previous leaders Chadderton Cott reserves with a convincing 5-1 win at Cott. Oldham Vics reserves made it a good day for their club as they cruised to a 7-2 win over AFC Stockport Warriors. Altrincham Hale posted their second win of the season with a close 2-1 win over Salford Storm reserves.

The other two games ended with honours even as Chorltonians Albion drew 2-2 with Stoconians fourths and Govan Athletic thirds shared two goals with Staly Lions.

There was little joy for L and C teams in outside cup competitions as Mellor went out of the Cheshire Amateur Cup beaten 6-1 by Lostock Gralam and inbut Stoconians seconds won their Stockport Senior Cup derby by 6-2 at Spurley Hey.

Geoff Garnett