Cheeky chip extra special as Poulton see off Lairds

Apr 22 2008 by Arthur Green, Liverpool Daily Post

IN one of the better finals in recent seasons, the all-West Cheshire Umbro Cheshire Amateur Cup final went to underdogs Poulton Victoria against Cammell Laird Reserves.

In a thrilling game with both sides having plenty of goal opportunities, it was Poulton’s Adam Lea who opened the scoring in the 32nd minute.

Two minutes before the break Ian Sheridan hit an equaliser for Lairds but their momentum was short-lived as Kevin Davies fired Vics back into the lead on half- time.

Lairds fought back early on in the second period and Tim Bigland pulled them level on 56 minutes but with the evening getting colder the last thing the large crowd wanted was an extra 30 minutes.

And when it kicked off, Poulton netted from the restart. With Lairds keeper Paul Roberts playing as an extra sweeper, Chris Killen lobbed him from the halfway line to give Vics a 3-2 lead.

Spurred on by this cheeky goal Vics consolidated their victory when Kevin Hagen made it 4-2 on 110 minutes.

As the First Division title race enters the final stages, Runcorn Town had a 4-1 win at New Brighton in midweek. Simon Burton opened the scoring after getting on the end of an Ian Robinson cross from the left after 20 minutes.

Two minutes before half-time it was 2-0 with James McShane netting his 27th of the season.

The second half saw New Brighton come into it more, but a break in the 65th minute led to Town extend the lead with Burton turning in a low cross for his second. Substitute Michael Boyle found himself clear on the left before cutting inside and netting Runcorn’s fourth.

New Brighton pulled one back when Alan Bull unleashed a powerful shot Karl Wills got a hand to but looped up into the net.

Cammell Laird Reserves came from three goals down after Marine Reserves ran riot in the first half with Neil Stairzaker, Rickie Arnold and Lee Tynan all finding the net.

With the title challenge on the verge of disaster Ian McGrath hit two and Adam Lee secured a valuable point, but one which may just see Lairds fall short in the final reckoning.

West Kirby, with one game left, still lead the division and helped themselves to maximum points at Blacon Youth Club, Kyle Jones and Chris Barrow netting and setting up an exciting final game next Saturday against Runcorn Town.

Halton gained promotion to the First Division but they were made to work hard at Bebington Athletic. The home side struck through James Douglas before Mattie Johnson and John McDonald claimed runners-up spot.

Waiting for any slip-up, Capenhurst Villa thrashed Fairfield Athletic 7-1 with goals from Ryan Nicholl (2), Mike Hayes (2), John Keefe, Alan Locke and Mike Urmston. Fairfield’s only reply came from James Nilson.

In the third division Bronze Social and Mossley Hill Athletic will play in the Second Division next season for the first time. In midweek Mossley Hill made sure of their promotion by defeating challengers Runcorn Town Reserves. Mossley took a first-half lead through Kevin Franklin and added. Mossley dominated large parts of the second period a second in the 55th minute with a long-range shot from Phil Frankland before Runcorn came back with a goal from Reece Conlan.

Franklin turned in a cross to make it 3-1 for Mossley Hill and with five minutes left Mark Tudor headed in a corner for Runcorn.

At the bottom Shaftesbury must rely on teams below them to drop points as they signed off with a 5-1 drubbing at Runcorn Town Reserves, Paul Murphy, Danny Cummin, Kyle Marsid, Paul Illidge and Craig Beech all finding the net. John Cubbin replied for the visitors.

An Ashton Gibiliru strike was enough to take maximum points at Mersey Royal and move them out of the relegation position.

South Liverpool’s Tony Evans hit a hat-trick to win the Youth Plate league against unbeaten Hale, who had Fassilli Poza and Alan Wright on target.

West Cheshire Association Football League Monday April 14: Division One: @New Brighton 1 (Bull) Runcorn Town 4 (Burton 2, McShane, Boyd). Division Two: Grange Athletic 2 (Yew 2) Willaston 1 (Forbes). Division Three: Blacon Youth Club Res v Upton AA Res – PP; Ellesmere Port Res v Richmond Raith Rovers – PP; C Pensby 3 (Corless, Davies 2) Fairfield Ath Res 1 (Carlton); Mersey Royal 2 ( Jones, Owen) Manor Athletic 2 (Brabander, Butler). Wednesday April 16: Division One: Blacon Youth Club 2 (McElmeel, McQuillan) Heswall 1 (Foulkes); Castrol Social 2 (Carroll, Brierley) Christleton 1 (Shelton); Newton 3 (McIntyre, Jones 2) Ellesmere Port 2 (Mapletoft, Raithe). Division Two: AFC Bebington Athletic 2 (Maddison, Kennedy) Christleton Res 0; New Brighton 3 (Williams 2, Dermody) Chester Nomads 3 (Harris 2, og). Division Three: Mossley Hill Ath 3 (K Frankland 2, P Frankland) Runcorn Town Res 2 (Conlon, Tudor). Thursday April 17: Cheshire County FA Amateur Cup Final: Cammell Laird Res 2 (Lea, Bigland) Poulton Victoria 4 aet (Sheridon, Davies pen, Killen, Hagan). Friday April 18: Runcorn District FA Challenge Cup Final: Helsby 0 Runcorn Town 3 ( Dalton, Dolan 2 pens). Saturday April 19: Division One: Blacon Youth Cup 0 West Kirby 2 (Jones, Burrow); Cammell Laird Res 3 (McGrath 2, Lea) Marine Res 3 (Stirzaker, Arnold, Tynon); Heswall 2 (Kenyon, Hesketh) Castrol Social 2 (Ashton 2); New Brighton 1 (Courteney) Poulton Victoria 2 (Edwards, Sheridon); Newton 2 (Jones 2) Aintree Villa 0; Upton AA 4 (Moran 2, Andrews 2) Christleton 0. Division Two: AFC Bebington Athletic 1 (Douglas) Halton 2 (Johnson, McDonald); Fairfield Athletic 1 (Nilson) Capenhurst Villa 7 (Nicholl 2, Hayes 2, Keefe, Locke, Urmston); Grange Athletic 0 Chester Nomads 3 (Fitzgibbon 2, Potvine). Division Three: Blacon Youth Club Res 1 (Wild) Capenhurst Villa Res 0; FC Pensby 1 (Cookson) Hale 2 (Poza, Turton); Mersey Royal 0 Fairfield Athletic Res 1 (Gibiliru); Runcorn Town Res 5 (Murphy, Cummins, Marsid, Illidge, Beech) Shaftesbury 1 (Cubbin); St Werburghs 1 (Campbell) Ellesmere Port Res 4 (N Mapletoft 2, Toll, S Mapletoft). Youth Division Plate: Hale 2 (Poza, Wright) South Liverpool 3 (Evans 2); Jacobs 2 Cammell Laird 0.