Range roar to top-flight glory

FOOTBALL: RYAN Hobin was at the double again for Rifle Range ‘A’ as their latest victory secured them the Midas Plumbing and Heating Oldham Sunday League Jack Abbott Premier Division title.

The team was forced to seal glory the hard way, edging out Limeside King George 3-2 after being 2-0 down at half-time. Nathan Eastmond scored the winning goal with 15 minutes to go.

Ecstatic Rifle Range manager Paddy McGuirk said: “It’s a proud moment to win the league. Me and assistant manager Gary Martin have waited a long time for this so we will savour every minute.”

Joe Heap and I Cashmore replied for King George.

Coppice United and Jolly Carter drew their top-flight clash, 3-3. Yasir Ali, Steve Barrow and Naveed Butt scored for Coppice, while Dane Leigh, Dale Cook and Darren Walsh replied.

In the Premier Division Shield, Crompton House Old Boys saw off Fitton Hill 3-1 thanks to strikes from G Hill (two) and Hopwood. Callum Franklin hit Fitton Hill’s consolation.

Rifle Range ‘B’ beat Limeside Athletic 4-2 in the Division One Shield. D Jackman (two), N Barker and

D Higgins scored for Range, with J Quinlan and J Winterbottom replying for Athletic.



HEYSIDE kept the pressure on the Huddersfield League Division Two leaders thanks to a superb 7-1 win against HV Academicals.

Heyside led 3-0 at the interval, and although Academicals replied shortly after the restart, the hosts cut loose late in the game by scoring another four times.

Matthew Crothers and Andrew Fulham both hit hat-tricks, while Niall Barnes completed Heyside’s tally.

Diggle secured an impressive 2-1 win at Britannia Sports in Division One.



SPRINGHEAD returned to FBT Manchester League Premier Division action after a number of postponements in some style, defeating second-placed Wythenshawe Amateurs 1-0.

In a tight game played on a difficult pitch, the local side controlled the first half.

They created the only chances as Leighton Stephenson was unfortunate to see his header go just wide, while the Ammies’ ’keeper saved well from Ryan Fagan.

The only goal of the game saw Fagan produce real quality as Paul Stevenson teed him up before he struck home from 25 yards.

The second half saw Wythenshawe enjoy more possession, with ’head threatening on the break.

’Head goalkeeper Danny Ashton was a virtual spectator, though, as the away side failed to muster a decent effort on goal.

With five minutes remaining Ammies thought they had snatched a fortuitous point when a

shot came off the crossbar before being scrambled to safety.