Crow’s wings clipped by Lowther

ACTION STATIONS . . . Carrion Crow’s Dean Leach (blue strip) battles for possession. PICTURE: PAUL STERRITT.

Carrion Crow 2, Limeside Athletic 7

FOOTBALL: IN-form striker Jack Lowther bagged a hat-trick as Limeside Athletic progressed to the second round of the Oldham Sunday League’s President’s Trophy at the expense of Carrion Crow at Cathedral Road.


This first-round tie brought together two teams who have met on numerous occasions over the past few seasons, with past meetings predictably tight.

But that wasn’t the case this time - partly down to Crow missing six regular players, among them key strikers Calum Beckett and Ian Burns.

But Crow manager Lee Harrison – who had to draft himself into the side – refused to use that as an excuse: “We conceded a sloppy goal and we tended to lose our heads a little bit. There are no complaints about the result. We got what we deserved.”

There were no signs of the nine goals to follow in the game’s opening quarter, especially so when Aaron Turner’s raking throw-in for Crow flew like an arrow over the head of Athletic goalkeeper Elliott Buckley and into the back of the net in the fifth minute.

Referee Derick Hewitt signalled a goal-kick as the ball hadn’t made contact with any player prior to its entry into the net.

The rarity of that incident seemed to set the tone for the tie, but Athletic, urged on by the ever-enthusiastic Carlton McKenzie and stand-out performer Dave Shaw, had other ideas.

And after Ben Lawton edged Athletic into the lead at the midway point of an up-until-then drab start to the game, it looked like there was only going to be one outcome.

Athletic secretary Julie Tyrell said: “It’s always been a good game against Carrion Crow, but we

definitely deserved the win.”