Amateur football round up

ON A ROLL: Joint managers Lee McAllister (left) and Andy Revill flank Richard Bennett, captain Joe Cunningham and Paul Needham

Springhead come of age

Ashfield Crescent club turn corner

“THE highs are much higher and the lows are much lower when you are manager because you feel responsible for the team’s performance.”

So says Lee McAllister, one of local football’s brightest young bosses, as his Springhead side sits proudly at the top of the Bridgewater Office Supplies Manchester League premier division.

McAllister (34) and Andy Revill have held the reins at Ashfield Crescent ever since Paul Buckley left to take over at Chadderton in 2005.

Buckley’s departure was a blow to Springhead, but when a dozen or so players followed him to the brighter lights of Broadway, it could have ripped the club apart.

With a playing career cruelly cut short by injury, McAllister teamed up with his mate Revill to try to navigate the Springhead ship through some choppy waters.

There have been some tough times during that three-year period.

The mass exodus of players meant that McAllister and Revill had to blood virtually a whole team of youngsters into open age football.

They also had to play many of their fixtures away from home at the start of last season because of essential remedial work to their pitch.

As a result, the side diced with relegation, but now there is light at the end of what must have seemed like a very dark tunnel.

However, McAllister refuses to get carried away with his team’s position.

He said: “Of course it’s great to be at the top, but the league is so tight I don’t want to set any targets or build up expectations at this stage.

“All the teams are capable of beating each other.

“Having said all that, we’ve seen nothing to be frightened of so far.”

McAllister, who holds a UEFA ‘B’ coaching certificate, has been at Springhead since he was 16.

He played a leading role in the development of Athletic’s highly-rated winger Chris Taylor before his move to Boundary Park.

“We’ve always had a good youth set-up here and Chris is the best example of that,” said McAllister.

“There have been other youngsters that I consider to have had equal ability to Chris Taylor but the fact is that he wanted it more.”

One of Springhead’s brightest young things at the moment is Richard Bennett, who was thrust into first team action last term at the age of 16 and whose name is now one of the first on the team sheet.

Of the turnaround this season from relegation candidates to title challengers, McAllister concluded: “There is more of a team ethic about us now and we have a good blend of youth and experience.

“A few players left in the summer but we have welcomed back Ricky Wild, Paul Needham and Richard Ferguson, who all have the experience at this level to help bring our promising youngsters along.”

And, hopefully, keep Springhead in contention for the title.




Uppermill rue missed opportunities



TWO late goals condemned Uppermill to their first defeat in five matches in the Huddersfield and District League.



Playing host to reigning division one champions Heywood Irish Centre, they made a lively start and created a number of chances without being able to put one away.

Uppermill were made to pay for their profligacy in front of goal as the visitors scored twice in the last 10 minutes to clinch a 2-0 win, the second goal coming after the home side had been reduced to 10 men.

Diggle suffered a wash-out for the second consecutive week, while Heyside remain rooted to the bottom of division three after they were beaten 4-1 by YMCA.

Heyside started brightly and went ahead on the half-hour mark with a goal from N Eastmond.

But some sloppy defending saw them concede three times in the 15-minute period leading up to the break.

Heyside wasted several chances in the second half to reduce the deficit, and were punished when YMCA added a fourth late on.

In reserve division one, Delph enjoyed a 3-1 win at home to Berry Brow, but Uppermill dropped their first points of the season when they were held to a 2-2 draw at Lepton Highlanders.

Mark Jackson and Byrom Coleman scored for ’Mill, whose ‘A’ team crushed basement boys Slaithwaite 11-2 in reserve division two.

Trailing 3-1 with only a N Dempsey goal to their name, Heyside seemed down and out against HV Academicals.

But, displaying a never-say-die attitude, they bounced back to win 4-3 with L Perry (two) and S Partington doing the damage.

Meanwhile, Diggle ‘A’ succumbed 5-1 at home to New Mill 94.

Results are —

Division one: Uppermill 0, Heywood Irish Centre FC 2; Wooldale Wanderers P Diggle P.

Division three: Heyside FC 1, YMCA 4.

Reserve division one: Diggle Res 3, Berry Brow Lib Res 1; Lepton Highlanders Res 2, Uppermill Res 2.

Reserve division two: Diggle ‘A’ 1, New Mill 94 Res 5; HV Academicals Res 3, Heyside FC Res 4. Slaithwaite Utd Res 2, Uppermill ‘A’ 11.




IN the Works League, four goals from Nathan Boote and a James Beveridge effort earned Uppermill’s third team a 5-1 win over Grange Moor, but Simon Poulter’s hat-trick was in vain as the fifths lost 6-3 to Ireti Athletic.






Dynamos pack premier punch



FAILSWORTH Dynamos are going great guns in the Lancashire Amateur League premier division.



Experiencing their first taste of top-flight football, they find themselves in joint pole position after a Liam Stuttard goal clinched a 1-0 win at early-season pacesetters Old Boltonians.

o TWO goals in the last 15 minutes earned Chaddertonians a place in the fourth round of the Lancashire County Cup.

A glancing header from Rob Fielding, converting a Scott Owen cross, put the home side ahead at the end of a tight first half against Westhoughton, who levelled early on after restart.

But Chadds went on to dominate the third-round tie, with Fielding and captain Owen completing a 3-1 win.

The club’s reserve team showed great character to come back from two goals down to lead 3-2 against Spotland Methodists in division one.

But their efforts, especially that of hat-trick hero Adam Flint, were in vain as the hosts hit back to win 4-3.

The third team fixture in division four was postponed, but the fourths maintained their title aspirations with a 5-2 win at Bury GSOB.

On the mark for Chadds were Jack O’Dea (two), Jason Bowes (two) and Ben Crossley.




OLDHAM Hulmeians beat Radcliffe Boys 4-3 to make it back-to-back wins and move up to 10th place in division two.



Danny Proffitt, Steve Shalmani and John Paul Lewis added goals to David Bradburn’s free-kick.

Meanwhile, the reserves lost by the odd goal in five at Old Mancunians ‘B’ in division six — Danny Reed and Paul Lees were the Hulmeians scorers — while Lee Kerwin earned Hulmeians ‘A’ a 1-1 draw at Horwich RMI ‘A’ in division seven.

Results are —

Premier division: Old Boltonians 0, Failsworth Dynamos 1.

Division one: Mostonians 3, Little Lever SC Res 2; Spotland Methodists 4, Chaddertonians Res 3.

Division two: Oldham Hulmeians 4, Radcliffe Boys 3.

Division three: Little Lever SC ‘A’ P Failsworth Dynamos Res P.

Division four: Chaddertonians ‘A’ P Little Lever SC ‘B’ P.

Division five: Rossendale Ams ‘B’ P Mostonians ‘A’ P.

Division six: Old Mancunians ‘B’ 3, Oldham Hulmeians Res 2.

Division seven: Bury GSOB ‘B’ 2, Chaddertonians ‘B’ 5; Horwich RMI ‘A’ 1, Oldham Hulmeians ‘A’ 1.

Lancashire Amateur Cup: Chaddertonians 3, Westhoughton 1.




Top two in trophy test



THE top two teams in the Ashton Sunday League premier division, Halfway House and Warwick United, will go head to head in the first round of the Vic Marsden Trophy.



House, who will have home advantage, were beaten 1-0 by Thatched House in last season’s final but they went on to be crowned champions.

Dog and Partridge, leaders of division one, visit Springbank from the premier division while Charlestown, in second place, also face a team from the top flight in Britannia.

The first round draw is —

Warwick United v Halfway House; Falconers v Wellington; Springbank v Dog and Partridge; Anglers v Moston Labour Club, Charlestown v Britannia. Byes: Manor, Home Guard, Bridge.




Five-star performance



SPRINGHEAD stormed to the top of the Manchester League premier division table with a superb 5-1 win at Walshaw Sports.



The Ashfield Crescent outfit went ahead in the fourth minute through Hopwood after Harrison’s shot had come back off a post.

Harrison doubled their lead, smashing the ball home from 30 yards after latching on to a poor clearance by the Sports goalkeeper.

And Bennett added a third on the half-hour mark, heading in Jackman’s free-kick.

With seconds to go before half-time, Bennett turned provider for Jackman to score Springhead’s fourth.

The visitors dominated the second half and added a fifth when teenager Bennett was afforded too much space.

Sports scored a consolation goal late on, but it did not detract from an excellent Springhead display.

Royton Town remain in contention after they recorded their first goalless draw for five years.

Town and Gregorians, who started the day in third place, could not be separated at Glebe Street.

But the home side will feel they should have taken all three points after creating a bucketload of chances.

Carl Taylor, Wayne Dean and Christian Fraser went close in the first half, while Danny Taylor and Dean had opportunities to score in the second period.

Avro are down to 14th after losing 4-3 at East Manchester.

Hollinwood suffered a shock reverse in the last-eight of the Manchester Challenge Trophy.

Mark Howard’s men went out on penalties to Beechfield United after the tie had finished 4-4 at the end of extra time.

o SPRINGHEAD reserves lost 2-0 at home to their Walshaw Sports counterparts in division two, while goals from Andy Eastwood, Carl Caffrey and Dave Shaw were in vain as Royton Town’s second string lost 6-3 at Old Alts in division three.




Royton off the mark



AFC ROYTON are up and running in division two of the Rochdale On-line Alliance.



After three defeats and two draws, they got off the mark with a 6-1 win over St Albans.

Royton were in command by half-time after goals from Andy Morris and Mark Sneyd, before Jason Wilcock, Barry King, Danny Cole and Simon Atkinson sealed victory in the second half.

In the premier division, Harlequin lost their unbeaten record and were knocked off top spot by Weavers Arms.

They went down 4-2 against opponents who were making it six wins out of six.

Paul Higginbottom and Dave Bates scored for Harlequin.




Frustration as Chaddy let it slip



CHADDY End FC let a place in the Manchester FA Shield semi-finals slip through their fingers.



The D&J Builders (North-West) Ltd Oldham Sunday League outfit were beaten 4-2 by Charlestown CYC in the last-eight tie.

But Chaddy End were left kicking themselves after they wasted a 2-1 lead.

“We dominated the first half and should have been out of sight,” reflected club secretary Rob Fielding. “The Charlestown manager said exactly the same.”

Mark Knowles and Steve Barrow scored for Chaddy End before the break, but the Eccles League side stormed back.

Only two games survived Friday’s pitch inspections.

In the Jack Abbott premier division, Avro under-19s swept aside Shajhalal Unity 11-0, while Wellington ‘A’ caused a huge surprise in David Giblin division one.

Bottom-of-the-table and without a point in their four previous matches, they edged out fourth-placed Red Star 4-3.