Mannion on the mark as Heyside reach final

HEYSIDE reserves are on a high in the Huddersfield and District League.

They are through to the Groom Cup final courtesy of a 1-0 win Grange Moor in the Easter Monday last-four clash.

After dominating the early stages, they went ahead through a Joe Mannion strike.

In a closely-contested second half, some sterling work in defence ensured Heyside’s place in the final against Skelmanthorpe on Friday, May 1, at Huddersfield YMCA.

The club’s first team are doing their level best to avoid relegation from division three.

The local outfit still have plenty of work to do — they are six points from safety — but they are giving it a good go.

After double hat-trick hero Mannion inspired them to a 10-2 mauling of basement boys Linthwaite Athletic — Danny Cashin (two), Stephen Partington and James Cummins got the other goals — they followed up with a hard-fought 3-1 win over Brook Motors.

Trailing early on, Heyside hit back to enter half-time all-square, before two goals in the last 20 minutes clinched a vital victory. Partington (two) and Brett Kingsley were the marksmen.

In reserve division one, Diggle overcame Britannia Sports 3-0, while Uppermill were held to a 1-1 draw by Heywood Irish Centre.

Uppermill ‘A’ also had to settle for a share of the spoils against Cumberworth in reserve division two.

Results are —

Division one: Uppermill 3, Diggle 4.

Division three: Heyside FC 3, Brook Motors 1.

Reserve division one: Diggle Res 3, Britannia Sports Res 0; Heywood Irish Centre Res 1, Uppermill Res 1.

Reserve division two: Uppermill ‘A’ 1, Cumberworth Res 1; Wooldale Wanderers Res P Diggle ‘A’ P.


Town looking up

ROYTON Town are finishing their Bridgewater Office Supplies Manchester League season with a flourish.

Back-to-back victories have hoisted Town up to 11th place in the premier division and, with seven games to go, they will be setting their sights even higher.

A 1-0 win at Stockport Georgians was followed by a 3-1 defeat of Rochdale Sacred Heart on Tuesday night.

Jamie Peers got the only goal against Georgians, who gave Town the run-around for the first 20 minutes.

Peers scored just after the half-hour mark, and almost grabbed another before the break, but this time he clipped the woodwork.

Town had ’keeper Steve Birchenall to thank in the second half for one fine save, while they cleared another effort off the line to preserve their lead.

Avro have leapfrogged over Springhead into fifth place after they defeated their local rivals 2-1 in midweek.

The win was the perfect response to Avro’s 1-0 reverse at the hands of leaders Gregorians three days earlier.

It was a familiar tale of missed chances for Springhead, who needed a last-minute equaliser to secure a 2-2 draw at Leigh Athletic on Saturday.

The Ashfield Crescent outfit went ahead in the fourth minute through Bennett’s deflected shot

Springhead went on to create numerous openings but, not for the first time this season, lacked a clinical instinct.

Leigh drew level with a disputed goal and could have added two more before half-time — they hit the woodwork and saw another well-saved by Milner.

The second half was only six minutes old when Leigh took the lead following a swift break.

penalty

But Springhead should have been level when they were awarded a penalty, but Stevenson saw his spot-kick saved while, moments earlier, Hulme scuffed his shot in front of goal.

But that man Bennett proved their saviour when, deep into injury time, he prodded home Jackman’s free-kick.

Hollinwood, in second, are six points off the pace after they were held to a 1-1 draw at Prestwich Heys.

Results are —

Saturday — premier division: Chapel Town 3, Breightmet United 1; Atherton Town 1, Walshaw Sports 2; Avro 0, Gregorians 1; Elton Vale 3, Wythenshawe Amateurs 3; Hindsford 3, Rochdale Sacred Heart 1; Leigh Athletic 2, Springhead 2; Pennington 2, East Manchester 2; Prestwich Heys 1, Hollinwood 1; Stockport Georgians 0, Royton Town .

Division one: Monton Amateurs 5, Fives Athletic 0; Salford Victoria 4, Manchester Juniors 2; Stand Athletic 2, Heywood St James 1; Standians 0, Old Alts 6; West Didsbury 2, Dukinfield Town 3; Wythenshawe Town 0, Bury Amateurs 2.

Division two: Bury Amateurs Res 1, Monton Amateurs Res 3; East Manchester Res 4, West Didsbury Res 1; Leigh Athletic Res 2, Stockport Geo Res 2; Rochdale SH Res 1, Dukinfield Town Res 3; Springhead Res 4, Wythenshawe Ams Res 2; Gregorians Res 5, Hindsford Res 1.

Division three: Breightmet Utd Res 4, Stockport Georgians ‘A’ 1; Hollinwood Res 3, Gregorians ‘A’ 0; Old Alts Res 3, Beechfield Utd Res 1; Royton Town Res 1, Bury Amateurs ‘A’ 2; Walshaw SC ‘A’ 4, Wythenshawe Town Res 4; Chapel Town Res 2, Stand Athletic Res 2.

Tuesday — premier division: Royton Town 3, Rochdale Sacred Heart 1; Springhead 1, Avro 2.

Division one: Standians 3, Monton Amateurs 3; Wilmslow Albion 0, Wythenshawe Town 5.


Barrow bags five in Chadds’ goals bonanza

A FIRST-HALF goals blitz set Chaddertonians on their way to a 7-2 win at Horwich RMI in the Lancashire Amateur League premier division.

Chadds scored six times in the opening 45 minutes — Steve Barrow bagged four — after the home side had nosed ahead from the penalty spot.

Barrow went on to add a fifth after the break, while Rick Massey and Warren Griffith got the other goals.

Four points in two games boosted Chadds reserves’ hopes of avoiding relegation from division one.

They beat fellow strugglers Thornleigh 3-1 — Adam Flint (two) and Alex Byrne were on target — and drew 2-2 at home to Hindley Juniors. Byrne again and Lee Higginbottom were the marksmen.

Oldham Hulmeians wasted a two-goal lead as they drew 3-3 with Rossendale Amateurs Reserves in division two.

Goals from Danny Tait and Gareth Wager put the local side in a control, but the visitors replied with a double of their own, before Hulmeians ’keeper Jamie Dell denied them the lead with a penalty save.

Jon-Paul Lewis looked to have won it for Hulmeians with only minutes remaining, but there was still time for Rossendale to snatch a last-gasp equaliser.

In division four, Chadds ‘A’ were beaten 2-1 by Old Blackburnians, while Hulmeians Reserves need four points from two games to secure promotion from division six following a 4-3 defeat at Radcliffe Town ‘A’.

Two goals from Danny Proffitt put the visitors 2-1 in front, but Radcliffe stormed back to lead 4-2 with the help of two penalties and the dismissal of ’keeper Chris Frankland.

Gary Melia netted a third for Hulmeians with virtually the last kick of the game.

Results are —

Premier division: Horwich RMI 2, Chaddertonians 7.

Division one: Chaddertonians Res 2, Hindley Juniors 2; Mostonians 4, Broughton Amateurs 1.

Division two: Oldham Hulmeians 3, Rossendale Ams Res 3.

Division three: Ashtonians 3, Mostonians Res 1; Failsworth Dyns Res 3, Rossendale Ams ‘A’ 2.

Division four: Chaddertonians ‘A’ 1, Old Blackburnians ‘B’ 2.

Division five: Radcliffe Boys Res 4, Mostonians ‘A’ 1.

Division six: Radcliffe Town ‘A’ 4, Oldham Hulmeians Res 3.

Division seven: Rossendale Ams ‘D’ P Oldham Hulmeians ‘A’ P.


Unbeaten Park are just champion

BOUNDARY Park FC were crowned Rochdale and District Sunday League division two champions after a 2-0 win against Woolworths FC.

Rick Sopel and Jordan Scholes scored for Boundary Park, who completed their league campaign unbeaten.

The shut-out also meant they had gone the last seven games without conceding a goal.


North set ball rolling

MANCHESTER North End under-15s overcame Chadderton FC Juniors in the Tameside and District Junior League Cup final to stay on course for the quadruple.

North End, with first-half goals from Josh Staniforth and Jake Massey, recorded a 2-1 win at Woodley Sports FC.

Paul Makin’s side are also through to the County Cup final, where they play local rivals Chaddy End FC on May 24, they are in the last four of the Challenge Cup and are hot on the heels of Fletcher Moss in the Tameside Sunday League.

Mike Taylor replied for Chadderton, who bounced straight back with a 5-1 win over Oswald Road to remain top of the Tameside and District League table.

Taylor scored twice, with other efforts from Anthony Curran, Michael Clune and Tom Shaw.