Gilgryst Cup four becomes three

THREE wins out of four wasn’t bad as local sides took their first steps on the Bridgewater Office Supplies Manchester League’s Gilgryst Cup trail.

Avro, Hollinwood and Royton Town all booked their places in round two, but Springhead are out after they were beaten by premier division pacesetter Walshaw Sports.

Goalless at half-time, Avro went on to beat East Manchester 2-1.

Steve Gavin and Lee O’Brien got the goals — O’Brien headed home with 10 minutes to go after their opponents had equalised — to keep Rob Fuller’s side in the competition.

Town came from behind to beat Prestwich Heys 3-2 after extra time.

A goal adrift in the first minute, they clawed their way level thanks to Will Mellor’s superb shot.

But they again found themselves up against after Heys grabbed their second after the break.

Indeed, Town looked to be heading out of the competition until Jamie Peers, with help from Danny Trainer, equalised at the death.

And they had a loud appeal for a penalty waved away with just seconds left on the clock when Michael Moss went to ground.

Town had chances in extra time, but had to wait until the 114th minute before finally nosing in front when Trainer converted Wayne Dean’s cross.

Hollinwood were given a fright by lowly Manchester Gregorians before they emerged on top by virtue of a 4-3 win.

But Springhead paid the price for a terrible defensive display as they went out at the first hurdle.

The Ashfield Crescent outfit were two goals adrift just after the half-hour mark, and more slipshod work at the back allowed Sports to add a third.

Springhead’s hopes of staging a fightback weren’t helped when Richard Bennett had what appeared a perfectly good goal chalked off, while both sides were reduced to 10 men when Charlie Lees reacted to a poor challenge.

Lee Berry opened his account at senior level to make it 3-1 and Ryan Shaughnessy also got on the Springhead scoresheet after Sports had added a fourth.

A BRACE from Lee Hanson and a Tony Turner effort sealed a 3-2 win for Avro reserves in a top-of-the-table clash against their Wythenshawe Amateurs counterparts in division two.

Royton Town reserves, with goals from Matty Nolan and Jason Titterington, defeated Bury Amateurs reserves 2-1 in the League Cup, and Hollinwood’s second string overcame Bury Amateurs ‘A’ 4-1.

But Hollinwood ‘A’ were beaten 3-2 by Prestwich Heys ‘A’ in division four.