Lark rise to promotion challenge

SPRING IN HIS STEP: Damian Schofield, of Lark Inn, wins a header in the Northside goalmouth.

AMATEUR FOOTBALL:

Lark 4, Northside 1

LARK celebrated a fine victory over Northside at Foxdenton Park in division two of the D&J Builders (North West) Ltd Oldham Sunday League to enhance their promotion prospects.

If ever there was a ‘six-point’ affair, then this was it and the home side are now a solitary point and a place behind Northside with a game in hand.

Lark entered the Oldham Sunday League at the start of this season and, after a shaky start to the campaign, are now emerging as real contenders to go up.

Manager Ian Kearns said: “We always thought that with the size of our squad we would do well, but it took us time to gel.

“We train quite hard and we are now reaping the benefits with some good results.”

When the two sides met earlier this season in the league, Northside ran out 3-2 winners.

But this was more clearcut and Lark were in command from the first whistle to the last.

Danny Hitchens gave Lark the perfect start with a crisp drive in only the third minute after being set up by Ryan Shaughnessy.

Northside’s equaliser from Danny Collins in the 16th minute — a neat finish following a lightning break — hinted at a much closer game.

But Lark had other ideas and, after a good build up involving several players, Shaughnessy finished coolly to restore his side’s lead 10 minutes before half time.

It was 3-1 on the hour mark as Damian Schofield punished Northside’s partly-cleared corner with a low drive from just inside the penalty area.

It was Schofield’s 13th goal of the season and a significant one in that he had overtaken Johnny Dooley as Lark’s leading marksman.

And Schofield added to that tally in the final quarter when his free-kick from the right and some 25-yards from goal somehow found the back of the net.

Kearns added: “I felt we should have won by more as we dominated throughout, but their goalkeeper had a great game.”

Northside manager Blake Boardman said ruefully: “It was a fair result — we just didn’t turn up.”

LARK: Suttie, Tindall, Topping, Smith, Leach, Schofield, Hitchens, Clarke, Shaughnessy, Dooley, Kennedy. Subs: Rusby, Brooks, Taylor, Kearns.

NORTHSIDE: Ashcroft, C Boardman, Giles, Hollingworth, Richardson, Collins, Solomon, B Boardman, Normoyle, Smith, Shore. Subs:Mellor, Johnson.

Referee: D Hewitt.


Heyside on track after goal blitz

HEYSIDE maintained their push for promotion from division four of the Huddersfield and District League with an emphatic 15-1 win over FC Railway.

Four goals to the good inside 15 minutes, they had doubled their lead by the half-time whistle.

And, although mid-table FC Railway drew first blood in the second period, the Heyside goals kept coming.

Michael Ward and James Taylor weighed in with hat-tricks, Nick Campbell, Michael McCabe and James Davis bagged a brace apiece, with Ryan Barnes, Joe Ryder and Jake Warburton getting the other goals.

Diggle’s hopes of Barlow Cup glory were dashed at the last-eight stage.

Steve Southern’s side were favourites to go through against division two outfit Honley, but their run came to an abrupt end after a 2-1 defeat.

In division one, Joe Jacombs scored the consolation goal for Uppermill in a 3-1 reverse at home to table-toppers Newsome WMC.

Diggle’s second string were beaten 3-2 at Lepton Highlanders in reserve division one, but the ‘A’ team overcame Mount in reserve division three.

Heyside reserves were looking to stretch their unbeaten run to six games when they locked horns with Scholes ‘A’, but instead lost 4-1.

They were three goals adrift after half-an-hour, before a Ben Kingsley strike reduced the arrears.

But Heyside’s hopes of a comeback were wrecked when Scholes added a fourth from the penalty spot.

Uppermill ‘A’ picked up a point in a 2-2 draw against Westend, but Chris Taylor’s double was in vain as the club’s third team were beaten 5-2 by Lindley Libs in the Hoyle Cup quarter-finals.

And Steve Darraugh’s two goals were also to no vail, with the fifths losing 5-2 at Sovereign in the Works League.

Results —

Barlow Cup, quarter-final: Diggle 1, Honley 2. Division one: Uppermill 1, Newsome WMC 3. Division four: Heyside FC 15, FC Railway 1. Reserve division one: Lepton Highlanders Res 3, Diggle Res 2. Reserve division two: Mount Res 0, Diggle ‘A’ 3; Scholes Res 4, Heyside FC Res 1; Uppermill ‘A’ 2, Westend Res 2.