Defeats rock title hopefuls

AMATEUR FOOTBALL: HOPES of a local side carrying off the Bridgewater Office Supplies Manchester League premier division title are ebbing away.

It was a weekend of huge importance, with Avro away to table-toppers Wythenshawe Amateurs and Hollinwood, following their success in the Manchester FA Challenge Trophy final, at home to lowly Prestwich Heys.

But Avro were beaten 2-1 and it was a case of after the Lord Mayor’s Show for Hollinwood, who suffered a 3-0 reverse.

Both teams boast games in hand, but they can ill-afford any more slip ups in the final third of the season.

It was a poor day all-round for local sides.

Royton Town suffered their first defeat in 11 games when they went down 3-0 at home to Manchester Gregorians, and Springhead lost 2-1 at Elton Vale.

Springhead produced a lifeless first-half display and were a goal down at the break.

The Ashfield Crescent outfit were better in the second period but fell further behind on the hour mark.

Mark Hopwood reduced the arrears with 10 minutes to go, and had three efforts cleared off the line as they searched for a late equaliser.

Results —

Premier division: Old Alts 2, Chapel Town 0; Elton Vale 2, Springhead 1; Dukinfield Town 2, Rochdale Sacred Heart 1; Royton Town 0, Manchester Gregorians 3; Walshaw Sports P East Manchester P; Wythenshawe Amateurs 2, Avro 1; Hollinwood 0, Prestwich Heys 3.

Division one: Bury Amateurs 3, West Didsbury 2; Heywood St James 3, Pennington 0; Monton Amateurs 5, Fives Athletic 0; Wilmslow Albion 1, Breightmet United 1.

Open Trophy: Prestwich Heys Res 4, Monton Amateurs Res 0; Stockport Georgians Res 3, Old Alts Res 0; Avro Res 6, Elton Vale Res 2.

Division two: Springhead Res 5, East Manchester Res 3.

Division three: Stockport Georgians ‘A’ 8, Hollinwood Res 1; West Didsbury & Chorlton Res 3, Royton Town Res 0.

Division four: Hollinwood ‘A’ P Bury Amateurs ‘B’ P.


Cup-tie shocker

High-flying Khartoum fall to Westwood

THERE were shocks galore in the D&J Builders (North-West) Ltd Oldham Sunday League.

Pride of place goes to Westwood FC, from David Giblin division one.

They inflicted a 2-1 defeat on Jack Abbott premier division high-flyers Khartoum Northern in the second round of the Challenge Cup.

In the same competition, division two outfit Lark Inn overcame FC Royton, from division one, 3-2.

Famous King George, also from division two, claimed a prized scalp in the President’s Trophy, sweeping aside top-flight strugglers Coppice United 4-1.

High Crompton are through to the next stage of the premier division shield after a 3-2 win over Lowerhouse United ‘A’.

Limeside Athletic ‘A’ put six past Red Star in the division one shield, where Highfield United also progressed after Royton Athletic failed to raise a team.

And in the division two shield, Old Grey Mare defeated North Star Athletic 4-0.

Cup commitments meant only one game went ahead in the premier division, where Failsworth Athletic edged out Oddies Athletic 1-0. See John Gilder’s Match of the Day.

Rose of Lancaster enhanced their division one promotion prospects with a 2-1 win at lowly Parkside.

Rifle Range Royal Blues emerged victorious — they recorded a 3-1 success — in the division two summit meeting at Northside.

Crompton and Royton were beaten 4-3 by Royal Oak, while Oldham United picked up a point in a 2-2 draw against Limeside Athletic ‘B’.