Eyres to make league debut

GET BACK: Dale Whipp, of Fitton Hill Rangers, holds off Highfield United’s Keith Kurpass.

LATICS legend David Eyres makes his D&J Builders (North West) Ltd Oldham Sunday League debut for Rifle Range Royal Blues against Oldham United at Clayton playing fields on Sunday (2pm).

The appearance of Eyres in a Latics shirt — Range play in the away strip — is almost certain to attract a sizeable crowd.

Eyres apart, this is a match that Range would be expected to win handsomely, but United are bottom of division two and will be keen to get some more points on the board to avoid finishing the season with the wooden spoon.


From hero to zero

Highfield United 1, Fitton Hill 2


AMATEUR FOOTBALL: HIGHFIELD United’s Martin Gurr had one of those days in David Giblin division one of the D&J Builders (North West) Ltd Oldham Sunday League at Royton and Crompton 3G.

It was certainly a day to remember for the player, or it might just turn out to be a day that he would rather forget.

There were three key moments involving Gurr in a crunch promotion battle as table-topping Fitton Hill came up against third-placed United in a match of huge importance in the fight to make it into the top flight.

It had all started brightly for Gurr when he scored from the penalty spot four minutes from half-time following a push on Jake Buckley.

Gurr’s successful spot-kick cancelled out Paul Badby’s opener for Fitton Hill five minutes earlier when he latched on to a Darren Scanlan flick before rounding Highfield goalkeeper Matt Wheelton and firing into an empty net.

Gurr’s joy at pulling his side level soon turned to despair when he was adjudged to have handled the ball inside his own area, Scanlan making no mistake from the penalty spot.

If that was a moment of despair for Gurr, then what followed can only be classed as downright misery.

With just over five minutes remaining, Highfield’s Neil Hardman headed home for what looked like a legitimate leveller, but referee Derek Hewitt signalled for offside and the ‘goal’ didn’t count.

Contesting the decision perhaps a little too vehemently, Gurr was shown a second yellow card which meant a slightly earlier shower than his team-mates.

Fitton Hill’s assistant manager Ray Ratcliffe said: “It was a hard-fought game and it was good to come out on top because we were a number of regular players missing.

“This keeps our hopes of promotion well and truly alive.”

Disappointed Highfield manager Steve Palmer said: “We’ve still got two games left and there is still a chance we can go up.

“There is still a lot to play for but this defeat hasn’t helped us.”

HIGHFIELD UNITED: Wheelton, Moss, Stott, C Palmer, Moran, Gurr, Kurpass, Hardman, Buckley, Bennett, Hursthouse. Subs: Corbett, Oldham, S Palmer, Jackson, Ollerton.

FITTON HILL: Crinion, Williams, Diveney, Scanlan, Brooks, Whipp, Armstead, Badby, Ashton, Peacock, Bardsley. Subs: Brown, Henderson.

Referee: D Hewitt.