Clinical Close catapults Cleator Moor up table

CMC extraordinarily came from two goals down to beat Blackpool Wren Rovers 5-3, with a hat trick in the final 10 minutes of the game sealing the comeback win.

Harvey Walford and Luke Harris gave Blackpool Wren Rovers a 2-0 lead heading into half time.

Sean O’Neil set the tone for how Cleator Moor Celtic’s second half would go three minutes after the restart, his goal bringing the difference between the two sides to just one goal, however Luke Harris restored the two goal advantage just six minutes later.

Bradley Rooney pulled one back for Cleator Moor but it wasn’t until the 85th minute that the simply incredible happened, completely flipping the game around.

Luke Close equalised with five minutes of regular time remaining but he wasn’t done there.

He added further goals in the 88th and 95th minutes to secure three points for his side, which 10 minutes prior had seemed like an impossibility.

Elsewhere in the Premier Division, another side who came from a losing position to win a thriller was Rossendale who recorded a 4-3 home win over Poulton.

The visitors were two to the good inside 15 minutes thanks to strikes from Will Donegani and Dominik Gil.

Rossendale responded well to those early setbacks, though, and Joe Howarth made it 1-2 at half time.

Howarth then doubled his and his side’s tally with the equaliser before the hour mark.

Teal Amos turned the game on its head on the 70th minute but Poulton brought things level through Freddie Kenyon.

However, with four minutes of normal time to play, Jahqusal Smith scored the decisive goal that moved Rossendale up to fifth.

Haslingden St Marys also beat Eagley by a 4-3 scoreline and they too were unfazed when they fell behind early on.

Eagley’s Sam Rigby opened the scoring with 10 minutes gone but Lewis Hanley levelled just before the half hour mark.

Leon Barker-Williams put Haslingden ahead five minutes before the interval, after which Kieran Lomax made it all square.

However, Barker-Williams secured a brace and once again gave his side the lead, which this time around was strengthened courtesy of an own goal and, though Cole Collins netted Eagley’s third, Haslingden St Marys came away with the win.

League leaders Tempest United’s game at Coppull United was postponed, giving the sides chasing them the opportunity to ever so slightly close the gap.

Second placed Burscough Richmond secured a 1-0 win against Hurst Green with a goal from Zach Carberry proving the difference.

Carberry arrowed an effort into the bottom corner on 32 minutes after a clever reverse pass from Lewis Corke.

It was the only real moment of quality in a game that Hurst Green fully played a part in and could and probably should have earned a point.

The away side looked dangerous on the break and only some hesitant finishing saw them miss an early chance of a breakthrough.

Jordan Lorde had gone close for Burscough before Carberry's opener, and he had a low effort superbly turned round the post by Hurst Green keeper Harry Smith before the break as Burscough looked to extend their advantage.

Neither keeper had a save of note to make in the second half until injury time when Hurst Green's Scott Craven - who had earlier flashed an effort just wide - was played in behind the home defence but was thwarted by an onrushing Tom Shacklady in the home goal.

Burscough's goal remained intact to move within five points of Tempest.

CMB, currently in third, earned a 2-0 win away at Whitehaven with goals from Charlie Scholes and Callum Walsh.

The division’s top scorer Spencer Lucas netted the only goal of the game as Fulwood Amateurs picked up three points late on at Milnthorpe Corinthians in a 1-0 win.

There was a 10-goal thriller in Division One between Freckleton and Askam United, the latter coming away 6-4 victors against their resilient hosts.

Joe Tindale gave Askam the lead five minutes but, in the first of many twists during the game, Patrick Johnrose and Dylan Chauhan put Freckleton 2-1 up before even 15 minutes was played.

Askam were level on 26 minutes through Callum Rayner but that only lasted until the half hour mark - Sam Dawson restoring the hosts’ advantage.

That too was short-lived: Aiden Pearson made it three-all not long after, the final goal in a thrilling first half.

Askam took charge of the game in the second 45: Ben Phizacklea and Tindale finally put some daylight between the two sides and, despite Jack Williams netting a fourth for Freckleton, Tindale scored Askam’s sixth late on to complete a hat trick.

In what many would have thought would be a close game pre-match, second placed Millom recorded a big away win in a 5-2 victory at Holker Old Boys Reserves, who occupy third.

The first half was tightly contested with Ben Macdonald’s opener being cancelled out by Joe McGladdery.

Dylan Ellis gave Holker OB the lead with 10 minutes of the second half but, at the hour mark, Millom seemed to step it up another gear and took control of the game.

Macdonald scored his and Millom’s second and that was followed up by Ryan Sheldon’s goal five minutes later that put the visitors ahead.

Jamie Pattinson and Oliver Pachul cemented the win with a goal each as the half continued.

Astley & Buckshaw remain top after a 2-0 win at home to Hesketh Bank, courtesy of a double from Callum Williams inside three first half minutes.

Carnforth Rangers enjoyed a 4-0 win at home to Slyne with Hest.

Josh Hadwin got them off the mark before a Joe Jobling hat trick made it a comfortable win.

Lytham Town recorded a 2-0 away win at Turton, Danny Scarlett scored the opener on the hour mark and Will Eastham extended the lead less than 20 minutes later.

Ulverston Rangers edged out Croston Sports in a 1-0 win, decided by a first-minute Jack Milburn strike.

Chipping rescued a point late in the day at home to Kendal County in a 3-3 draw.

Louis Bigland gave the visitors the advantage on the half hour, before Marco Mason sent Chipping into the break on level terms.

Connor Walmsley and Jacob Carway gave the away side a 3-1 lead but, with nine minutes remaining, Max Bryden began to rewrite the script for the hosts.

His first goal made for an interesting finale to the game and, seven minutes later, it was him who levelled the scoring.

Southport Hesketh and Crooklands Casuals played out a 0-0 draw, the first in the West Lancashire Football League this season.

There was a huge game in Division Two as the teams who started the day first and second faced off, ending with Pause United beating Mill Hill 4-3.

Michael Fairclough and Mani Davidson gave Pause a perfect start with a 2-0 lead and around half of the first 45 played.

However, Mitchell George halved the deficit nine minutes before the break and, 11 minutes after the second half kicked off, Brandon Clifton equalised.

That only lasted three minutes though as Zac Clark restored Pause’s lead with his 25th of the season and an own goal made it 4-2.

Despite Clifton getting his second and Mill Hill’s third later in the afternoon, Pause held on.

Pause now have a 14-point lead at the top of the table, with Kendal United now in second after their comprehensive 6-1 victory at home to Hawcoat Park.

Brody Moffat, Joe Rigby and Matthew Kennedy all scored before Tom Hammond pulled one back with seven minutes until half time.

The hosts only got stronger in the second half and, thanks to two goals from Jamie Looker and a Frank Hine effort, earned a comfortable three points.

Stoneclough got a 5-0 win over Barnoldswick Town Reserves, with Lewis Greenhall scoring a hat trick and Jack Littlewood also netting.

An own goal was also scored in Stoneclough’s five-star performance.

Caton United won 3-1 away at Dalton United with Jack Curwen opening the scoring before Ryan Close scored two.

Joe Fiddler got Dalton’s consolation in between Close’s two efforts.

The game was overshadowed by an injury to goalkeeper Josh White, who received excellent treatment from Dalton’s staff.

Galgate also recorded a 3-1 away win, at Walney Island.

Mahammadou Diakite put Galgate ahead before a Nathan Gerrard double with not even an hour gone.

Jack Litherland salvaged something from the game for the home side but it was Galgate who claimed the three points - their first away win of the season.

Elsewhere, Storeys of Lancaster and Charnock Richard Reserves drew 1-1 with goals coming from Alfie Hodgkinson and Liam Jackson in quick succession.

In Reserve Division One, Fulwood Amateurs Reserves beat Turton Reserves 5-1.

Joe Stead and Alfie Raymond put Fulwood two up at the break before Jay McGeechie made it 2-1.

Fulwood pulled away in the final 15 though with Joe Slinger, Joey Higham and Odion Lyare scoring.

Haslingden St Marys Reserves recorded a 3-0 away win at Poulton Reserves with Charlie Howard scoring twice and James Goodyear also netting.

Rossendale Reserves secured a 2-0 away win at Eagley Reserves thanks to Alfie McDonald and Brad Marsh scoring early in each half.

Stoneclough Reserves were on the winning side of a seven-goal thriller in Reserve Division Two, as they beat Lytham Town Reserves 4-3.

Lytham Town did take the lead on three occasions in the game - at 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 - with Charlie Zammit scoring the first two and Dimitri Jackson getting them ahead the third time around.

Brad Tilsley and Elliott Beaver (2) fought back on all three occasions and it was Christian Kirkpatrick who scored the winner.

Hesketh Bank Reserves now sit top of the tree after a 3-0 victory at Hurst Green Reserves.

Macauley Smith, Lewis Johnson and Joe Roach got them the crucial goals, the team now sit two points ahead of Carnforth Rangers Reserves, however they do have a game in hand.

Finally, Emlyn King-Everton was the difference-maker in a 1-0 win for Croston Sports Reserves against Caton United Reserves.

There was also cup action for West Lancs League teams.

In the first round of the Challenge Cup, Bamber Bridge Reserves progressed with ease past Euxton Villa Reserves in a 5-2 win.

Four of the goals were scored in the opening 22 minutes: Lewis Pilgrim got two, while Harry Fisher and Carson Greaves also added to the scoresheet.

It was already looking like a big ask for Euxton Villa to recover but Pat Bibby scored a consolation just before halftime to give them the faintest of hopes.

Pilgrim, however, made it five for Brig’s reserves with just three minutes of the second half gone before Thomas Henderson got Euxton Villa’s second.

In the Stewart Rowe Memorial Cup Preliminary Round, Tempest United Reserves earned their place in Round One in style after a 6-1 win against Milnthorpe Corinthians.

Alex McKenzie got the ball rolling for Tempest with two strikes, one of them a penalty, while Leiden McLean, Owen Brown and James Brown all scored too.

With the score at 5-0, an own goal for each side rounded off the goalmouth action.

Meanwhile, in the Lancashire Amateur Cup, Blackpool Wren Rovers Reserves progressed after a 3-1 win over Rishton Utd Vets.

Unfortunately, this round saw Carnforth Rangers Reserves, Chipping Reserves, CMB Reserves, Garstang Reserves and Thornton Cleveleys’ Reserves and A teams bow out of the competition.