CMB's remarkable home run ends but stay in pole position

While Thornton Cleveleys were racking up their fifth straight win in the league at Milnthorpe Corinthians, Fulwood Amateurs were inflicting CMB’s first home league defeat for more than two years.

It means CMB are now four points behind Thornton but have two games in hand – one of them a tricky looking fixture at Burscough Richmond tomorrow.

At Milnthorpe, Jordan Beavers and a quickfire Dom Richie double put Thornton well in command at the break.

The home side kept battling and were rewarded with a Jenson Butterworth strike. But they couldn’t breach the Thornton defence again to lose 3-1.

CMB had last lost a home league game on 15 January 2022 – a 3-1 defeat to Tempest United.

Since then they have been on a remarkable run, winning 31 of 33 home league matches since that loss.

But Fulwood soon set about ending that record on Wednesday, Spencer Lucas and Noah Handley putting them 2-0 up inside 18 minutes.

Charlie Scholes reduced the arrears only for Lucas to get his second and Will Simm making it 4-1 at the interval.

Scholes struck again on the hour to make it 4-2 but Fulwood saw the game out, Ryan Dodd adding an 88th minute gloss in a 5-2 win.

Elsewhere, Blackpool Wren Rovers are up to sixth, Ric Seear grabbing a double in a 4-1 win over Wyre Villa.

Kole Pratt had put Wyre ahead early with Seear and Luke Harris putting Wrens in control at half-time.

Both Wrens players were on the scoresheet again in the second half for their fourth straight win.

Tempest United enjoyed a 3-0 win at Lostock St Gerards, Jordan Pendlebury, Aaron Thorpe and Tom Booth on target at Wateringpool Lane.

In Division Two, Euxton Villa Res closed the gap in the table to visitors Storeys with a 5-2 win.

Ian Billington’s double put Euxton in command but Josh Cunningham and Josh Wareing made it all square at the break.

Jake Greene, Thomas Henderson and Billington’s third sealed the points for Euxton in the second half.

At Caton, Pause United kept their promotion hopes alive with a clinical second half display to see off the plucky home side.

Brandon Croskell-Robinson struggled to time his runs behind Caton’s defensive high line early on but then got it right on 35 minutes, rounding the home keeper to slot Pause into a lead -
a lead they would never relinquish.

That was doubled on 52 minutes when Jordan Lynch tapped home and then the same player added a third on 59 minutes from the spot.

Caton sub Tyson Pollard pulled one back shortly after with a smart finish only for sub Jack Preston to deliver a knockout blow for Pause.

He saw Caton keeper Simon Wearing off his line before lobbing him from 40 yards.

As Caton pushed forward, Preston added two more late on to give Aaron Helliwell’s men a 6-1 win, a scoreline that was harsh on the home side who never gave up in trying conditions.

In Division One Reserve, Turton Res leapfrogged Coppull Res with a 3-1 win. A Sam Nuttall double and a Cole Exley penalty out them 3-0 up before Scott Hendy grabbed a consolation.

Rossendale Res gave themselves hope of avoiding the drop with a 4-0 win over Tempest Res – Teal Amos with a hat-trick and a fourth from George Brown.

Blackpool Wren Rovers Res and Hurst Green Res cancelled each other out in a 0-0 draw.

And in Division Two Res, Haslingden St Mary’s promotion hopes are still on ice after a 2-1 loss at Freckleton Res, Martin Holliday and Courtney Skerritt doing the damage there.

Oscar Middlesbrough got a brace in Chipping Res’ 3-1 win over Fulwood Amateurs A.

Zach Wilson added to Chipping’s scoreline after Nahum Davies had replied for Fulwood.

And Niall Maloney was on the only scorer in Croston Sports Res 1-0 win over Thornton Cleveleys A.