Home comforts see Eagles soar up table

PICTURES
Eagley v Haslingden St Mary's by MARTIN BENSON
Blackpool Wren Rovers v Fulwood Amateurs by MIKE ROE

We start in the Premier Division, where Burscough Richmond produced a superb second half comeback from two goals down to beat Cleator Moor Celtic 3-2.

Ben McCanton and Ellis Trotter both fired in goals for Cleator Moor late on in the first half to secure a strong lead at the break but Burscough Richmond came out a different animal in the second half.

Jordan Lorde and Jake Whiley’s goals brought things level before a dramatic, 96th-minute winner from Alfie Westhead.

Burscough Richmond sit third and are now eight points behind leaders Tempest United - who did not play on Saturday - with two games in hand.

CMB edged out Lostock St Gerards in another close contest to keep up the pressure on Tempest United at the top.

In a game of few chances, CMB keeper Andrew Bargh produced a breathtaking save on 10 minutes to claw Connor McCauley's deflected strike around the post.

It proved crucial as five minutes later CMB took the lead - Dan Locke's cross tapped home at the back post by Callum Walsh.

Lostock St Gerards looked dangerous on the break and they were level on 36 minutes, Jordan Southworth seizing on an error to restore parity.

CMB started the second half brightly and their second goal was almost identical to their first, this time Carl Grimshaw slamming home from two yards.

Andrew Leggett's side kept plugging away in search of an equaliser but left gaps at the back, outstanding 19-year-old defender Dom Flanagan twice foiling CMB breaks with perfectly-timed tackles.

Despite late pressure, CMB hung on for their eighth straight league win.

Fulwood Amateurs were back to winning form with a 3-1 away victory at Blackpool Wren Rovers.

Owen Watkinson and Jonty McDonald put them 2-0 up inside 17 minutes but Wren Rovers were back in the game on the stroke of half time thanks to Aiden Burrows.

However, Premier Division top scorer Spencer Lucas (23) converted a 70th-minute spot kick to cement the win for his side.

Coppull United survived an early scare to beat Whitehaven 3-1 in the battle of the bottom two.

Travis Fyfe put Whitehaven one goal to the good on 15 minutes but Scott Hendy found a response with 10 minutes to go until the half time whistle.

A quickfire Josh Staniforth double after the restart gave Coppull the win.

Eagley enjoyed another win on home turf in a 3-0 win over Haslingden St Marys which was wrapped up inside the first 45 minutes.

Kieran Lomax scored twice, his goals coming either side of a Callum Scrutton effort midway through the half.

Eagley have now won 24 points on home soil - better than anyone outside the top four.

There were two drama-filled draws in the division on Saturday too, starting with Milnthorpe Corinthians rescuing a point at home to Rossendale in a 2-2 dead heat.

Jack Heyland and Adam McInnis gave the visitors a 2-0 lead before the half hour mark but it would not be a comfortable one.

Ben Jackson halved the deficit on 74 minutes before Dan Hallam found the net with five minutes of normal time remaining.

Poulton left it to the very last second to grab a point at Hurst Green in a 1-1 draw.

Tom Divver gave the hosts the advantage with 16 minutes played and it looked like that would be the only thing to separate the two sides again.

However, Lewis Camm struck in the 93rd minute to bring the sides level, with no time for either team to push for a winner.

In Division One, all of the top five secured wins, starting with leaders Millom who remain five points clear at the top following a 4-0 win away to Crooklands Casuals.

Josh Graham and Theo Wilson gave them a 2-0 lead inside 10 minutes before Jamie Pattinson’s second-half double.

Astley & Buckshaw were also 4-0 victors over Freckleton.

Callum Williams scored two goals in three first half minutes to give the hosts a strong advantage heading into the break which they built on in the second half - Kurt Robinson and Ben Rimmer supplied the side’s third and fourth of the afternoon.

Moving away from the top five, Croston Sports enjoyed a 5-1 win over Kendal County.

Josh Hill got Croston’s first but their visitors responded within the following minute through Jude Close’s penalty.

However, the scores weren’t level for long: Andrew Birch put Croston Sports ahead again and from then on they had full control.

Jack Halliwell made it three before the break, after which Charlie Nelson and Sam Hutchings found the net.

Third placed Hesketh Bank were 3-2 winners at Southport Hesketh.

Lewis Johnson broke the deadlock on 53 minutes before Craig Massam’s equaliser soon after.

Kevin Edgar’s spot kick a minute later was cancelled out by Joe Tierney’s own 12-yard strike and the scores were level once more.

George Bond scored in the 88th minute to secure the win for Hesketh Bank.

A goal in each half - scored by Mark Jackson and Matthew Lawler respectively - gave Ulverston Rangers a 2-0 win away at Turton.

Lytham Town edged out Carnforth Rangers 1-0 with Danny Scarlett’s goal separating the two sides.

Ben Phizacklea’s goal just before the half hour mark gave Askam United a 1-0 victory over Holker Old Boys Reserves.

Chipping and Slyne with Hest drew 1-1, with Harris Bailey cancelling out Slyne’s opener which came courtesy of an own goal.

In Division Two, Charnock Richard Reserves beat Galgate 6-1.

It’s been a tough time off the pitch for Galgate but their supporters had something to celebrate early on as Mahammadou Diakite gave them the lead on four minutes.

However, Charnock turned the game around soon after with Noah Hobbs and Arrandale Richards scoring before 15 minutes.

Danny Regan added a third before the break, after which Ethan Eccleston scored twice and Richards secured a brace.

Stoneclough moved up to third after they defeated Mill Hill 4-1 to continue their three-month long unbeaten run.

Joe Howlin gave them the lead on 10 minutes and it was extended by Jumaane Meggoe on 33 minutes.

Liam Fryer got one back midway through the second half but Meggoe completed a brace on 79 minutes before Akbar Khoshab made it four late on.

Fourth placed Storeys of Lancaster earned a 4-1 win over Thornton Cleveleys Reserves.

Reece Pearce opened the scoring on 15 minutes but Harry Fryer found a leveller soon after.

Joel Creech restored Storeys’ lead five minutes before the break and it was strengthened well into the second 45 by Rob Wilson and Joe Waring.

In-form Euxton Villa Reserves made it six unbeaten with a 5-2 home win against Dalton United.

James Hale, Jacob Greenhalgh, Mackenzie Lewis and Ethan Danku’s double gave them the win, with Dalton’s goals coming from Keith Holmes and Scott McDonald.

Walney Island eased past Caton United in a 4-0 win.

Zach Walker bagged a brace and Jack Litherland and Joe Hayes also found the back of the net.

Bamber Bridge Reserves did something no other team in the league has managed this season: keep a clean sheet against Kendal United - Lewis Pilgrim got the only goal in a 1-0 win.

Hawcoat Park beat Garstang Reserves 1-0, with Matty Roberts finding the net just before the break.

In Reserve Division One, Haslingden St Marys got a convincing 6-1 win against Rossendale Reserves.

Kieron Melvin gave Rossendale the lead but Matthew Martindale equalised not long after.

Haslingden took - and then extended the lead - in unfortunate circumstances for Rossendale through two own goals but goals from James Goodyear and Ricco Gavan (2) put them out of sight.

Second placed Lostock St Gerards Reserves came from a goal down to beat CMB Reserves 2-1.

Jack Locke struck just before the break but Joel Chester found the leveller 10 minutes after the restart.

Dan Fryer scored the crucial goal five minutes before full time.

Coppull United Reserves scored late on to secure a 1-0 win at Poulton Reserves.

The game looked set to be heading for a rare goalless draw but Oliver Anderson’s 92nd minute effort gave them the three points.

Next to Reserve Division Two, Stoneclough Reserves were 5-2 home victors over Fulwood Amateurs A largely thanks to a superb first half display.

They took a 4-1 lead into the break with goals from Ross Wakefield, Mike Costello, Elliott Beaver and Milo Clarke, with Kelvin Holding getting Fulwood’s goal.

Beaver made it five on 71 minutes before Wes Enoma got the visitors’ second two minutes later.

Hesketh Bank Reserves drew 3-3 with Storeys Reserves.

In the quarter finals of the Stewart Rowe Memorial Cup, both Tempest United Reserves and Caton United Reserves secured their places in the final four.

Tempest beat a high-flying Carnforth Rangers Reserves 4-1, with Danny Griffiths and Alex McKenzie both bagging braces, while Jamie Butterfield scored for Carnforth.

Caton Reserves beat Chipping Reserves 4-1 - they started strongly and were 3-0 up inside 30 minutes thanks to goals from Charlie Smith, Spencer Drake and Edward Harrison.

Gareth Jones pulled one back early in the second half but Leon Lyon made sure of Caton’s progression with a strike in added time.

In the quarter final of the Lancashire Amateur Cup, Blackpool Wren Rovers lost 4-3 to Appley Bridge of the Mid Lancashire League.