Premier Division Review 23rd April 2016

THOSE of us old enough to remember will recall a famous launch pop music TV programme in the early 60s called ‘SIX-FIVE SPECIAL’ - well there was a famous 6-5 11 goal thriller that pulled in the crowd yesterday in the days most dramatic game at Hesketh Bank’s aptly named Station Road ground where Slyne with Hest were the visitors (writes Howard Jones).
And in a crazy first-half it was the hosts who steamed into a four goal lead after 24 minutes thanks to goals from Jordan Smethurst (3), Jack Brierley (14 24) and David Hogg (21).
And things didn’t stop there either, and in another frenzied goal feast early after the break came four more goals as Slyne hit back through Mark Murphy (47), Danny Dickson (50) and Mark Murphy (53), although sandwiched in between came a reply from David Hogg who bagged his second goal after 51.
Ryan Teale secured the three points with his 74th minute sixth for Bank but two late consolations from Jamie Hastings (74) and Mark Murphy (80) finally completed the scoring in a most amazing 6-5 bonanza.
But if the goal feast was at Hesketh Bank, all eyes were really focussed on Lightfoot Lane, where leaders Fulwood Amateurs were playing their penultimate home game of the season to seven times WLL winners, Charnock Richard.
And the champions soon settled first and led after 14 minutes through goals, first by Spencer Bibby (12) and then a far post effort from David Prout (14) to severly dent the home sides title aspirations.
But almost straight from the re-start Fulwood pulled one back through Conal Platt after 46 minutes, but Charnock’s record scorer Carl Grimshaw popped up after 52 minutes to fire the visitors ahead again at 3-1.
It looked at that stage as if Charnock’s work rate was to pay off, but three minutes later Fulwood were back in the fray thanks to a Leon McLoughlin goal after 55 minutes.
And in a frantic last 35 minutes Charnock’s rearguard held firm as Fulwood chased the equaliser that never came.
Over at Garstang, the Richardson Cup Finalists were at home to title chasing Blackpool Wren Rovers fresh from their Lancashire Amateur Shield win on Wednesday night at Leyland where they won 4-0 over Manchester League side Royton Town (Oldham).
And it was another of the day’s goal feats too at The Riverside as two early Carl Eastwood goals after 2 (a penalty) and four minutes settled the nerves for the visitors who it has to be said are in a rich vein of form right now as they power towards another West Lancs League Premier Division title.
Indeed the title run-in is now entirely in their own hands and while Garstang’s Tom Graham pulled a goal back for the home side after 34 minutes, Wrens Eastwood completed his hat-trick just after the break with a 49th minute strike.
Jack Smethurst’s penalty after 52 minutes looked to have given the home side a foothold back in the game, but Danny Morris added Wrens fourth after 55 minutes and two more late on from Danny Pickering (81) and another Eastwood special in added time (90) wrapped up a fine 6-2 win for the Bruce Park boys.
Crooklands Casuals claimed their first three points for some time with a convincing 3-1 home win over visitors Southport Hesketh.
Record scorer Dave Mansergh fired in a fourth minute opener for Crooklands, before Jack McCluskey equalised for the Merseysiders just after the break (46).
Two goals in six minutes on the hour, the first from Dave Goude (60) and Steve Caskie six minutes later wrapped up the win for the Cumbrians, who have given themselves a lifeline at the bottom in a bid to avoid relegation with this three welcome points.
The teams having shared the points at Coppull a week ago in a 1-1 draw, Longridge Town and Coppull United got it on again at The Mike Riding Ground on Saturday with a quick fire return meeting and it was Ryan McKenna with his eighth goal of the season who fired Town ahead after 39 minutes.
And when the league’s top goalscorer in 2015-16 Brad Carsley fired home a first-half injury time goal from the penalty spot it all but saw off the visitors challenge by half-time.
Indeed Carsley, making a welcome return after a hamstring injury ran through to make it 3-0 after 62 minutes to move his team back into the top four.
In the days other two games honours were shared, first at Vickerstown where Steve Jones gave the Walney Islanders a 55th minute lead, before Nat Derbyshire on the hour rescued a point for visitors Eagley in a 1-1 draw.
At bottom club Lostock St. Gerards at Wateringpool Lane there was an early first-half shock for visitors Thornton Cleveleys as Darren Green (26) and Tom Speight (32) fired the basement boys in front.
But Phil Smith pulled a goal back for the visitors right on half-time (45) and then Dean Richards popped up to grab an equaliser eight minutes from time in a 2-2 draw.
With four games remaining Blackpool Wren Rovers now need just eight points from their final four games to take the title and complete a remarkable double of LAS and Premier Division Champions.
With Charnock Richard close on their heels they will need to be on their game that’s for sure, although the Fulwood vs. Wrens clash at Lightfoot Lane this weekend (April 30) will likely have a bearing on where the title silverware ends up! Charnock are without a game.

IN the race for the Premier Division Golden Boot award, Brad Carsley (Longridge Town) did his chances of winning the coveted award by moving on to 31 goals for the season on Saturday with his two goals, while Charnock Richard’s Carl Grimshaw is now on 28 after scoring at Fulwood, and Blackpool Wren Rovers Max Landless is not so far adrift on 27 even though he didn’t score in his side’s 6-2 dubbing of Garstang at The Riverside yesterday.