Premier Division Review 27th February 2016

BOTTOM club Lostock St. Gerard’s came within 10 minutes of turning the Premier Division title race on its head yesterday (writes Howard Jones).
A goal up thanks to a 65th minute Oliver Evans strike against runaway divisional leaders Fulwood Amateurs in what was only the Saints second home game of the season - and we are almost in March the game was snatched dramatically away from them!
Two late goals from title favourites Fulwood through Rick Coar (80) and Brad Fox (85) tore the hearts out of the home side and denied them what would ultimately have been the shock result of the season at Wateringpool Lane.
Elsewhere, second place Blackpool Wren Rovers ran up the biggest winning margin of the day - a resounding 7-0 thrashing of Southport Hesketh at Bruce Park.
Gary Pett was the man doing most of the damage with a four goal salvo on 29 minutes, 39, 65 and 78, while it was Max Landless who gave Wrens the lead after 22 minutes before Pett got going and then Oliver Crolla (43) and a late Nick Greenall (90) strike wrapped up the goal scoring bonanza for the home side.
Third place Charnock Richard, who it should be said still have the title race in their own hands even though they lie 14 points behind leaders Fulwood (but with five games in hand), got an early first minute lead over visiting Hesketh Bank at Mossie Park thanks to a David Burrows goal.
Later Carl Grimshaw did his golden boot chances no harm with a hat-trick inside 28 minutes with goals after 16, 38 and 44 minutes as Burrows added his second 10 minutes from half-time (35).
Ian Dickenson’s first-half goal after 33 minutes was Bank’s only consolation in the 5-1 defeat that saw all six goals coming in the opening period.
Longridge Town, recently deducted six points for fielding an ineligible player kept themselves on the fringes of the title race with a workmanlike performance on Walney Island as two late goals from Ash Ball (84) and substitute Jonty McDonald (87) sealed the points in a match in which new recruit Curtis Haley had given the visitors a 21st minute lead at Vickerstown.
For the home side it was an opportunity missed as top scorer Sean Paterson fired a late first-half penalty wildly over the bar to get this side back on level terms before the break.
No joy either for fellow Cumbrian side Crooklands Casuals who went down 3-2 at fifth placed Euxton Villa courtesy of a Greg Johnstone 78th minute winner for the Runshaw Lane boys.
Mike Woods gave the visitors the lead after nine minutes, but two goals after 33 and 41 minutes from Dan Morris and Ryan Thompson got the home sides noses in front before the break.
Mike Hargreaves 58th minute equaliser looked to have got Casuals at least a share of the spoils - that is until Johnstone popped up with his winner!
Thornton Cleveleys kept up their recent good form with a 5-1 thrashing of Eagley at Bourne Road where the home side thanks to two goals from Sam Mecklenburgh (20 and 25) gave them a half-time advantage, that is before Brett Dawson added two more after 57 and 65 minutes and Mike McAlpine added another in between Dawson’s strikes on the hour (60).
Kane Taylor 20 minutes from time got the visitors consolation.
Reece Pearce with a 28th minute goal at Burnley United broke the early deadlock at Barden Lane in East Lancashire for seventh placed visitors Slyne with Hest, as Danny Dixon (60), an own goal on 85 minutes and a last minute Tom Entwistle goal (90) gave the North Lancashire outfit an emphatic win at Burnley United, who can thank Mike Hodson for his late goal two minutes from time in a 4-1 defeat for the home side.
For Slyne it was a welcome three points after their 3-1 mid-week defeat at Wren Rovers.