Rangers resurrect cup dreams with late turnaround

They will face Chipping in the final after they too defeated lower division opposition in the two Challenge Cup semi-finals to be played on Bank Holiday Monday.

Freckleton were 10 minutes away from the final thanks to Callum Williams’ effort on the stroke of half-time.

Joe Jobling made it 1-1 on 80 minutes and Cole Holt completed the turnaround for Rangers with five minutes left.

Chipping saw off Garstang Reserves 2-0, Ravi Goshark and Alex Howarth both on target for the Ribble Valley side.

A date for the final will be announced in due course.

In the Presidents Cup semi-finals, Ulverston Rangers also came from behind to defeat Division Two opposition, seeing off Euxton Villa Reserves 3-1.

James Hale opened the scoring early on for Euxton but Scott McDonald restored parity by half-time.

Sean Mooney and Jack Milburn then helped the Cumbrians pull away in the second half to reach the final where they will face either Pause or Stoneclough, whose semi-final clash was called off after yet more deluges.

In league action, Premier Division title hopefuls CMB were put through the wringer before seeing off Tempest United in injury-time after a rip-roaring local derby.

Seven points behind Thornton Cleveleys with four games in hand, CMB could ill-afford any more slip-ups in the race for the title.

The late drama at a mud-soaked CMB seemed unlikely when Carl Grimshaw powered home at the back post after just three minutes.

But Tempest grew into the game and goalkeeper Joe Leather was forced into smart saves to keep the score at 1-0.

Grimshaw then beat onrushing goalkeeper Charlie Fletcher to the ball to slot into an empty net to make it 2-0 at the break.

Fletcher made a remarkable point blank save to deny Anthony Hough at the back post and it seemed to be a catalyst for Tempest to have a real go at the home side and they halved the arrears when Aaron Thorpe scored from a tight angle 13 minutes from time.

The ascendancy was now with the away side and another foray down the right saw substitute Jordan Coop bury a header from close range on 84 minutes.

But deep into the fourth minute of stoppage time, CMB sub James Garsden glanced home his own inch-perfect header from six yards to make it 3-2 and earn CMB’s 11th straight league win at home.

Both sides deserve huge credit for serving up an exciting match on a heavy and deteriorating surface in front of a healthy and appreciative crowd.

Rossendale are back up to fourth with a 2-1 defeat of Burscough Richmond. Scott Wylie and Oliver Williams made it 2-0 at the break and a Colin Bosique-Green goal for Burscough was not enough to earn a share of the spoils.

Wyre Villa earned their first win of the season with a remarkable 5-3 win at Turton. Cole Exley’s first half hat-trick made it 3-1 to Turton, with Sam Bowling on the scoresheet for Villa.

The away side then went goal crazy in the second half, James Faiers netting his own hat-trick and Brett Dawson completing the turnaround.

In Division One, Holker Old Boys Reserves earned their second win in three days to move away from the bottom two.

James McGarry grabbed a treble and Charlie McGladdery a brace in their 5-1 win over Kendal County, whose goal came from Jack Brench.

In Division One Reserve, Turton Res enjoyed a 2-0 win at Poulton Res thanks to Jack Towers’ early goal and William Wright-Thompson’s second-half strike.

And Blackpool Wren Rovers Res twice equalised in a 2-2 draw at Tempest United Res.

An own goal was cancelled out by Luke Smith before Jacob Stevenson put Tempest back in front.

Ellis Wilson levelled it up with seven minutes left.

And finally in Division Two Reserve, runaway leaders Haslingden St Mary’s were beaten 4-0 by Milnthorpe Corinthians Res, who moved into second.

Tom Ladds, Dan Nowell and Tom Jackson did the damage in the first half with Liam Cowley finishing off the scoring deep into the second half.