Saints go marching on as five defeat higher level opponents

Saturday’s fixture schedule was one dominated by cup football, and it was a schedule that certainly didn’t disappoint, with a hatful of goals and a handful of shocks across the various competitions.

We start with a look at the Richardson Cup, which reach the third-round stage on Saturday, and saw Division One outfit Haslingden St Mary’s defeat Premier Division Burscough Richmond 2-0 thanks to goals from Alfie Edmundson and Michael White.

Elsewhere, Fulwood Amateurs put in a five-star performance to advance to the next round, with a brace from Aaron Hewitt and goals from Jonty McDonald, Spencer Lucas and Noah Hindley securing a 5-0 win against Wyre Villa.

Matthew Casson and Ryan Rodgers both struck twice for their respective sides as Milnthorpe Corinthians won 4-3 at Crooklands Casuals, who had opened the scoring early on through Kyle Delves.

However, Casson’s brace, alongside goals from Daniel Hallam and Cameron Hollywood, would ultimately see the away side emerge victorious.

And it was another high-scoring affair at Tempest United, where Rossendale picked up a 4-2 win thanks to an own goal, and strikes from Tom Hulme, Ryan Siddle and Joe Howarth.

Sam Parkinson and Jordan Pendlebury were the scorers for the hosts, who had twice led the tie in the first half.

Oliver Turner and Carl Grimshaw found the net, either side of a goal from Sean Elliott, to hand CMB a 2-1 win at Coppull United, whilst the final two ties were settled by a single goal.

Jordan Monk was the difference maker as Hurst Green saw off Askam United, whilst Danny Fletcher got the only goal as Blackpool Wren Rovers beat Lostock St Gerards.

The first round of the Presidents Cup saw three sides defeat opposition from a higher division, including Division Two side Stoneclough, who won 5-2 at Premier Division Slyne with Hest, in no small part thanks to Lewis Greenhalgh and Aaqil Campbell both scoring twice.

Dan Dosanjh also netted in the win, whilst both the hosts’ goals came via Will Sharkey.

Also flying the flag for Division Two were Pause United, who triumphed 4-2 at Division One Hesketh Bank as Ollie Wilson, Tom Knight and Gordon Lynch all found the net.

The visitors were also aided by an own goal, whilst Luke Smith and George Bond were the scorers for Hesketh Bank.

And completing this ‘cupsetting’ trio were Division One Ulverston Rangers, who fought from 3-1 down to eventually claim a penalty shoot-out victory over Premier Division Whitehaven.

Sam Pinnegor’s brace and a 92nd minute Jack Milburn equaliser helped send the game to a shoot-out, which ultimately ended 3-2, after Travis Fyfe, Kian Goulding and Josh Green had earlier netted for Whitehaven.

Hawcoat Park fell just short of recording an additional upset, going out 4-3 on penalties at Millom after Sam Beattie had cancelled out Theo Wilson’s opener to force spot kicks.

Cole Exley’s double helped Turton claim a 4-3 win at Kendal County, with James Buckley and Ricardo Pembele also on target in the win.

The hosts’ goals, meanwhile, came via Jack Brench and a brace from Jay Hayton.

And in the final first round tie, Thomas Henderson, Theo Davies and Liam McNally all found the net as Euxton Villa Reserves won 3-2 at Storeys, who got their goals through Joe Wareing and Ryan Yates.

Also getting underway on Saturday was the Challenge Cup, where Croston Sports were made to work hard by a resilient Charnock Richard Reserves before ultimately easing to a 6-0 win at Charter Lane.

Despite the scoreline, home goalkeeper Luke Fitzsimmons had an outstanding afternoon keeping the visitors at bay until the 34th minute.

He had already denied Jordan Wignall with two marvellous saves before Wignall finally beat him.

An own goal on 52 minutes was followed by Ryan Fletcher's brilliant curler from 25 yards and sub Ric Tomlinson's flicked finish on 71 minutes.

Two headers from Alex Kaye and Fletcher sealed the win but not before Fitzsimmons made two more acrobatic saves to keep it to six.

Elsewhere, Robbie Sanderson scored a hat-trick as Division Two Dalton United beat Division One Southport Hesketh 5-1.

That treble came after Robbie McMurdo and Robbie Baker had also gotten on the scoresheet to turn the game around, with Jordan Slade having opened the scoring 17 minutes in.

Also scoring three on Saturday was Eagley’s Kieran Lomax, who along with Alfie Cowen helped his side to a 4-1 victory at Caton United, whose only goal came via Sam Frith.

Gary Knight, Sam Chatburn, Ravi Goshark and Kieron Smithson were all on target as Chipping claimed a 4-2 win at Galgate, who got both their goals via Chris Stripp.

And concluding the Challenge Cup round-up are Carnforth Rangers, who progressed 5-4 on penalties after Ben Turton cancelled out Kurt Robinson’s opener to force a shoot-out in their tie against Astley and Buckshaw.

Elsewhere, Kendal United are into the final four of the Westmorland Senior Cup, that after claiming a 5-0 win in their quarter-final tie at Windermere.

Alongside all of the aforementioned cup action, there was also a full compliment of league fixtures in the reserve divisions.

However, first we go to the sole fixture in the Division Two, and a potentially decisive one in the promotion race, as Walney Island produced a stunning late turnaround to win 2-1 at Freckleton.

It looked for the vast majority of the game that Courtney Skerritt’s 18th minute strike would be enough to win it for the home side, before Jordan Hughes struck twice deep into second-half stoppage time to steal all three points away.

In Division One Reserve, Adam Whittaker netted a hat-trick to helped Lostock St Gerards Reserves beat Hurst Green Reserves 6-2, with Jamie Sanderson, Jonny Wilding and Jack Wilson also scoring in the win.

Will Nicholls and James Whitworth were the scorers for Hurst Green Reserves.

Meanwhile, Eagley Reserves went one better, winning 6-1 against Coppull Reserves thanks to a Zach Karanga-Brown brace, goals from Callum Gilbert, Rory Kielty and Harvey Roberts, and an own goal.

Scott Hendy registered what proved to be a consolation goal just after the hour.

Fulwood Amateurs Reserves maintained their place at the top of the division, with Alex Smithson scoring a hat-trick and Hugo Strand getting the opener in a 4-0 win at Rossendale Reserves.

Blackpool Wren Rovers Reserves triumphed at CMB Reserves by the same scoreline, as Olly Hesford scored twice, and Aidan Burrows and Jordan Wood also got on the scoresheet.

Billy Cartmell, Harry Fryer and Neil Wharton were the scorers as Thornton Cleveleys Reserves beat Poulton Reserves 3-0.

And in the division’s final fixture, Turton Reserves and Tempest United Reserves played out a 1-1 draw, with Ben McCabe cancelling out Nick Skelly’s first-half opener.

Division Two Reserve saw a miraculous comeback at Milnthorpe Corinthians Reserves, who rallied from 3-0 down to beat Fulwood Amateurs A 4-3.

Malachi McDowell’s opener and a brace from Dylan Jackson-Cooney had established that three-goal cushion, before the home side improbably battled back thanks to Will Booth’s hat-trick, and a goal from Tom Jackson.

Leaders Haslingden St Mary’s Reserves also took maximum points, with Jordan Henderson and Zac Brierley striking either side of a goal from Harry Mahon to seal a 2-1 win at Croston Sports Reserves.

The division’s other three fixtures, meanwhile, all ended in draws, including the meeting between Carnforth Rangers Reserves and Lytham Town Reserves, which finished 2-2.

It was the same scoreline at Chipping Reserves, with goals from Zach Wilson and Max Bryden, the latter of which came in the 95th minute, levelling things up after John Stead and Casper Ganwarski had given visitors Hesketh Bank Reserves a 2-0 lead.

Lastly, Thornton Cleveleys A and Rossendale A played out a 1-1 draw as goals from Jay Davies and Tejay Bacon cancelled each other out.