Houlihan's Press Report 24th September

Houlihan’s Birkenhead Sunday Association Football League

60th Anniversary Season

Press Report for Sunday 24th September 2023

There were huge smiles on the faces of last season’s The Maxwell’s Barber Division One Champions as they faced Premier Division Champions Dock FC, Cheshire Cheese ran out 3-2 winners with strikes from a Kieran Frost double and a single from Lewis Gouldson, Dock’s response came from Kieran Hamm and Carl Murphy, Great Float S&S sailed into pole position after a comfortable 5-0 win over Corsair FC, goalgetters for Float were Shaun Parrington 2, Peter Morgan, Joey Robinson, and Josh Abbot, Division leaders Rock Ferry Social were beaten at home by KRCT Bidston who leapfrogged them with a 3-2 verdict to go 3rd on goal difference, Matty Maguire , Ben O’Neil & John Mearns obliged for the north end based side, with the Wirral District FA cup ties commencing next week and National and Cheshire Cups starting a week later the Battle for supremacy for Ryan ‘Gigsy’ Atherton Trophy, the premier division will be taking a back seat and with the division having completed 30% of the league programme so far it is very difficult to predict who will finish in each position as only one point separates the top 6, Queens Park who have lifted 21 Premier Division League Titles and 1 Division One Title before the Premier Division was introduced back in 1968-1969 season, Queens also won the Division One Title in 1972-73 and were then invited to The Premier Division (The Premier Division was by invitation only until the early 80’s) are the only unbeaten premier division side this season after they struck another maximum points haul 2-1 at Wellington FC (Jack Salmon), Harvey Sample and Jack Bentley were on hand for Queens Park and they take second spot as Woodchurch Hotel’s inactivity due to being the odd team, a first league win of the season for Neston Nomads was down to Joe Foster, Luke Blondel and Mark Reed finding their shooting boots 3-2 over Lancelyn Glenavon (Connor Courtnell)

There are only 8 clubs in the league who remain unbeaten and of those 8 two have a 100% record, Eastham Rangers Colts is one of those Clubs who sit proudly at the top of The Maxwell’s Barber Division One after a 5th league win 4-2 over Prenton FC (Luke Wynne, Tom Leyland) with an OG, Jim Ludbrook, Dillon Thomas and Robbie Hicks on the scoresheet, Rig Move (Lee Ludgate, Josh McEwan, Daniel Woodcock) and Upton Town (Morgan Woods, Danny Lamb, Adam Ledgerton) both registered 3-1 home wins over Derby Jets (Luke Rollings) and AFC Shaftes (OG) respectfully

Goals were plenty in the Martin Gallier Project Division Two with Lions FC heading the Division with a 2point cushion after Paul Ryan hit a fine hatrick in a 3-1 success to inflict a 1st league defeat on Eagle Stirrup FC (Ciaran Atkinson), 2nd placed Eastham Rangers netted 7 times from Kieran Hodgson and Jordan Crowder both bagging a pair each added to singles from Andy Simpson, Martin Marshall and James Beddows, Joe McColgan scored a consolation for Upton Willows 7-1, last season’s division Three title decider between Old Parks and Oval FC lived up to another great game, Luke Arnold put old Parks in the lead but a late equaliser from veteran John Skipsey for the visitors then straight from the restart hosts Old Parks went straight down and hit the winner from Louis Haddock, Old Parks sit in joint second with Eastham Rangers and Saughall FC who posted a 4-2 scoreline at Woodchurch Rovers (Mike Parnell, Karl Dobbs) after single efforts from Andy Noonan, Owen Kelsey, Dave Ollerhead and Scott Nickson, a mid table clash saw AFC Rangers travel to Millcroft home of Newton FC and who are also hosting Wirral Radio Newton FC AFC Rangers took the honours 2-1 with brace from Chris Caress, Conor Egan replied for the Radio lads, Poulton Vics S&S got their first league win of the season and found the net no less than 6 times without reply thanks to Hatim Aljamal 2, Dan Price 2, Danny Kendall and Ryan Mason over Barkers Armchair FC.

AFC Tima finally got their first points of the season on the board with Jack Grimes hitting the all important winner over Victoria Colts in Division Three while the game of the day saw leaders Wirral Athletic host second placed Oxton Celtic with the Celtic side running out 3-2 winners to claim top spot, Jamie Payne notched both goals Wirral Athletic, Strikes from Ben Hunter 2, Nick Amos, Brad Brady, Mark Rand and an og kept Feeneys FC among the early pacesetters with a 6-3 verdict over Glenavon athletic (Danny Rowlands, George Wild, Sammy Watkins), West Kirby United were also among the goals and are also in joint 2nd place easing to a 4-0 win over AFC Raeburn FC, Robert Nairn, Henry Martin, Matt Cleary and Tom Fleming were all on the scoresheet for west wirral side, Honours were even in a mid table clash between Parkgate St Germain (Luke Hall, Ben Pearson 2) and North Wirral Saints (Mike Manser 2, Callum Sait) in a 3-3 draw while Athletic VH accounted for Higher Beb Kelma 2-0.