Houlihan's Press Report 4 February 2024

Houlihan’s Birkenhead Sunday Association Football League

60th Anniversary Season

Best League in Cheshire

Press Report for Sunday 4th February 2024

KRCT Bidston claimed the final place in the semi finals of the Cheshire County Football Association Sunday Challenge Cup with a 3-0 win over premier division rivals Corsair FC after a double from Liam Siddorn and Kian Hamn strike

Bushell Athletic earned a place in round 4 of the Tony Houlihan Memorial Challenge Cup after efforts from Ben Glover 2, Leon Jones and Luke Naylor saw off the challenge 4-1 from highly fancied Whitby Rangers who replied through Tom McDowall, also through are Lancelyn Glenavon who had a narrow 2-1 result over AFC Tima (Daniel King) despite being 3 divisions apart, Luke Camden was the marksman with a smart double for Lancelyn

AFC Raeburn secured a quarter final spot in the Jimmy Core Trophy with a splendid 3-0 result over Parkgate St Germain, netting for the hosts were Matty Amey, Jack Presswell and a penalty from Elliot Greenall, they will be joined in the hat for the last eight by Athletic VH who knocked out Division Three runaway leaders Oxton Celtic 5-3 on penalties after they finished all square 1-1 at 90 minutes

Once again The Houlihan’s Birkenhead Sunday Association Football League Premier Division title for the Ryan ‘Gigsy’ Atherton Trophy has been blown wide open after an outstanding performance from Neston Nomads who took maximum points against Dock AFC in a 2-1 win, Nathan Sharkey and Luke Blondel put Neston 2-0 up with Dock responding with a late reply from Ben Wood in the 87th minute, Great Float S&S (Rob Allen) had their lead at the top cut to 1 point as they dipped to Woodchurch Hotel who had Jordan Deer and Tom Quinn on the mark, also Queens Park (Evrard Vao 2, Jamie Leyland 2, Jack Ireland) eased to a comfortable 5-1 result over Rock Ferry Social (Connor Doyle) who have 4 games in hand and 3 games in hand on Great Float and Cheshire Cheese respectfully (Sean Wilson, Cam Nuttall) who defeated Wellington FC 2-0.
Game of the day in the Maxwell’s Barber Division One saw Jamie Easton and Marcus James netting for leaders Rig Move in a close 2-1 encounter with 2nd placed Eastham Rangers Colts (Dillon Thomas), Upton Town had Will O’Leary and Callum Lockley on hand to keep in touch and have a chance to ply their football in the top flight of Sunday League Football in Birkenhead next season

Lions FC maintained their 100% record with a splendid 3-1 scoreline at Oval FC (John Skipsey) thanks to a fine Gareth Craven double supplemented with a Paul Ryan strike and head the Martin Gallier Project Division Two by 8 points, Eagle Stirrup FC stayed in the hunt for a possible promotion spot with the same 3-1 scoreline in a local derby encounter with Woodchurch Rovers (Ryan Thomson), Ciaran Atkinson, Nathan Fehily and Kazim Tektas obliging for Eagle Stirrup FC, Barkers Armchair dented Eastham Rangers hopes of a top three finish holding them to a 2-2 draw, the respective goalgetters were Mark Munt & Lee Doyle for Barkers Armchair with Martin Marshall and Jack Roberts for Eastham Rangers, Poulton Victoria S&S found their shooting boots with Danny Kendall leading the way with a hatrick allied to further efforts from Tom Kendall, Tom Price and Ryan Mason over AFC Rangers (Lewis McKnight, Sam Burke) in a mid table 6-2 tussle

Wirral Athletic took the honours in their clash with early pacesetters West Kirby United 3-0, a Jamie Payne brace supported by a Harry Huggins goal for the Wirral Athletic Boys did the damage, a high scoring game between Higher Beb Kelma (Corey Wilson, Adam Clarke 2, Jack Brown) and Victoria Colts (Kyle Sallis, Jack Hughes 2, Grant Fowler), Kelma were in the driving seat at 4-1 but Colts came back to take the spoils 5-4, With Oxton Celtic playing in a cup game Feeneys FC (Ben Hunter) failed to capitalize and had to share the honours in a 1-1 draw with North Wirral Saints (Josh Lynch)