Cheshire Amateur Cup won by West Kirby

Having spent most of his career in midfield, Mike McGraa returned from a sojourn in Welsh football this season to take up the striker’s role for West Kirby with remarkable success. The goals have flowed throughout the campaign and it was his 21st minute near post header from Chris Reilly’s corner that separated Friday night’s Umbro Cheshire Amateur cup final contestants, when The Seasiders overcame last season’s winners, Heswall, 1-0. The 1st half was an open affair with Kirby creating slightly more of the chances but after the break Heswall asked many questions of the Kirby defence who stood up well but were grateful to see Andy Brown’s late strike clip the post. With their success West Kirby repeated their Cheshire Amateur triumph of 2010 and still have cup final dates in the Pyke and Wirral Senior competitions.
Heswall have the considerable consolation of being within reach of the League title after a Paul Howell effort was enough to give them maximum reward against Marine Reserves on Wednesday while 2 days earlier Matty Johnson and Rob Foulkes were on target as they shared 4 goals with Upton AA [Darren Wallace, 2]. It was a mixed week for 2nd placed Cammell Laird Reserves who began by edging out Newton 1-0 courtesy of a Ryan Thomason strike, followed up by going down 3-0 at Christleton [Darren Coyle, 2, Seb Walker] and won their penultimate game of the season when Jonathon Atkinson netted the contest’s only goal against Southport Trinity on Saturday. That result leaves Trinity clinging to 1st Division life some 3 points better off than Upton AA but having played 2 games more. For their part, Upton, despite goals from Nathan Mapletoft and Dinu Maghici were on the wrong end of a 4-2 score line at Vauxhall Motors Reserves [Mark Winslade, 2, Alex Clare, o.g.] on Saturday, while in midweek a successful Tim Bigland strike for Ashville consigned Upton to another blank return. Having been rooted to the foot of the table for most of the season, Ellesmere Port have resigned from Division 1 and their record has been expunged.

In Division 2 Cameron Dalton was twice on the mark for already promoted South Liverpool Reserves in
Saturday’s 4-1 verdict over Heswall Reserves while he also made the score sheet in the midweek 3-1 win over Helsby. Mallaby stay hot on South’s heels and Eddy Toner and John Hedges bagged doubles as they got the better of Ashville Reserves, 5-0, on Thursday and Hedges, along with Gerrard Mullen and John Coulter registered in the 3-0 victory over Willaston at the weekend. Mersey Royal seem destined to make a swift return to Division 3 with Wednesday’s narrow 2-1 defeat at Capenhurst Villa[Mike Banks, Jack Sheppard], when Paul Cross hit Royal’s reply, being followed by a 5-0 drubbing at Prescot Cables Reserves [Ashton Gibiliru,2, Francis Mkata,2, Callum Fearnley.] Mossley Hill Athletic Reserves will need to win their remaining two games and hope that Marshalls slip up if they are to retain their Division 2 status, this following Monday’s 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Willaston who had Steve Rutter and Trevor Worsley netting in response to a Phil Duncan effort, while Brendon Agnew posted for Mossley in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Beb Athletic [Wayne Hulse]. For their part Marshalls [Callum Duffy] strengthened their chances of avoiding successive relegations when they garnered a point at the weekend at Maghull Reserves [Tony Hart.]

Two emphatic wins in the week keep Redgate Rovers at the head of Division 3. Chris Blackwell, 2, Martyn Wilson and Sam Corlett obliged in their 4-1 success at Hale Reserves while a Corlett treble spearheaded Saturday’s 6-1 blitzing of Ellesmere Port Reserves. Maximum points from 3 outings sees Marshalls Reserves retain 2nd spot. A Danny Bulayima double featured in the 3-0 defeat of Christleton Reserves, the same player netted the game’s solitary goal at South Liverpool Reserves and he was again on the scoresheet when his side routed Neston Nomads 6-1. It was a less successful week for 3rd placed Gateacre
who went down 2-0 at Christleton Reserves [Terry Keenan, o.g.] on Friday while earlier in the week they fought out a goalless draw at Neston Nomads. Upton AA Reserves [Nathan Freeman] remain at the foot of the table after being edged out 2-1 by Beb Athletic Reserves [Danny Read].

Bootle Youth and Gateacre Youth will face each other in Thursday’s West Cheshire Plate final [Bootle main stadium k.o. 7.00 p.m.] following success in Saturday’s semi-finals. Andy Kavanagh was a hat trick hero as Gateacre upset South Liverpool’s applecart thanks to a 4-1 victory while Bootle [Grant Pruden, Danny Archer, Jack Charnock, Robert Rowlands, Anthony Seddon] overcame 10 man Vauxhall Motors [Sean Cookson, 2] 5-2 after being 2-0 down.