Division One.
Barnton took full control of their local derby as they gave opponents Middlewich Town a 7-0 thrashing. Hat tricks from Billy Webb and Colin Quirk were finished off by a goal in the 87th minute from Josh Smith to complete a successful day for the Northwich side.
Denton Town continued their run of form as they held high flying Rudheath Social to a 1-1 draw. A goal from Liam Newman earned Rudheath a point to keep the title race wide open.
Garswood United moved up to third place as they beat Linotype CHN 1-0 away from home. Garswood sit eight points behind Crewe in top spot with four games in hand.
Goals from Chris Jackson and Stevie McNichol helped Crewe to a 2-1 win away at Pilkington, while Whaley Bridge finished 1-0 winners in their local derby at home against Gamesley.
Eagle Sports climbed up to seventh spot following a 1-0 win away at Knutsford. The home side started well and were well on top in the opening thirty minutes. Joel Swift forced a good save from Eagle keeper Simon Perry when he flicked the ball towards goal from Rob Jones’ superb cross.New signing Mohammed Jarad was showing some promise, his tenacious work on the right wing set up Swift again but his first-time strike flew over the bar.
Moments later Sean Lynch was sent clear down the left by Simon Williamson, only for Perry to smother the ball after Lynch’s loose touch in the area. Eagle began to grow in to the game as the half went on, Liam Walker wasted one of their best chances when he stooped to head over the bar at the near post from Jay Waldron’s cross.
Waldron then came close himself when he ran clear down the right and drove into the area but his shot from angle clipped the post before going wide. Eagle thought they had taken the lead just before the break, Ged McAllister sent a curling strike into the top corner only to see the offside flag had been raised.
The second half was much tighter, both teams only threatened from distance in the opening fifteen minutes. Stuart Bruce and Liam Walker both had efforts from outside the area for Eagle but they didn’t trouble Higgs in the Knutsford goal. Jones’ half-volley from the edge of the area went just over the bar for Knutsford before Swift forced another good save from Perry with a curling free-kick.
McAllister had a great opportunity to take the lead for Eagle Sports when Richard Chinn’s flick on found him wide open ten yards from goal, he tried an audacious overhead kick that went wide when he had more time than he realised. The goal came with 15 minutes remaining. Waldron fired at goal and his shot was caught by Higgs but the force took the ball behind the line for an Eagle corner.Knutsford failed to clear and the ball fell to the unmarked Eagle captain Craig Hall who hit home for 1-0.
Division Two Monday night saw Maine Road Reserves get off to a flying start as they beat Warrington Town Reserves 5-1 at home. A brace each from Josh Harper and Dan Morgan was added to by Nick Osbourne to secure a solid victory for the Manchester side.
Chris Glaze opened the scoring for Lostock Gralam in the 1st minute of the game as they travelled to Daten and the home side's equaliser was scored by Mike Southern in the 44th minute to take the sides into the break on level terms. Oliver Hardman scored early in the second half to give Daten the lead but Lostock were soon on level terms. It took a winner late into injury time from Hardman to secure all three points for Daten and move them up to eleventh place.
Barnton Wanderers secured another important victory as a goal in each half saw them beat Golborne Sports 2-0 away from home, while a game of very few chances saw Congleton Vale come away with all three points as they beat Maine Road 2-1 at home thanks to goals from Billy Buckley and Chris Lawton.
Josh Lane and Mike Evans both scored for Sandbach United as they won 2-0 at home against Moore United, while Tarporley Victoria finished 4-0 winners at home against Sale Town. Sam Lloyd bagged a hat trick with Mike Parker also scoring for the home side.
Warrington Town Reserves were in fine form as they finished 6-0 winners at home to Egerton. Chris Bandell and Phil Mooney both scored twice, with further goals from Sam Houghton and Bradley Parker.
Reserve Division Whaley Bridge returned to league action with a 3-2 win away at Garswood United. Whaley Bridge took the lead in the 20th minute through Ben Lomas and doubled this when Tom Wildgoose converted a penalty after being brought down in the area by the Garswood keeper. The home side battled hard and mid way through the second half were back on level terms, only for Kieran Shuker to nick a winner for Whaley in the dying stages of the game. This sees Whaley Bridge sit nine points behind leaders Greenalls PSO with three games in hand.
There were goals galore as Grappenhall Sports held leaders Greenalls PSO to a 3-3 draw. Scorers for Grappenhall were Chris Sweeney, Sam Shaw and Dan Kimber, while Greenalls goals came from Martin Snagg, Ben McWilliams and Lewis Hampton.
A hat-trick from leading scorer Mike Sullivan, saw Rylands overcome local rivals, Eagle Sports in a game of two halves.
Eagle started the brighter and it was former Rylands players Aaron Williams and Aaron Clark who had the first chances. Williams blasted a shot wide after 2 minutes and 5 minutes later a Gareth Williams free kick evaded the Rylands defence and Clarks stooping header went just wide. Rylands slowly took control of the game and a poor pass was intercepted by Kurt Emery but his rising drive was met by a great save from McCoy in the Eagle goal.
On the half hour Michael Sullivan curled a free kick straight into the arms of McCoy, but 2 minutes later the keepers' mistake saw Rylands open the scoring. A weak goal kick went straight to the feet of Sullivan and the striker strode forward to bury a shot into the corner. Ryan Matthews caused problems for the Eagle defence and five minutes before half time Rylands' domination produced a second goal. Emery surged through the visitors defence and his pull back was brilliantly controlled by Sullivan who scored with a shot on the turn.
With three minutes of the second half played, Eagle had pulled a goal back. A change in formation and the introduction of Danny Reid saw the substitute hold off the challenge from Ryan Shepherd to plant a shot past the despairing dive of Matt Latham in the home goal. The goal rocked Rylands and as Eagle increased the tempo both Clark and Reid again went close.
At the other end a move involving Rushton, Matthews, Sullivan and Jordan ended with Craig Mather shooting straight at the keeper and on the hour Mather was put through by Emery but chose to cross and the chance was gone. Despite the pressure from Eagle it looked like the home defence had weathered the storm but with ten to go Eagle were awarded a penalty which Gareth Williams stepped up to score, despite Latham getting a hand to it.
Both teams were now looking for the winner an with five minutes to go and it was Rylands who got it. A great ball from Emery saw Sullivan beat the offside trap and round the oncoming keeper before rolling the ball into the empty net.
In the final minute a ball over the top saw Aaron Clark roll a shot just wide of the Rylands post but the referee's whistle ended a fine game that saw Rylands finish 3-2 winners.
Billinge took no prisoners as they finished 7-0 winners at home against Denton Town, while Arian Kalantari stole the show as he put four goals past Daten in Poynton's 5-1 win. The fifth goal was scored by Matt Stafford.
Styal were also on top of their game as they finished 5-0 winners at home against Gamesley. Sam Cooper, Jack Roberts, Alex Whelan, Matt West and Lee Taylor all made the score sheet in this emphatic victory.
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