Leaders’ title hopes lifted by Park win

ALL but one of the 13 men’s teams from clubs in and around our town resumed fixtures last Thursday for the first time since the North West Counties League’s four-week festive break had begun - with precisely half of the dozen sides in action recording victories.

Both local representatives in Division Two East were among those who enjoyed wins. Leaders Bollington 1 extended their lead by six points to 20 after hosting, and comprehensively beating, closest rivals Grove Park 2 - thanks to Christian Ogden,

Rob Alcock, Rick Walters, Brigg Simpson and Rob Lamb, whose collective efforts ensured a 5-0 triumph.

And Prestbury 1 moved up a place to sixth, as victories for Adam Colebatch, junior player Jonny Murray (17) and Brian Lomas edged out their hosts, and bottom team, Marple 1 by the odd match in five.

In Division Three Central South, there was little joy for either fourth-placed Bollington 2 - or Macclesfield 1, nine positions lower.

The ‘Bolly Seconds’, despite wins by Olli Stewart and 18-yearold James Walton, went down 3-2 at Grove Park 3, while table-topping Alderley Edge 3 inflicted a 5-0 defeat, and a seventh loss running, upon Macc.

Prestbury 2, who had last taken to the courts five weeks previously, jumped one Third Division South-East place to fifth, following a 3-2 home success against mid-table Alderley Edge 4. Chris Dunkerley, Rick Bower and Rich Curry were all successful for the ‘Seconds’.

Fourth Division Central South leaders Prestbury 3 also returned to action in positive style - after travelling to Lymm 1 and overwhelming their hosts 5-0, courtesy of wins for Andrew Worsley, Rob Thorneycroft, Paul

Bartle, Dave Jones and 18-year-old Harry Mattocks.

But club and divisional companions Prestbury 4, in 10th place, only had a straight-games victory by Bauke van der Ploeg to show for the evening after taking on Monton 3, and suffering a 4-1 reverse, at Bollin Grove.

Bollington’s ‘Thirds’ notched up their fourth successive triumph, and inched forward one position to third, in Division Four SouthEast - with victories by Neil Garner, Aldo Palazzo, Andy Phillips, Malcolm Kendrick and junior Jack Walton (15) combining to prevail 5-0 at winless Knutsford Sports 6. But Prestbury 5, in 11th, endured an eighth defeat in a row after going down 4-1 away to Marple 3, where Gareth Evans achieved the visitors’ consolation success.

Long-time Fifth Division South-East trailblazers Bollington 4 slipped to a first defeat of the campaign - falling 4-1, in spite of a straight-games win for Will Jordan, at the village’s leisure centre to Alderley Edge 7, who had taken over the lead after the final round of pre-Christmas matches.

Fourth-placed Macclesfield 2 lost by the same scoreline at Grove Park 3 - with Jean-Baptiste Laurens securing the sole victory of the evening for Macc. But the town’s ‘Thirds’ advanced a place to fifth after being awarded a walkoverwin when basement side Glossop 2 could not raise a team. Prestbury 6, who had no match, remain in seventh.

Three days earlier, in the Cheshire Ladies’ League Second Division, wins for Fran Taylor, Sarah Lonsdale and Helen Thaw secured a 3-2 victory for Prestbury 1 at The Northern 2 - keeping the ‘Firsts’ in fourth place. But Bollington - for whom only Annika Hall won - dropped a position to seventh after losing 4-1 at unbeaten leaders Heswall 1.