Lane notch nine in Cup triumph
THERE was a welcome return to almost a full fixture list of domestic cup competitions and league action after last week’s mass postponements and heavy rain during the week.
The Premier division teams made their first foray into the Rhodes Cup and there was a comfortable 5-0 win for holders Whalley Range against Premier division champions Rochdalians.
Moorside Rangers provided the biggest upset as the division one leaders put aside last week’s first defeat of the season to romp to a 5-1 win at Premier division Newton.
Rangers had doubles from Goodman and Sixsmith backed by a neat strike from Brown seeing them into the last 16.
The other clash between Premier and division one sides saw Newton Heath take the honours for division one with a resounding 7-0 victory over Moston Brook.
Elsewhere the Premier division class prevailed with wins for Bedians by 2-1 over a gritty AFC Oldham, Abacus Media by 3-0 over Swinton, Tintwistle Athletic by 4-1 over Didsbury, Parrs Wood Celtic by 5-2 at Village Manchester and Old Trafford and Gorse Hill by 4-2 in their local derby against Chorltonians.
South Manchester had the biggest score of the day as they swamped Droylsden JFC 10-1 and High Lane were not far behind with a 9-2 win at Spurley Hey.
It was ‘High Fives’ for Lane’s James Williamson which saw his team race into an unstoppable 8-0 lead at the break.
Hey showed their battling qualities as they had strikes from Rick Ellis and Matt Neale after the break with the other Lane goals coming from Leon Murphy, Adam Sarad, James Keegan and Rob Crosby.
There were two exits for division one teams with Salford Vics going down 7-3 at Hooley Bridge Celtic and a thriller at Stoconians ended in a penalty shoot-out won by division three’s Chadderton Park.
Jamie Hayman (two) and Matty Mills netted for Stocs with Ollie Dyson (two) and Rickie Blunt replying for Park.
Both sides missed chances in a frantic last five minutes to take it through to a penalty shoot-out and Park keeper Danny Cole was their hero as he saved in the sudden death shoot-out with the scores locked at 4-4.
There was limited Wray Cup action for teams in divisions two and three with Moston Brook seconds netting the only goal of their game with South Manchester seconds.
Whitehead Cup games in divisions A and B brought wins for Tintwistle Athletic seconds by 8-1 at AFC Oldham seconds, Mellor thirds by 6-0 over Stoconians seconds, Signol Athletic seconds by 8-2 at Rochdale Galaxy and Abacus Media seconds by 5-4 in a thriller at Deans.
Finally in the Hellawell Shield for division C and D teams brought convincing wins for Salford Vics thirds by 7-0 over Chadderton Park seconds, Manchester Rovers by 7-1 at Stoconians fourths and Moston Brook fourths by 7-0 at Whalley Range fourths.
It was closer for Moorside Rangers seconds who won by the odd goal in five at Oldham Vics seconds and Bury Ams fourths by 3-0 over AFC Stockport.
Limited league action in division one saw Old Stretfordians keep up their recent good run with a 6-2 win over Oldham Vics and in division two Waterloo extended their lead at the top with a 7-0 win at Staly Lions.
Just two games in division three with Hooley Bridge Celtics seconds on top by 5-3 in their local derby at Rochdalians seconds and Newton Heath beat Manchester Polonia 3-1.
Hollingworth kept up their division A promotion challenge with an emphatic 7-0 defeat of Moston Brook thirds.
In division B there were wins for Milton seconds by 5-2 hosting Old Trafford and Gorse Hill seconds and Tintwistle Athletic thirds edged a 4-3 derby win over Staly Lions seconds.
The only game in division C had Parrs Wood Celtic winning 4-3 at Spurley Hey seconds and in division D leaders Bedians thirds extended their lead with a 5-3 derby win over Chorltonians Athletic.