Hillgate spring a Wray Cup shock
THE L and C managed to complete most of its mixture of cup and league fixtures as the late deluge of rain came just too late to cause postponements.
The top game of the day featured two top teams in the Lancashire Amateur Cup quarter finals as L and C champions hosted Southport and Ainsdale FC in a terrific contest.
S and A bagged an early goal but a rocket from Zach Bostock drew Moston Brook level after 20 minutes.
After that it was a ding-dong contest with plenty of chances at both ends not being taken with solid defending from both teams to take the game into a penalty shoot-out.
S and A kept their nerve to win this 4-3 to march into the last four and remove Brook’s hopes of a quadruple trophy haul.
The other cup action was all domestic and in the Rhodes Cup Premier division high-fliers Salford Vics made into into the next round accounting for Village Manchester 5-2 after a close first half that ended 3-2 for Vics.
The Wray cup for teams in divisions two and three had a busy day in the group stages with the big upset coming from Hillgate who belied their lowly position at the foot of division three to beat unbeaten division two leaders Bollington H and L 4-3.
Salford Vics reserves were also on form as they accounted for Stoconians 6-1. Old Stretfordians reserves beat Richmond Rovers 3-0 and Dom Doyle won 3-1 hosting Badger Casuals.
Santos and Elton Hargreaves shared four goals The visitors went into the interval ahead, two strikes either side of a Ben Marshall header.
Santos got a second equaliser five minutes from time through Reece Holden.
There was also plenty of action in the group games for the Hellawell Shield for teams in divisions B and C.
There were plenty of close games and making progress were division C leaders Sublime Athletic with a 3-1 win over Richmond Rovers reserves. A score match by Barrhill over Irlam Steel Development.
Manchester Saints kept up their improved form with a 2-1 win over Didsbury reserves and Milnrow Firgrovia won their local derby with Fittonhill Allstars 4-2.
Signol Athetic reserves shared four goals with Village Manchester thirds and both Moston Brook fourths and Saddleworth 3D reserves failed to find the back of the net in their game.
League action in the Premier division had only one game and Irlam Steel Rangers, with plenty of games in hand boosted their title ambitions with a tense 3-2 local derby win over third-placed North Walden.
In division one Bedians had the chance to close the gap on non-playing leaders Hazel Grove but they were held to a 1-1 draw by a gutsy Moston Brook reserves.
A mid-table contest between Trafford United and Mello also ended locked at 1-1.
Cup action in divisions two and three limited the action to one league game and it brought joy to South Manchester who enjoyed their second win of the season by 2-0 at Saddleworth 3D to lift themselves off the foot of the table.
With no cup action in division A there was a feast of five games and leaders Didsbury FC stay a point clear of Mellor reserves with two games in hand.
Didsbury won 5-2 at Bury Ams reserves and Mellor reserves also went nap with an exciting 5-3 win at Trafford United reserves.
Rochdalians are enjoying a great run of results and continue to stay on the heels of the top two with an emphatic 5-2 win over AFC Oldham.
Signol Athletic bounced back after some resent struggles with a fine 6-4 derby win at Spurley Hey reserves
The other game went virtually to last kick with Altrincham Hale winning 1-0 at Manchester Rovers to stay in the top four.
There were two games in division B involving the top two with mixed results.
Timperley Villa extended their lead to four points with a gritty 2-1 win over AFC Oldham reserves as secondplaced AFC Stockport Warriors suffered a shock 4-1 defeat hosting Broadheath Central.