CRESCENT CRANK UP PREMIER PRESSURE AS THEY SEE OFF CHALLENGE OF THE CHAMPIONS
CRESCENT closed the gap to leaders Greenhoffs after beating the champions 5-2 in their Premier Division meeting.
A Courtney Franklin double, added to a George Shaw strike, saw Crescent open up a three-goal lead before Greenhoffs pulled two goals back despite being reduced to 10 men.
The goals came from Reuben Burt and an own goal.
Ryan Mayer restored the two-goal advantage before a late Michael Lennon goal made it 5-2.
The gap at the top closes to four points, while Crescent also have three games in hand.
Men Unite ran out 3-2 winners on their trip to FC Lambourne.
The hosts created the better chances in the first half and took the lead through Kieron Owen, but they would come to regret those missed opportunities later despite Owen scoring again early in the second half to double Lambourne’s lead.
Men Unite player-manager Ant Malbon brought himself on and made an immediate impact. He played the through-ball that led to a penalty award, converted by Liam Robinson and it was Malbon that levelled as he got onto the end of an Owen Harrison cross to make it 2-2.
The winner came with five minutes left when Lucas Smith found Malbon who smashed it into the top corner.
Stoke Town missed the chance to move to the top of Division One after being held to a 3-3 draw at Beverley Athletic.
A Marco Buckley double and a Lee Goodwin strike earned a point for the hosts, who move up to fifth, but goals from Toby Bell, Matthew Guest and James Woods ensured the spoils were shared.
Adderley Green took full advantage of the Stoke Town slip to move back to the top courtesy of a 4-2 win at bottom side Congress Town.
Dan Holdcroft bagged a brace with Cam Waltho and Ahmed Mazamal also on target to give the visitors a two-point lead.
Jay Shingler and Matt Shone both scored for the hosts who are still waiting for that first league win.
Redgate Clayton were beaten 4-2 at home by Loggerheads.
Dan Jones was on target twice against 10-man Redgate, with Tyler Beaver and Nick Jones also scoring. Ryan White and Corey Bristow replied for the hosts.
Barber Life made home advantage count to defeat Queensberry 6-3 in Division Two.
Nasser Mansour opened the scoring with a neat turn and finish, but Ryan Downes levelled soon after.
Brad Wilson restored the hosts lead only for Downes to draw the visitors level again at 2-2 with a fine finish from the edge of the box.
Brad Wilson scored again with the last kick of the half as he tapped into an empty net after good play down the right.
An early second half strike from Dan Allen opened up a two-goal lead for the hosts with a bullet header and Josh Riley used his pace to get away from the Queensberry back line to score not once but twice to make it 5-2.
Ryan Downes completed his hattrick for the visitors as he pounced on a poor kick from the keeper, but the points belonged to Barber Life.
A Luke Hopkins hat-trick saw AFC Moorlands take all three points from their trip to Queens Head that moves them to within two points of the leaders.
Elliot Patrick replied for Queen Head who have now lost three on the bounce.
Leaders Hazelhurst lost their 100 per cent record as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat at improving White Hart.
After a goalless first half Carl Saunders gave the hosts the lead only for Leo Emery to level soon after.
A late winner came from Nick Fricker to extend the White Hart unbeaten run to seven games across all competitions.
In Division Three, Cheadle SMU gain revenge for an opening-day defeat at home to Brown Edge with a 3-2 win at Bradeley.
A Damien Leonard goal gave the hosts a half-time lead, but an Oli Teague penalty levelled early in the second half. A fine strike from Adam Griffiths restored the Brown Edge lead before Teague levelled the match at 2-2 with his second.
A second penalty of the game for the visitors was converted by Henry Hodge for what proved to be the Cheadle winner.
Foxley moved into second place with a 9-0 mauling of Plaza.
Taylor Atrell scored with a hat-trick and Regan Lymer also netted twice. Matt Ward, Callum Salmon and Harrison Booth we all on target with Tom Hall completing the scoring.
FC Maybank edged out Royal Oak Harriseahead by the odd goal in seven on their road trip.
Tom Mason gave the visitors the lead with a fine strike from 25 yards. The Oak were level soon after when Jack Whittingham took advantage of some hesitant defending to score.
A Ryan Lawton goal gave Maybank the lead once again only for Joel Dale to make it 2-2 at the interval.
Royal Oak took the lead in the second half as they outpaced the Maybank defence down the left and the ball was pulled back for Jake Peake to score.
Maybank rallied and equalised through Isacc Springett after a flick on by Matt Rogalski and the same combination provided the winner for the visitors.
Rogalski’s cross was firmly headed home by Springett to keep Maybank top by nine points.
In Division Four, Locomotive FC won 3-1 at AFC Wolstanton.
Nathan Jones and Macauley Hall scored for Loco in the first half and although Nathan Davies replied for the hosts, Jones second goal of the game secured the points for the visitors.
Staffs Vics missed the chance to close the gap on the leaders after being held to a 2-2 draw by Crown Talke.
Jordan Smith and Ben Stevenson scored for the hosts, but goals from Liam Curley and Jamie Hurley ensured parity.
A hat trick from Jaycee Roberts earned Bradwell all three points in a 5-2 win over winless Furlong Athletic in Division Five.
Arjun Rathoor and Jordan Johnson also score for the hosts with Dylan Reed and Callum Rogers replying for the visitors.
The Mona are up to second place thanks to a 5-3 home victory over Bradwell.
Dean Watson bagged a brace with Dave Farr and Marcus Beeston also on target. Aiden Dawson scored twice for Bradwell’s Development side who also had Scott Porter on target, while Mark Lloyd got on the scoresheet for the first time this season for the hosts.
In ,the second round of the Autonet Insurance League Cup, Newcastle & Hartshill had to come from behind to beat Division Five Norton Central 4-2.
The First Division hosts took an early lead through Dan Byrne only for Jake Wood to equalise for the young and hungry visitors before Charlie Grocott gave Norton a halftime lead.
The hosts were reduced to 10 men just after half-time after a last man last-ditch foul and a real shock looked on the cards.
Newcastle rallied, however, and levelled through Matt Bainbridge before finally retaking the lead with eight minutes to go thanks to a Matthew Harrison effort.
A fourth goal late on from Nicolae Claudiu-popa was rough on the visitors who made a fantastic game of it.
Premier Division Wood Lane eased past Division Two opposition in Cheshire Cheese to make the last 16.
Jack Cotterill. Connor Jones and Callum Middleton all scored to secure progress, while Nick Blaise replied for the visitors.
In the first round of the Tatters Trophy, Holditch Miners beat Black Cock 5-2.
Black Cock twice lead at Holditch Miners but the match turned on a piece of outstanding goalkeeping.
The visitors took a first-half lead from the penalty spot with Brad Wooliscroft converting before a fine touch and finish from Sam Miah saw him level for the hosts.
Black regained the lead before the break with a superb strike from Rob Pearson as he cut in from the left before firing home into the top corner.
A penalty award to Holditch early in the second half saw the game level at 2-2 when Allen Mbabe scored.
The game was delicately poised when Black Cock won a corner on their left and as the ball was swung across a bullet header was forced goalwards bringing a superb save from Mohammed Mukhtar.
The rebound fell to a visiting player who smashed the ball towards the net only for the home keeper to find his feet and stick out a strong left hand to keep that out as well, a superb double save.
Just minutes later and the hosts led for the first time as a corner of their own was headed home by Luke Harrison for 3-2.
A cross from the right shortly afterwards was poked home by Sam Miah for his second of the game with Bazi Iqbal making it 5-2 late on.
In the second round, Division Four strugglers Breaks Athletic were no match for Second Division Coach & Horses, who ran out 5-1 winners.
Ryan Heery scored for the hosts, but a brace from Jake Faulkner and goals from Jack Gilbert, Jamie Collina and Jordan Claughan saw the visitors through
A first win of the campaign for Premier Division Cuckoo Albion comes by the narrowest of margins at Third Division Butt Lane.
The hosts missed two great early chances as Reece Fallows missed a one on one with the keeper and had another saved.
Cuckoo made their hosts pay for the misses as Aaron Holdham took advantage of a mix up in the home defence to score.
Butt Lane thought they were level when Harry Hartley fired in a looping shot from the edge of the box, but Cuckoo keeper Ben Lucas produced an outstanding save as he tipped the ball over the bar.
A solitary goal from Matthew Degg saw Cheadle Reserves spring a shock as the Division Five newcomers beat Fourth Division Portly Robin Hood.
Royal Furlong edged out Vale Hoppers 3-2. Ryan Ball, Josh Beaumont and Olly Doorbar with the all-important goals for the hosts, with Zack Oakes and Matthew Skellern on target for Hoppers.
In the second round of the Sam Kimberley Trophy, Chesterton Bucks beat Athletico 53 6-3 in their north section tie.
Jazz Singh and Luke Allcock both scored twice with Aaron Linsky also on target. Josh Tainton managed a goal at each end with Conall Hulse and Harry Bradbury on target for the visitors as well.
A Rich Birkby hat trick saw FC Robin Hood through at the expense of fellow Division Four side the Berwick.
Dean Beardmore scored twice for the visitors who just came up short.
Roaring Meg are in fine form this season and want to go all the way in the Sam Kimberley. They ran out 10-3 winners at Green Star with Chris Wright scoring four times.
In the first round of the Sentinel Sunday Cup, Moorlands Athletic won 3-2 at Windmill Werrington.
Jack Davis and Kieron Mullock score for the hosts with Matthew Deakin and a Gareth Hulme brace winning the game for the Premier Division outfit.