IN THE Premier Division Marsh United had to battle to keep their 100% record intact when they entertained a very good Carnforth Rangers side in the match of the day.
The early stages were fast and furious with both sides intent on playing good attacking football. Both defences played really well in keeping the score to 0-0. But in the 22nd minute Jordan Sparks found a chink in Carnforth defence to open the scorin
g.
The tempo of the game increased and with the game ebbing and flowing it looked certain that other goals would be scored, but the defences had other ideas and no further goals were scored before half-time.
The second half was even better than the first half and just as fast which was a credit to both sides' fitness. Carnforth did create two good chances in the last 15 minutes when first a shot which beat the keeper hit an upright and went clear and the other was goal bound but was headed off the line by the excellent Steve Parkinson.
The last 10 minutes saw Carnforth throw caution to the wind in an effort to get at least a draw, but the solid Marsh defence held firm.
Despite keeping its record intact Marsh dropped down from top to second place on goal difference after TIC Dynamos thrashed Slyne-with-Hest by 8-1. Dynamos played really well, coupled with some dire defending by a Slyne side that made some simple and silly mistakes allowing Dynamos to lead by 5-0 at half-time.
The second half was not much better for Slyne as they conceded another three.
There were seven different scorers for Dynamos with Mark Wiggins (2), Steve Wiggins, Craig Holme, Darren True, Kevin Sullivan Robert Goldsborough and Martin Lewis getting the goals. In reply Sam Sandham managed just one for a well beaten side.
Bowerham newcomers to the highest division are learning the hard way. Against Galgate they soon found themselves trailing by 2-0 after Tony Knowles and Steve McMinn had scored. Bowerham pulled one goal back before half-time when Kasim Hollins scored.
The second half was not very old when Galgate restored its two goal cushion when Paul Bloomer netted. Bowerham to its credit never gave up and responded brilliantly and forced an equaliser with a two goal salvo from Joe Bouskill to earn a draw.
Cartmel and Morecambe Royals played out a dour 1-1 draw. Neither team deserved to lose. A draw was probably the fairest result. If either team had played as well as they are capable they would have won. Matthew Burrows scored for Cartmel and Darren Briggs for the Royals who remain in fourth place.
In Division One Boys Club dropped another two points in a game they should have won when they entertained Caton United. Boys Club got off to a slow start and it was Caton who created the first chance but it was lost without troubling the keeper.
Both sides started to carve open the other's defence but goals were slow in coming. Caton won a corner when its winger Warren Quinn should have scored after beating a number of defenders only to see his shot well saved by the keeper with his feet.
From the resulting corner the Boys Club failed to clear and the ball fell to Quinn three yards out and his toe poke of a shot went into the net to give Caton an undeserved lead. Boys Club hit back and if it had not been for the brilliance of Graham Gardner in Caton's goals they would have drawn level. Gardner made three fantastic saves in the space of two minutes to deny Boys Club.
Boys Club had now got on top and were running Caton ragged, the equalising goal came from the boot of Ben Pye from 20 yards out, Gardner appeared to have it covered but the ball found a way under him and into the net.
The second half saw Boys Club dominate for long periods but the goal shy forwards never troubled Gardner again. Caton hardly got in any kind of serious shot throughout the second half.
Cartmel Reserves won its first game of the season when they beat a much weakened College AFC side by 5-2. Cartmel played its best football so far and had its strongest side playing now that cricket has finished.
Alan Coulston scored two great goals, Will Anderson and a double strike from veteran Brian Lowery scored for Cartmel. Lee Norman and Danny Blackburn scored for a well beaten College AFC side. After a promising start to the season College have lost form.
In Division Two Torrisholme are the new leaders after gaining revenge for a 2-1 an early season defeat at the hands of Slyne with Hest Reserves by beating them with ease in the return by 4-0. Scorers for Torrisholme were Andy Houghton, Rob O'Brien (2) and the goal of the game scored by Scott Shields.
Trimpell moved up to second place after beating a poor Kirkby Lonsdale Reserves side by 5-0. Trimpell played as well as it has done all season and won with a lot to spare, man of the match was the excellent Paul Woodhouse who scored a well taken hat-trick to put his side in control. Other goals for Trimpell were scored by Andy Forbes and veteran David Riley. After the game manager of Trimpell John Cassidy said this year could be our year if we continue to play like this.
Carnforth Rangers Reserves dropped down to fifth place when they lost its unbeaten record to a rampant Bentham Reserves side strengthened by the return of its cricketers. Bentham deserves its win in a high scoring game when it won by 5-3. Carnforth played really well to score three goals but could not match the Bentham side, Darren Thompson scored twice, Thomas Burns, the goal of the game by the impressive Tomi Tatham and a first of the season for young Matthew France.
In Division Three the veterans of Morecambe Gold keep on winning and stay as leaders. They had one of its hardest games so far when they entertained bottom team AFC Moorlands. On the big pitch at Trimpell it was the bottom team that gave the leaders all kinds of problems.
The first half belonged to the Morecambe side as their fresh legs played some good football. Recent signing Chris Sowerby scored his first goal for the club to give his side a half-time lead. With the half-time break giving the veterans another breath of air they went into a 2-0 lead when John Friel scored a good headed goal from a corner.
AFC Moorlands started to get back into the game as the veterans legs started to tire on the big pitch. With just 10 minutes remaining AFC Moorlands scored only its second goal of the season when Andy Bushell put the ball beyond the Morecambe keeper to make it 2-1. For the remainder of the game AFC Moorlands were camped in Morecambe's half and most of it in the penalty area but just could not get the equaliser they strived for.
Boys Club Reserves won its second game by 3-0 when they easily beat Bolton-le-Sands Reserves. Boys Club was always in charge and should have scored more than the three as they wasted many chances. Andy Fagan, Jim Short and Matthew McGowan scored the goals to put Boys Club Reserves up to fourth place.
The highest score of the day was recorded by a rampant Gregson side that overwhelmed a bewildered Villa Royale side by 7-0. Villa Royale played as poorly as Gregson played brilliantly. Gregson broke down the Royale's defence whenever it went forward looking for goals which were scored by Craig Rawcliffe, Ben Kershaw who was unstoppable as he scored a hat-trick, Dominic Williams, Lee Willan and Darren Hinchcliffe. So good on the day was Gregson the score line flattered the Royale side.
In Division Four College Afc Reserves moved into second place, after beating a young Carnforth A side making its debut in the league.
Carnforth could not contain veteran Lee Watson as he scored all five for the College side against one of his former clubs. Carnforth's reply was a cracking goal scored by Adam Giles.
Pilling, another team making its debut in the league, fared much better than Carnforth, they beat Heysham Reserves by 6-0 to make its mark in the division with Kevin Stockdale, Mark Garside, Michael Clark and Oliver Holt making the score line 4-0 at half-time as they over ran the Heysham side in a one-sided first half. The second half saw Pilling ease off as Heysham played much better. But it was Pilling who scored again, Garside getting his second and another strike for Holt making the final score 6-0.
Burton Thistle Reserves enjoyed success in its local derby against Millhead Reserves. Burton was far the better footballing side and often had Millhead chasing shadows. Burton went in front with a good goal scored by Dave Clapp followed by Jack Brown and a second of the season for the impressive Louis Davy for Burton to win with some ease.
