MERSEYSIDE POLICE are on their way back to the Carlsberg West Cheshire League's Division One after being crowned Division Two champions on Saturday.
Two-goal Chris Killen was joined on the scoresheet by Glen Crowder, as the Bobbies overcame rival promotion seekers New Brighton 3-2 at Harrison Park.
The defeat ended New Brighton's hopes for another season, leaving the other promotion spot to be decided between Cammell Laird Res, who have completed their programme, and Chester challengers Blacon YC, who are five points behind with two games left.
Alan Hooley and Todd Reid hit the target as Blacon won 2-1 at Ashville Res, a positive follow up to the 5-1 midweek demolition of Manor Ath.
At the other end of the table, Willaston are relegated, while Capenhurst Villa who won 5-2 in midweek against Upton AA, only to dip 5-0 at Maghull Res on Saturday, need four points from their remaining two games to be certain of Division Two football.
Despite beating Poulton Vics last Monday and storming home 5-0 at Aintree Villa at the weekend, Cammell Laird's Division One title challenge looks like fall-ing short, as leaders Newton main-tained their single-point advantage.
The champions elect still have three to play with two games in hand on Laird's. Saturday's 2-0 eclipse of Castrol Social saw efforts from Tony Gray and John Ryder.
Commiserations to Manweb, who were beaten 2-1 in extra time by Speke in the midweek Lancashire Amateur Cup final, but on the plus side, Manweb's reserve side clinched the Division Three title on Saturday, after winning 4-0 at Manor Ath Res.
Chester Nomads remained on course for the runners-up medals after Chris Cutler struck twice in
a hard-fought 2-0 win against Shaftesbury.
RESULTS April 5 Division One: Cammell Laird 2 (Cooke, Maguire) Poulton Vics 1 (Sheehan).
Division Two: Manor Ath 1 (Forshaw) Blacon YC 5 (Jones, Whitley, Rogers, Hayden 2); Merseyside Police 2 (Ellison 2) Pavilions 1 (Thomas); Upton AA 2 (Price 2) Capenhurst Villa 5 (A Brown, P Brown, Roberts, Brierley, Newnes). Lancashire Amateur Cup final: Manweb 1 (Kearns) Speke 2 (aet).
April 7 Division One: Aintree Villa 3 (Siadiankey 2, Archibald) Heswall 2 (Ryan, Singleton); Castrol Social 2 (Parry 2) Vaux-hall Motors Res 6 (Nuttall 2, Cox 2, Davies, Demellweek). Division Two: Poulton Vics Res 3 (Leech, Jones, Owens) Christleton Res 1 (Garod).
Chester Senior Cup semi-final: Blacon YC 1 (Rogers) Chester Nomads 1 (Kerr) aet 1-1 (BYC won 7-6 on pens). April 9 Pyke Challenge Cup final: Poulton Vics 1 West Kirby Res 0
(after extra time). Chester Senior Cup semi-final: Christleton 3 (Kilgannon 2, Fenlon) Hoole Rangers 0.
April 10 Division One: Aintree Villa 0 Cammell Laird 5 (Morgan 4, McIlroy); Heswall 6 (Richards 2, Saunders, Fleetwood, O'Hanlon og) Ashville 0; Manweb 4 (Kearns 2, Kelly, Howard) Helsby 0; Newton 2 (Gray, Ryder) Castrol Social 0; Vauxhall Motors Res 4 (Davies 2, Lyness, Rigby, pen) General Chemicals 2 (Tyrrell, Erickson).
Division Two: Ashville Res 1 (Murphy) Blacon YC 2 (Hooley, Reid); Christleton Res 12 (Herbert 4, Marsh 3, Warrington 4, Kilgannon) Pavilions 1; Maghull Res 5 (Laughlan 2, Burns, Thompson 2) Capenhurst Villa 0; Mond Rangers 0 Manor Ath 0; New Brighton 2 (Griffiths, pen, Harrison) Merseyside Police 3 (Killen 2, Crowder); Poulton Vics Res 2 (Campbell, Finnan) Upton AA 2 (Rowlands, Gaulton).
Division Three: Chester Nomads 2 (Cutler 2) Shaftesbury 0; Ellesmere Port Res 4 (Powell, Lew, Bite, Chambers) Upton AA Res 0; Manor Ath Res 0 Manweb Res 4 (Wright, Swan, Turner, Wilson); MBNA 1 (Hallows) Grange Ath 1 (Selby); Mersey Royal 3 (Courtney, Jones, Smith) St Werburghs 1 (Maltoff).
