Chester & Wirral League

Blacon Youth Reserves will face their first team in the second round of the Chester & Wirral League Roodee Web Designs Tom Gerraghty Memorial Trophy after a sensational victory.

Blacon’s second string became only the second side this season to beat Queensferry Sports Premier League leaders Birkenhead Town when they stormed to a stunning 4-2 first-round home win on Saturday.

Martin Dean’s youngsters, who are 28 places below Birkenhead in the league standings, produced an exceptional performance and ran out deserved winners thanks to goals from Callum Barlow, Chris Williams, Joe Henry and Jake Dean.

Lodge Bar (Scott Boswell 2) missed the chance to close the gap on top spot in the Premier Division as they lost 3-2 at home to Ellesmere Port Town Reserves (Jack Sales, Luke Williams Tyler Thorpe).

Unlike Shaftesbury Youth who won 7-1 at Chester Nomads (Mark Cuthbert) to move within six points of Birkenhead.

Blacon Youth, like their reserves, were in fine form, winning 10-0 at MBNA with strikes from James Henry (2), Aaron Stokoe (2), Lee McElmeel (2), Danny Davies, Luke Jones, Warren Roberts and an own goal.

Kelsall lost 3-0 at home to Higher Bebington Kelma.

Adi Gough is now within touching distance of his 500th Chester & Wirral League career goal after hitting four for Cestrian Alex in their 6-1 home success over Neston Nomads 3rds in Olympic Trophies Division One.

Cestrian’s other goals came from Mike Taylor and substitute Josh Cami as they continued their impressive run of form.

AFC ESSAR (Stuart Clarke 3, Dean Ratcliffe) took over pole position with a thrilling comeback 4-3 victory at New Ferry Rangers.

Chris Hulse bagged a brace as Clubbies won 2-1 at Ellesmere Port Reserves (Graham Davidson) while Jordan Jones, Aaron Rowland, Paul Joyner and Graham Dodd (2) fired FC Uber to a 5-0 home victory over Whitby Athletic.

Football returned to the Roodee Racecourse in Chester for the first time in 20 years as Chester Argyle entertained Sutton Athletic at their new home in Link Up Division Two.

Table-topping Sutton turned on the class at the historic venue to record a 10-2 triumph in a game that was closer than the final scoreline would suggest.

Argyle took an early lead and held their own for more than an hour of the match with goals from Rob Foster and Zach Caveney.

But their more experienced opponents eventually ran out comfortable winners, Dan Higginson (4), Paul Butler (2), Tom McGill (2), Pete Barnett and Tom Bowen doing the damage.

Crossway (Paddy Hearn, Jason Day) went down 6-2 at home to St Saviours (Tom Bloodworth 2, Regan Barlow 3, Liam Wall).

Elton Rigger were well beaten by Princes Villa, Andy Grimes (3), Lee Huish (3), Mitch Glover, Jack Rigby and Mark Newman on target in a 9-1 away victory.

Hoole Youth lost 8-1 at home to Overpool Athletic.

Ryan Cartwright fires in a free kick to bring Tarvin Rex level against Groves Athletic

West Cheshire League

Chester Nomads moved up to eighth in West Cheshire League Division One with a 4-0 victory at rock-bottom Mallaby.

Rob Cavanagh (2), Joe Imlach and Edd Moss got the goals.

Chester Nomads Reserves made it a club double by winning 3-1 at home to Mersey Royal in Division Three.

Sam Healy, George Jones and Sandro Maletta shared the strikes.

Upton AA Reserves lost 4-1 at home to Redgate Rovers, Nathan Mapletoft with the consolation.

Cheshire League

Malpas returned to winning ways in style with a thumping 9-1 home victory over Cheshire League Premier Division basement boys Garswood United.

Pavel Abramowicz and Adam Hailes bagged braces with Dan Lloyd, Robert Martin, Richard Sadler and substitutes Chris Bevan and Mike Gibbs also on target for Malpas.

Deva Christleton moved within three points of top spot in Division Two with a 1-0 win at home to Barnton Reserves given to them by Chris Varney.

Chester & District Sunday League

Tarvin Rex slipped from the top of Chester & District Sunday League Section B after losing 3-1 at home to title rivals Groves Athletic.

Tarvin fell behind after Josh Wonderley volleyed in a corner from 18 yards but they restored parity when Ryan Cartwright fired in a free kick from just outside of the box.

However third-placed Groves claimed a crucial three points thanks to strikes from Tom Douglas and Paul Gates.

Spital Vaults moved above Tarvin and into pole position on goal difference with a 9-1 victory at home to AFC Tattenhall.

Kay Gilmartin and Charlie Jones put Spital in control before Charlie Cook reduced the arrears.

However that served to spur the new leaders into action and efforts from Callum Bratley, Tom Senior and Phil Groom, the latter from the penalty spot, put the outcome beyond doubt.

And there was still time for Jones and Bratley to notch their second goals of the game before Chris Simmonds and substitute Craig Bogan got in on the act.

Josh Leech was the match-winner as Waverton edged a seven-goal thriller 4-3 at home to Custom House.

Alec Hutchinson netted a hat-trick for Custom House before Steve Finlay completed a treble of his own for Waverton, paving the way for Leech’s decisive 85th-minute strike.

Dee Rangers lost 2-1 at home to Vauxhall Sports Club, for whom George Brooks and Joel Tunstall struck.

One game took place in Concorde Trophies Section A with FC Hickory’s winning 2-1 at home to AFC Bears Paw.

Bears Paw led at the break thanks to a 30-yard screamer from Ashleigh Watling but Hickory’s turned the tables in the second half, Jonny Lawrence equalising before Sam Kilner hit their winner.

FC Blacon are through to the third round of the Cheshire Sports League Cup after winning 6-2 at home to West Park Rangers.

Aflie Cheers (2), Gary Ellams, Sam Pickering and John Dorrion netted for Blacon before their scoring was completed by an own goal. An own goal at the other end, by Dan Clarke, and a Declan McHugh strike reduced the deficit.

Waggon & Horses secured their passage through to the second round with a 4-2 victory at home to The Cat.

Russell Dean, James Henry and Luke Jones put Waggon in front but a Jake Lloyd double ensured Cat were still in the contest until Harley Bennion scored the goal of the game.

Super-sub Bennion ran through the away’s side defence and, while the Cat keeper saved his initial effort, he volleyed the rebound into the net from an acute angle.

Welsh Premier League

Ten-man Airbus UK Broughton slipped to the foot of the table after their winless run continued with a 3-0 home loss to fellow strugglers Rhyl.

It was a fourth successive defeat for the Wingmakers, who have not won in seven games, while the Lilywhites rekindled their hopes of a top-six place with their first win in seven.

Rhyl never looked back once Carl Lamb fired in the opener on 16 minutes.

And they could have won by more, twice hitting the woodwork and seeing a Toby Jones penalty saved by Ryan Nield.

After going behind, Airbus were always up against it once they had top-scorer Tony Gray sent off for a foul on Rob Hughes midway through the first half.

Hughes doubled the lead in stoppage time and then set up Lamb for his second goal of the game in the 56th minute.

Airbus, who have signed former Crewe Alexandra midfielder Liam O’Neill but lost captain Paul Connolly to Bangor City on an initial loan, head to runaway leaders The New Saints on Friday night.