Upton off the mark

UPTON AA got their West Cheshire League Division One season up and running on Saturday with a 6-2 success at home to Hale.

Nathan Mapletoft hit a quickfire hat-trick for Upton but it was not until Simon Andrews scored the first of his two goals, in the 70th minute, that they were able to relax and enjoy their first win of the campaign.

Two of Mapletoft’s finishes were from fine through passes while Andrews’ second was a brilliant header from a superb Louis Dennan cross.

Andrews also set up substitute Sam Stallwood to score Andy Lloyd’s side’s sixth.

Upton had lost 3-0 at Christleton last Wednesday, Francis Foy, Chris McGann and Adam Thelwell-Wilson with the second-half strikes.

Blacon Youth Club Reserves ended Chester Nomads’ 100% winning start on the same night.

Matty Cross (2) and Robbie Johnson netted for the hosts in their hard-fought 3-2 victory.

Andy Fitzgibbon and Edd Moss replied for Nomads, who then went down to an undeserved 2-0 defeat at Heswall on Saturday.

On the same afternoon Blacon paid the price for a slow start as they were beaten 2-1 at home by Vauxhall Motors Reserves, Kevin Garland with the consolation.

Christleton lost 1-0 at home to Ellesmere Port on Friday.

Helsby (Ian Cox 3, John Coady, OG) powered to a 5-1 home win over Mersey Royal in Division Two on Saturday.

Helsby (Dave Tierney) then won 1-0 at AFC Bebington Athletic on Tuesday.

Capenhurst Villa (Iain Forster 2) were on the end of a 5-2 beating at South Liverpool on Saturday.

On the same afternoon Christleton Reserves (John Pomphrett 2, Craig Lloyd, Jordan Stafford, OG) ran out 5-2 winners at Belfry in Division Three.

Chester Nomads Reserves (Mike McCallam, Ryan Trousedale) won 2-1 at Widnes Town, Upton AA Reserves were thrashed 6-1 at Hale Reserves, and Capenhurst Villa Reserves (Dave Jackson) fell 4-1 at home to South Liverpool.

Christleton (Pomphrett 2, Luke Jones 2) continued their free-scoring form with a 4-0 victory at home to Capenhurst on Tuesday.

On the same night Upton (Luke Finch, Jamie McElwaine, Henry Nicholson) bounced back with a 3-1 win at home to Nomads (Cavanagh).

Fightback rewarded

GREYHOUND produced a storming second-half comeback to draw 5-5 at home to Crossway in the Chester & District League Queensferry Sports Premier Division on Saturday.

Ross Broadbent (2), Joey Waters (2) and Craig Stewart shared the strikes for Greyhound, who were three goals down at the break.

Defending champions Kelsall won 5-1 at Ellesmere Port 3rds to pick up their first three points.

Uberlube (Allen Jones 3, Tom Berry, Andy Whitton, Paul Tomlinson) recorded a 6-1 victory at home to Chester Nomads 3rds to move top of Olympic Trophies Division One.

In Football Bootique Division Two, Boughton Athletic (Craig Pritchard, Paul Williams, James Parry, Ben Parry, Tim Davies) were 5-1 winners at Orange Athletic 2nds while Helsby Reserves (Lee Guirado 3, Dave Richards, Alex Hale, Grant Goodband), another side in fine form, cruised to a 6-0 success at Rangers Breaks.

Chester Athletic (Will Glen 2, Shawn Anderson, Steve Townsend) won 4-1 at Blacon Youth Club Reserves in Link Up Division Three.

Roodee Web Design Tom Gerraghty Memorial Trophy first-round ties dominated the schedule.

Cestrian Alex (Adi Gough) progressed, with a 1-0 win at Ashton, as did Chester Celtic (Will Collins 3, Mike Collins, Jamie Davies, Daniel Clarke), with a 6-0 victory at Crossway Reserves.

Hoole Rangers (Liam Gough 2, Lennox Beddows, Avrabal Bell-Michael) won 4-2 at home to Raby Villa; Newton Athletic (Danny Stevenson 2, Adam Kelly 2, Jamie Hughes, Liam Mackin, Luke Diamond) 7-4 at home to MSC Eastham Sandbank.

Deva Athletic were 3-1 winners at Pensby Athletic.