NEWTON'S Tony Gray plundered his second hat-trick in succession, as the unbeaten Carlsberg West Cheshire League Division One leaders recorded a 5-1 result at Aintree Villa to maintain their awesome nine-point advantage at the
A Paul Ryder double completed the scoreline with Karl Siadankay in reply for the home side. But it's all about unbeaten Newton now, who have a great chance of bringing the title back to Mill-croft for the first time since 1962.
Poulton Victoria dropped two points in midweek after finishing 1-1 with an impressive West Kirby but won 3-0 at Vauxhall Motor Res at the weekend to edge their way into second place.
Also in midweek Cammell Laird put Ashville in their place at Kirklands, Kevin Thompson, Eddie Jebb, Mike Reeves and Ronnie Morgan finding the net in the 4-0 romp. Laird moved up to fourth place and then increased their unbeaten run to ten games following Saturday's 3-1 eclipse of Heswall. Ronnie Morgan (2) and Jebb scored for the winners.
Robbie Sheppard netted three for Castrol Social, with Carl Ngiam also on the mark in the 4-4 stalemate with Ashville, who had James Kelly (2), Mike Roberts and Mike Hannaway on target.
In Division Two, Ashville's second string also came home with a share of the spoils, after Paul Rowlands, Steve McCann and Ben Bennett scored in the 3-3 draw with Upton AA. Despite a goal from Mike Smethhurst, Manor Athletic's relegation fears came back to haunt them after a 2-1 reversal at Pavilions. The pressure's also on for Willaston, who scored through Craig Walker but fell to a smart double from Capenhurst Villa's Steve Pinnington.
A goal from Anthony White helped New Brighton to a 1-1 result with Blacon YC, which cost the Chester visitors second place in the table.
Division Three action saw leaders MANWEB Res maintain their unbeaten record and stretch their lead to eight points after Danny Cliff, James Bonner and Graham Roderick netted in the 3-1 triumph at St Werburghs. Two goals from Darryl Freeman were supple-mented by further efforts from John Coombs and John Davies as Ellesmere Port Res overcame New Brighton Res 4-1, Chris Wallace replying.
For the second week running Cammell Laird Res relinquished their grip on a trophy. This time it was goodbye to the Wirral Amateur Cup after being dumped by last season's beaten finalists, Heswall Res, who emerged 3-2 victors courtesy of a goal apiece from Paul Wiggins, Ian Richards and Carl Lamb. Out went Mersey Royal, beaten 3-2 by Vauxhall Motors A, and it was curtains also for Division Three minnows Shaftesbury, who put up a tremendous showing against favourites Poulton Vics Res only to suffer a 4-3 extra time defeat. Andy Jones (2) and Matty Moores bagged Shafts' efforts with doubles from Paul Finnan and Neil Atkinson seeing Vics home.
Division One side MANWEB joined Leigh Ath, Speke and St Dominics in the semi-finals of the Lancashire Amateur Cup after dismissing Sefton & District 3-2 thanks to strikes from Tony Spellman (2) and Faddi Hanna.
In the Liverpool Junior Cup 4th round Maghull Res progressed to the last eight after eliminating Whiston Cross 3-1. Chris O'Brien (2) and Jay Williams were the marksmen.
Best wishes this week go with Poulton Victoria, who travel to Morpeth Town in the second round of the FA Challenge Vase (kick off 3pm)
FIXTURES: Division One: Ashville 0 Cammell Laird 4 (K Thompson, pen, E Jebb, M Reeves, R Morgan). Poulton Victoria 1 (M Bates) West Kirby 1 (S Kehoe).
Saturday: Division One: Aintree Villa 1 (K Sladankay) Newton 5 (T Gray 3, P Ryder 2); Cammell Laird 3 (R Morgan 2, E Jebb) Heswall 1 (M McGraa); Castrol Social 4 (R Sheppard 3, Carl Ngiam) Ashville 4 (J Kelly 2, M Roberts, M Hannaway); Ellesmere Port 0 Christleton 3 (C Herbert 3); Vauxhall Motors Res 0 Poulton Victoria 3; West Kirby 1 (J Atherton) Helsby 1 (G Cottiga, pen). Division Two: Ashville Res 3 (P Rowlands, S McCann, B Bennett) Upton AA 3 (Thompson, Billington, Robinson); New Brighton 1 (A White) Blacon Youth Club 1 (J Rogers); Pavilions 2 (C Thomas, P Dwyer) Manor Athletic 1 (M Smethurst); Willaston 1 (C Walker) Capenhurst Villa 2 (S Pinnington, 2).Division Three: Capenhurst Villa Res 1 (S Watkin) MBNA 1 (T Foreman); Ellesmere Port Res 4 (D Freeman 2, J Coombs, Davies) New Brighton Res 1 (C Wallace); Grange Athletic 2 (P Selby, M Ringstead) Chester Nomads 3 (Harris, Kerr, Powell); St Werburgh's 1 (D Cooper) Manweb Res 3 (D Cliff, J Boner, G Roderick). Chester Challenge Cup 2nd round: Brewery Arms 2 Christleton Res 3 (G Shelton 2, L Palmer).
Lancashire Amateur Cup quarter final: Sefton & District 2 Manweb 3 (T Spellman 2, F Hanna).
Liverpool Junior Cup Fourth Round. Maghull Res 3 (C O'Brien 2, J Williams) Whiston Cross 1.
Runcorn Challenge Cup quarter finals: General Chemicals 14 (K Ward 4, G Tyrrell 4, M Smith 3, G Lunt 2, B Cooper) Greenall Vets 0; Greenall 0 Mond Rangers 6 (E Droughton 3, S Howard 2, M Nelson).
Wirral Amateur Cup quarter finals: Heswall Res 3 (P Wiggins, I Richards, C Lamb) Cammell Laird Res 2 (A Pew, G Reay); Mersey Royal 2 (M Skillern, A Bolton) Vauxhall Motors 'A' 3; Poulton Victoria Res 4*(aet) (P Finnan 2, N Atkinson 2) Shaftesbury 3* (A Jones 2, M Moores). FIXTURES Division Two (2pm): Capenhurst Villa v Ashville Res; Christleton Res v Blacon Youth Club; Maghull Res v Cammell Laird Res; Manor Athletic v Poulton Victoria Res; Mond Rangers v Merseyside Police; New Brighton v Heswall Res; Pavilions v FC Pensby; Willaston v Upton AA. Division Three (2pm): Bronze Social v Capenhurst Villa Res; Manweb Res v Manor Athletic Res; MBNA v New Brighton Res; Shaftesbury v Chester Nomads; St Werburghs v Mersey Royal; Upton AA Res v Grange Athletic; West Kirby Res v Ellesmere Port Res.
Pyke Challenge Cup 1st round (1.30pm): Aintree Villa v Castrol Social (at Castrol); Ellesmere Port v Maghull; General Chemicals v Mallaby; Helsby v West Kirby; Heswall v Christleton; Newton v Manweb. FA Challenge Vase 2nd round (3pm): Morpeth Town v Poulton Victoria. Wednesday: Division Two (7.30pm): Ashville Res v Merseyside Police. Pyke Challenge Cup 1st round (7.30pm): Cammell Laird v Poulton Victoria (Provisional).
