Nomads close gap

CHESTER Nomads 2nds underlined their status as dark horses for the Chester & District League Queensferry Sports Premier Division title on Saturday.

Nomads closed the gap on the leading pack with a 4-0 victory at Cross Foxes in which Kieran Smith (2), Mike Murray and Joe Imlach shared the strikes.

Kevin Leech was the individual performer of the afternoon as he almost single-handedly fired Tarvin 2000 Athletic to a 6-5 home win over Neston Nomads in Olympic Trophies Division One.

Leech notched five of promotion-pushing Tarvin’s goals with John Winter getting the other.

Barrow Athletic lost 3-2 at Kelma as Chester Nomads 3rds fell 3-0 at Halfwayhouse Celtic.

A Mike Horan hat-trick could not stop Barrow Athletic Reserves from going down 6-3 at home to FC Village in Link Up Division Three.

Peacock 09 Reserves lost 4-2 at Barcode Athletic.

Only two games survived the wintry weather in the Chester & District Sunday League – both in Chester Chronicle Section B.

Mattie Dalton, Andrew Warbutton, Alec Hutchinson, Nick Jones, George Rodgers and Richie Hughes did the damage as Piper stormed to a 6-0 success at Tattenhall. Centre-back Joe Walley – with the goal at his mercy – missed a gilt-edged opportunity to make the final scoreline even more emphatic.

AFC Lache’s promotion hopes were hit by a 2-1 home loss to Waverton.

Lache led at the break through Martin Williams, but the visitors hit back after the restart and nicked the points with a brace of goals from John Farrell.

Where there’s a Will

HOT-SHOT Will Morris helped himself to four goals and the man-of-the-match award as Malpas & District won 6-2 at home to Waverton Rockets in the Chester & District Junior League Under 11s Division One on Sunday.

Theo Coulter and James Ferguson completed the scoring for Malpas.

Christopher Tillotson and Joe Cody were on target and Tom Walsh was the MoM but Vicars Cross Dynamos fell 5-2 at home to Groves Athletic.

Westminster Park Tigers (Tom Hancock, MoM Alex Arunchot, Kai O’Connor) halted their losing Division Two run with a spirited 3-3 draw at Elton Youth (Ash Hughes, Ben Tideswell 2; MoM Millie Marks).

Princes Villa took over top spot with a 9-3 victory at Groves Rangers.

Two own goals and strikes from Ben Roberts, George Senior and captain and MoM Gary Cripps ensured Blacon Youth won a hard-fought U17s Division contest at Pulford 5-0.

Waverton boosted their U16s Division Two title challenge with a 2-0 home triumph over a Rossway United side for whom Callum Craig was the MoM.

Hope Farm Rangers continued their improvement by edging a seven-goal thriller at home to Chester Nomads 4-3.

Upton drew 2-2 at Groves Athletic in the U15s Division while there was a surprise 3-1 loss for Waverton at Princes Villa in U14s Division One.

Waverton Wasps lost 3-2 at home to Upton in U13s Division One, but Waverton Hornets and Waverton Bees both enjoyed Division Two successes, 9-0 and 5-0 at home to Vicars Cross Dynamos and Hope Farm Rangers respectively.

Airbus boost hopes

AIRBUS UK Broughton boss Craig Harrison signed a new 18-month contract and then watched his side keep their dreams of a top-six finish in the Welsh Premier League alive.

The Wingmakers won 3-2 at Newtown on Saturday thanks to Ian Sheridan, a debut strike from on-loan Chester FC midfielder Tom McCready and a injury-time effort from Paul McNamus.

Although the result was marred by the loss of striker Andy Moran to a broken ankle, it does mean Harrison’s men have a chance of finishing in the top half before the league splits into two later this month.

Airbus must win their final match of the regular season, at home to Bala Town on Saturday (2.30pm), and hope Port Talbot Town and Aberystwyth Town slip up.

Teams finishing in the bottom six can finish no higher than seventh no matter how many points they get after the split. Teams finishing between third and seventh will then take part in a play-off to determine who gains the third Europa League spot.

Should the Welsh Cup winners finish in the top seven, the eighth-placed team would be invited into the play-offs.

Cape share spoils

THE return of the big freeze wiped out almost all of Saturday’s West Cheshire League programme.

Capenhurst Villa (Lewis Walters, Steve Morgan) were one of a handful of teams to play as they drew their Division Two basement battle at West Kirby Reserves 2-2.

First-team striker Simon Andrews reduced the arrears for Upton AA Reserves in their 3-1 loss at Merseyside Police in Division Three.