PULFORD scored twice in the final four minutes to earn a thrilling 4-4 Chester & District Junior League Under 16s Division Two draw at home to Hope Farm Hotspurs on Sunday.

The visitors looked set for their first victory of the season when they led by three goals with 20 minutes to play. But Pulford had other ideas and they snatched a share of the spoils thanks to single strikes from David Jones and the tireless Andy Hall and Mike Kelly’s second of the game.

It’s as you were at the top after unbeaten leaders Newton Athletic (Johnny Mountford 2, Ben Jones, Mat Tew, Danny Warren, OG) won 6-1 at home to Malpas & District.

Driven on by man of the match Christopher Jackson, Elton Youth (Luke O’Neill 2, Shaun Bailiff, Steven Kelly 2, Jackson) also tasted a 6-1 success, at Blacon Youth Whites (Lewis Bradley), to move up to second as Chester Nomads Colts slipped to third with a 4-3 reverse at Vicars Cross Dynamos.

Malpas & District piled the pressure on Under 15s Division One table toppers Newton Athletic Youth with a 4-0 home win over title rivals Park Saints on Sunday.

Chester Nomads were just edged out 5-4 at home to Rossway United in Division Two.

Upton let lead slip

UPTON are still searching for their maiden victory of the Under 14s Division campaign – but they went close to getting it at Castrol Celtic on Sunday.

The Ellesmere Port outfit opened the scoring in the very first minute only for Upton to hit back moments later through Ben Roycroft’s left-footed effort before Danny Evans headed in Nathan Hickson’s deep centre to turn the game on its head. At this point there looked only one winner, but, inspired by their all-action number nine, Castrol regained the lead before the break and eventually ran out 5-2 winners.

Right-midfielder Michael Camino was named Upton’s man of the match as reward for his surging runs and pinpoint crossing.

Westminster Park lost 2-1 at Castrol Athletic.

Waverton late show

A LAST-MINUTE Cameron Faulkner winner ensured Under 13s Division One pacesetters Waverton Wasps edged their top-of-the-table battle at home to Chester Nomads 4-3 on Sunday.

Sam Jones (2) and coach’s man of the match George Gresty had earlier struck for the Wasps, who trailed by two goals with 15 minutes to play. Jorge Percival was the Waverton supporters’ MoM.

Sean Beales (2) and Jack Dennan could not stop Newton Athletic from going down 9-3 at home to Chester Nomads Colts.

Unstoppable Vicars Cross Dynamos made it eight triumphs on the trot in Division Two. Hitman Zacc Caveney (4), Joe Wainwright, Tom Houlbrook, Seb Dunn and Tom Harding were on target for the runaway leaders in their 9-1 home victory over Upton, with Mike Gidman MoM.

Dan Parker converted a late, late penalty to earn Waverton Bees a 3-3 draw at home to Princes Villa Colts. Parker, who shared his team’s MoM award with Connor Norbury, had broken the deadlock for the winless Bees, with a cool James Cope finish accounting for their second goal.

There was a real classic between under-strength Westminster Park and fellow high flyers Pulford, with hot-shots Alex Halliwell-Dykes and Calum Spenser bagging braces for the hosts and Elliot Horsbourgh (2), Jeevan Kurukkal and MoM Nathan Armstead pouncing for Pulford in the 4-4 split. Goalkeeper Harry Davies, Andy Stuttard and Mark Hearn shared Park’s MoM honour.

Top two win again

THERE is still no separating Chester Nomads and Upton at the summit of Under 12s Division One.

Second-placed Nomads won 3-1 at JFC Boughton on Sunday as table-topping Upton sent Castrol Athletic packing 9-1. Third-placed Blacon Youth triumphed 9-2 at Waverton Bees.

A second-half hat-trick from man of the match Daniel Barrows saw Waverton Hornets to a 6-0 success at home to Hope Farm Rangers in Division Two. Harry Harper and Dominic Stanton also got in on the act.

JFC Boughton shaded a nine-goal Under 11s Division One encounter at Vauxhall Motors on Sunday 5-4 thanks to Joe McDermott and Kyle Cooper doubles and a Joe Lamb single.

Jordan Lee was Boughton’s man of the match.

Waverton Hornets had it easier at home to Castrol Athletic, winning 6-0, with Rob Elvey (2), Oliver Marshall (2) and Joe Walker (2) doing the damage.

Chester Nomads Colts dropped points for only the second time this season as they drew 2-2 at heroic Westminster Park in Division Two. Mohamed Saleh and Jack Dixon scored goals to remember for 10-man Park, for whom Ollie Claireaux was MoM.

Newton Athletic Eagles won 1-0 at Waverton Wasps, but Saughall Colts lost 5-2 at unbeaten Upton despite strikes from Matty Sutch and MoM Josh Gregory.