SHIP Inn are sailing clear in the Houlihan's Birkenhead Sunday League Premier Division after a Richie Mearns hat-trick helped them demolish a lack lustre Brow 5-2 to open up a six point lead at the top.

Dock missed a golden opportunity to close the gap when they crashed 5-1 at Shaftesbury, for whom Ian Crawford and Mark Irvine scored twice.

With Division One leaders Pacific slipping up at home - drawing 3-3 with Rangers Breaks - Swan wasted the chance to go joint top. They lost 1-2 to a rejuvenated FC Greasby side. St Cecilias moved into second spot after a 5-0 thumping of Christies, and Bebington RAFA moved to third spot with a 2-1 away win at St John's Celtic, who are still seeking their first points of the season.

In Division Three, Upton Celtic sit proudly on top following a 4-3 victory over New Southend Social, the goals coming from Paul Parker, 2, Ben Parker and Dan Smith.

RESULTS:

Sunday, October 10:-

Premier Division - Brow 2, Ship Inn 5; Parkdale 2, Hornby RBL 2; Shaftes 5, Dock Htl 1; R/Ferry Soc 2, KEL 5; Woodchurch 5, Shaftes Snrs 3.

Division One - Christies 0, St Cecilias 5; FC Greasby 3, Swan Htl 1; Parkside 2, Holt Springs 1; Pacific 3, Rangers Breaks 3; St John's Celtic 1, Beb RAFA 2; Westbourne 0, 7 Stiles 2.

Division Two - Graylands Villa 6, Argyll 3; Wirral Villa 2, Houlihan's Variety 8.

Division Three - Corsair Ath 3, Civic Way 0; New Southend 3, Upton Celtic 4; AFC Windmill 2, Hamiltons 3.

Division Four - Carlton Ath 5, Lord Napier 1; Mersey Blades 1, Wellington 4; Saughall 3, Parkdale Yth 0; St Mary's CC 4, Windsor Castle 0; Vittoria Vaults 2, Wirral Libs 2; Young Lions 4, Clipper 1.

Youth Division - Christleton 0, Shore Villa 5; Fender 9, Willaston 1; Ashville 4, Heygarth Utd 5; Shaftes 2, Wirral 3; Shell 2, Christleton Jnrs 5; Greenleas 1, Heswall 2.

FIXTURES:

Sunday, October 17:-

Wirral District FA Premier Cup (2nd Round) - FC Greasby v Castrol/Tessutti; Halfway/Prenton v Rangers Breaks; Queens Park v Ship Inn; Archers Soc v KEL; Woodchurch v Octel; Prenton Dell v St Cecilias; Pacific v Dock Htl; Westbourne v Christies; Shaftes v Brow; Mill House v R/Ferry Soc/Abbey.

Wirral District FA Junior Cup (2nd Round) - Carlton Ath v St Mary's CC; Saughall v Greenleas; Wellington v Farmers Arms; Ashville Yth v Stanley's Cask; Young Lions v Old Market; Hilbre v Windsor Castle; Punch Bowl v Vittoria Vaults; MSC Eastham v Clipper; Wirral Libs v Victoria Lodge; Heswall Yth v Rose & Crown.

Premier Division - Parkdale v Shaftes Snrs.

Division One - Parkside v St John's Celtic; Swan Htl v Holt Springs.

Division Two - Argyll v Neston; Bromboro Htl v Horizon; Houlihan's Variety v Heygarth Utd; Graylands Villa v DW Fencing; Halfway Ath v Tranmere Vics; Oxton Ath v Civic Way.

Division Three - Bowies v Club Octel; Corsair Ath v Black Horse; Hamilton's v S'bourne Evans; Royal Oak v New Southend Soc; Shaftes 1896 v AFC Windmill; Upton Celtic v Civic Way.

Division Four - Lord Napier v Parkdale Yth.

Youth Division - Christleton Jnrs v Ashville Clts; Shell v Heygarth Utd; Shore Villa v Shaftes; Willaston v Christleton.

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