Houlihan’s Birkenhead Sunday League: Goal-fest in cup (From Wirral Globe)

Houlihan’s Birkenhead Sunday League: Goal-fest in cup

4:23pm Tuesday 4th September 2012 in Sport By Dave Innelli

IT was Tony Houlihan’s Memorial Challenge Cup first round day and there was certainly no shortage of goals.

Craig Parry hit five for Lions FC in a 7-1 victory at New Ferry Rangers (Williams); Dutton and Pulham completing the scoring.

Birkenhead Youth B (Fleckner 2, Dillon, Parry, Povall, Connolly) and Saddle Club ended up 6-6 after extra-time; Birkenhead winning an amazing shoot-out 21-20. Wirral Spartans also went through in a penalty shoot-out after drawing 3-3 with Shawcross (Whalley 2, Parry).

Shaftesbury B hit the highest tally of the day, scoring ten without reply against a young Beechwood Falcons side.

Robert Marrs hit another hat-trick for Armchair Alliance in a 6-3 success over FC Vaults (Connor, Neal, Pasko), with Bishop, O’Connor and McDonnell also on the mark. Farmers Arms Moreton, with doubles from Mark Young and Jason Taylor and efforts from Broadbent and Maxwell, narrowly defeated Ashville Old Boys (Randles, Shone, Dennis, Pleavin, Mwandwe) 6-5. FC Ridger also hit six through McGann (2), McGowan (2), B Williams and G Williams, as they beat Woodward 6-0. AFC Claughton (Chiwawa 2, G Smith, Joe Lloyd, og) went through 5-2 at Millcroft (Brookes 2) and Lancelyn Glenavon won 2-0 at Riley’s FC through Andy Jones and Craig Fletcher. Dave McElroy (2), Tom Molloy, Kev Bimpson and Paul Ryan on his debut all scored for Prenton Dell as they knocked out FC Ellies (Cross 2, Cass) 5-3.

Matty Smith hit a hat-trick for King’s Arms in a 3-1 win at Shaftesbury A and Old Parkonians triumphed 2-1 at Rangers Breaks (Holland).

In the Premier Division, Dock FC inflicted Queens Park’s first League defeat for over a year; an own goal and two Shaun Skillen efforts giving Dock a 3-2 success with Courtenay and Brookes replying for Queens. Rock Ferry Social (Atkinson 2, Strange) picked up 3 points winning 3-1 at Shore Villa (Wheadon) and Argyll (Ithell 2) won 2-1 away at Bidston Hotel (Sutton). Heygarth (Forbes 2, Coffin, Campbell) added to their midweek success with a convincing 4-0 victory at Lairds Sports Club and Stirrup Sports & Social (Wood 2, Griffiths) beat Upton Villa 3-1.

In the only Division One game, Tower defeated Churchwood 2-1 with goals from John White and Tom Hughes and in Division Three, Liam Rose hit three as Eswa (Morgan, Ryan, Bowe) beat FC Ridger Athletic 6-1. Vauxhall Colts had a fine start to their Cheshire County Youth Cup campaign with a 7-0 first round victory at Ashton on Mersey; Brownbill (3), Longstaff (2), McCloughin and Roberts on target.

Cammell Laird Youth hit 18 against a luckless Eastham Rangers (Caul) in the Youth Division; goals from Bagley (4), Sherlock (2), Williams (2), Lavelle (2), Cross (2), Roberts (2), Crabtree (2), Watkins, Bennett. AC Hoylake JFC (Black, Sutton, T Jones, McDaid, Booth) beat Ashville (Clarke) 5-1 and Glenavon Youth (Egan 2, Holden, Fenley, Easton) won 5-2 against Glenavon Colts (Brooks, Bull).