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Marsh fight back to keep in title race
MARSH United put themselves well and truly in the Premier Division title race by inflicting a first defeat of the season on Storeys.
Storeys, aided by a strong wind, had more of the ball in the first half but could only score once, Liam Jeffrey clinically rounding John Lupton to score.
Luke Atkinson fired straight at the keeper and Gareth Turner's shot went over the bar as Marsh kept the deficit down to 1-0. Indeed, they should have had a goal of their own, Lee Sparks being denied by Paul Fraser in a one-on-one.
Marsh knew they needed to win to keep alive their title hopes and they came out for the second half fired up. They managed to turn the game around and make the most of the wind advantage they now enjoyed.
Marsh deservedly equalised with a Guy Green free-kick from 25 yards and Lee Sparks pressurised Fraser into a mistake, Lee nicking the ball and crossing to brother Jordan who made it 2-1.
Storeys should have levelled the scores with both Jeffrey and David Leslie missing chances but Marsh sealed the win as the Sparks brothers combined again, Lee finding Jordan who rounded the keeper to score.
A Luke Ogley hat-trick and a Dan Broadley goal gave Highgrove an easier win over Morecambe Hoops than they thought, 4-1. Hoops are a hard team to beat and Steve Howley scored their goal. But Highgrove are very much in the running for their first-ever title and look to be the main threat to Storeys and Marsh.
Kirkby Lonsdale had to pull out all the stops before beating a Halton Rangers side 2-0, thanks to goals from Joe Mather and young Nathan Jackson.
Morecambe Royals were far the better team than Galgate but wasted chance after chance until, with two minutes left, sub Aidan Dunphy crossed for Joe Lambert to give his side all three points.
In the Adam and Gaskell Senior Challenge Cup third round, TIC Dynamos lost to a strong Carnforth Rangers side, Byron Nixon scoring.
The experienced Cartmel side met Division Two side Bolton-le-Sands and within 10 minutes gained the upper hand as Bolton-le-Sands lost both centre-halves through injury.
Even so it was scoreless at half-time but Cartmel raised their game and Matthew Burrows and Graham Rhodes scored in their 2-0 win.
In the Squires Sports Bar / Fisher/ Howson Remembrance Cup first round, the much postponed tie between Grange Reserves and Storeys Reserves finally took place and resulted in an overwhelming 6-0 win for Storeys.
Steve Creed scored a superb hat-trick and Joe Flynn, Paul Boyle and Callum Redpath added the others to set up a tie with Marsh United Reserves.
In the Division One Holdens Solicitors/ Gibson Cup, Bowerham overcame a determined Slyne-with-Hest (LCC) side after extra-time.
Bowerham took the lead after just two minutes when Tom Spencely scored from the spot. Early in the second half, Slyne deservedly equalised through top scorer Michael Denwood.
The game went into extra-time and the goals came thick and fast. Andrew Strachen scored twice to make it 3-1 but Lee Davies gave Slyne hope at 3-2. Slyne went close to an equaliser but with almost the last kick, Andy Doggart scored to seal the win for Bowerham.
Another often postponed cup game finally took place on the perfect Bentham pitch, with College AFC giving up home advantage to get the tie played.
The first half saw the College side play some excellent football but it was Bentham who had the cutting edge, the dangerous James Earnshaw scoring twice and Tom Beanland adding the goal of the game.
College played well after the break but Bentham's keeper Andy Ideson denied them in a game well controlled by ex-Football League ref Jim Parker.
In League matches, Marsh United Reserves deservedly beat Boys Club for the second time this season, winning 3-1 with first half goals from Kevin Coulton (2) and Robert Reay. Boys Club replied through Aaron Pierce.
Millhead and Cartmel Reserves battled for all their worth without really troubling either keeper. The only goal came late on with a James Rafferty penalty for Millhead.
Morecambe Royals Reserves had its work cut out to break down a Grange side fielding its strongest side since the early stages of the season.
Luke Suligowski was the hero for Royals as he scored twice. Grange never gave up and Dave Robinson scored to give them hope but Royals held on.
In Division Two, promotion-chasing Arnside had few problems in overcoming relegation-threatened Galgate Reserves. Lee Illingworth scored twice while Joe Taylor and Chris Kelly made it 4-0.
Swarthmoor Reserves won their relegation battle against bottom side Caton United Reserves. Swarthmoor led at the break when Stuart Armistead put the home side into the lead but Jeremy Richards levelled for Caton. But Swarthmoor responded well and Aaron Ashton and Sean Dixon made the game safe.
In the Division Three Fairclough/ Woodruff/ Parkinson/ Collegian Cup second round, Gregson won through to the semi-final after beating Halton Rangers Reserves in a classic game.
It took extra-time to separate the teams after Gregson's Dominic Williams cancelled out a Chris Lee goal. A Chris Hincliffe goal was just enough for Gregson to move into the semi-finals. This was the 11th cup game this season to go to extra-time.
In the League, Carnforth Rangers Reserves swept aside Arnside Reserves 4-1 with Robert Pearcy scoring a brilliant hat-trick.
Burton Thistle made the short journey to play Bolton-le-Sands Reserves and returned home with maximum points from a 6-0 win with six different scorers.
Allithwaite Rangers are still leading the table after overcoming a stubborn Heysham side, David Addison scoring a superb hat-trick in a 5-0 win.
In Division Four, Moghuls kept up their quest for promotion after winning a hard-fought game over Overton Reserves, 3-1. Faiz Maje notched a brace.
Morecambe Cricket Club Reserves and AFC Moorlands shared eight goals in a thrilling 4-4 draw. The lead changed hands regularly and AFC Moorlands looked set for the win until, in the last minute, man of the match Simon Warren set up Adam Cordingley to level with the last kick of the game.
Villa Royale won 3-1 in an interesting game against Heysham Reserves, Oliver Cousins scoring twice.
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Weather for Lancaster
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
