North Lancashire League: Leaders Carnforth held by College

The table-toppers, team of the month for August and September, dropped two points in the goalless draw and had to work hard to ensure a side third from bottom with just one win this season didn’t spring an even bigger surprise. Second placed Galgate narrowed the gap to Carnforth to just three points with a 3-2 win over Ingleton.

The opening 35 minutes saw Galgate dominate the game and they went into a deserved 3-0 lead with goals from Steve McMinn (2) and Lee Clarke.

With half-time approaching Ingleton scored a fine goal through Aaron Woodhouse to give them some hope heading into the second half.

After the break the North Yorkshire side went flat out to try and get back into the game. They got a lifeline when Richard Cragg, under pressure from the Ingleton strikers, headed the ball past his own ‘keeper to make it 3-2.

The visitors dominated the game in search of an equaliser but Galgate hung on to edge closer to Rangers at the top.

Highgrove caught a weakened Storeys at the right time to run out easy 5-0 winners with Liam Breslin scoring an excellent hat-trick and Tom Stark grabbing the other two.

Storeys, let down by late withdrawals, had no answer to the fast, open football played by an improving Highgrove side.

The match of the day was between Trimpell and Bare and newly promoted Moor Lane.

Either side could have won the game with chances at either end but a draw was probably the fairest result with the game ending 1-1.

Ryan Cunningham scored the Trimpell goal and Guy Spence was on target for Moor Lane.

In Division One leaders Mayfield United swept aside lowly Bolton-le-Sands 6-2.

Peter Myerscough started the scoring followed by Ricky Ball, Daniel Martin and Kieron Winder with two quality strikes coming from leading scorer Simon Smith.

Sands’ best player on the day, Daniel Dixon, got both their goals.

Second in the table Swarthmoor Social Club travelled to play Millhead in what was a potential banana skin.

After a shaky start Swarthmoor slowly took control of the game and two well-taken goals from Charlie Price and a further striker from Jamie Lawson saw them run out comfortable 3-1 winners.

Dominic Wooff scored a consolation for Millhead.

Third placed Lancaster Rovers lost contact with the leading two when they slipped to a 2-0 defeat against a much-improved Cartmel Reserves side.

The good football played by Rovers was more than matched by the Cartmel side but Ryan McKenny turned out to be the match winner after scoring both goals for his side.

A poor Grange are still looking for their first point after losing their ninth consecutive game, 7-1 to Westgate Wanders.

Westgate’s man of the match Steve Copeland plundered six of the seven goals with Paul Beck scoring the last.

Grange got a reward for their efforts with a fine goal after some excellent football from Tom Woodburn.

Arnside, who have aspirations of getting back into the Premier Division, have hit a bad patch and lost 3-1 to Carnforth Rangers Reserves on Saturday.

Carnforth didn’t have to be at their best to take victory, Theo Gardner and a brace by George Henderson seeing off the challenge of Arnside whose reply was from Jordan Miller.

After just seven games played Arnside find themselves 13 points behind the leaders.