North Lancashire League: Title race set to go down to the wire

Favourites Carnforth Rangers dropped two vital points when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Marsh United who picked up the point they needed to stay clear of relegation.

Carnforth went into the game knowing victory in all their remaining five games would seal the title, but it wasn’t to be. 
Rangers took the lead on the half-hour with Mambwe Chilufya finding Robbie Mooring with a fine pass who made no mistake from the edge of the area.

Carnforth failed to kill the game off and as the game entered two minutes of stoppage time Dale Scurr fired home to secure a share of the spoils.

Rangers’ title hopes are now pinned on a game at Storeys before three home matches against Marsh United, Bentham and Morecambe Royals.

Elsewhere, having lost 2-1 at Morecambe Royals in midweek, high-flying Galgate had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Ingleton in what was a must-win game.

Joe Towers gave the North Yorkshire side a well-deserved first-half lead and Ingleton looked set for victory until Chris Gardner equalised five minutes from time.

Galgate couldn’t find a late winner meaning their title hopes are at an end.

The Cumbrians were 2-1 winners at College AFC on Saturday, whose brave fight to stay in the division goes on.

Two poor defensive mistakes cost the hosts the points with Graham Rhodes and Samuel Taylor on target for Cartmel who have an outside chance of winning the title but must rely on the top two Caton United and Carnforth Rangers dropping points. Peter Tiestel scored for College.

Caton for their part were 4-1 winners over bottom club Bowerham.

Bowerham got off to the perfect start with a Joe Garnett goal inside the opening two minutes but Caton were level 60 seconds later when Nathan Jackson got the first of his four goals on the day.

Caton gradually got on top with Jackson completing a comfortable win.

Caton now know wins over Bentham and Trimpell & Bare in their final two games will hand them the title.

Bowerham have two home games left against Cartmel and Highgrove and must win both to avoid relegation.

Storeys all but ensured safety with a 3-1 win over nine-man Bentham.

A Luke Atkinson goal and a brace form Gareth Turner were enough to cancel out the strike by Bentham’s leading scorer Thomas Burns.

Boys Club have won the Steve Presnail Printers/Whiteside Challenge Cup with a 4-2 extra-time win over Caton United Reserves in the final.

James Short hit a hat-trick with Stuart Leeming scoring the other at Lancaster City’s Giant Axe last Wednesday night.

It was a mixed night for Leeming however who had scored two freak own goals to put Caton into a 2-0 lead.

It has been a successful season for the club with the first team also finishing runners-up in the second division with the second team winning the third division.