A bad day for the leaders!

By Rob Goodwin-Davey

Congleton, Styal and Mersey Valley all lose as August gives way to September while Elliot Morris gets his third hat-trick of the season.

In a weekend of surprise results Congleton lost for the first time this season going down 3-0 at home to FC St Helens.
A brace from Brad Green and another from Alexander Gillespie wrapped up the points in a comfortable victory for the visitors who recovered from a disappointing midweek defeat to Daten.
Crewe spurned the opportunity to leap frog the leaders as they too found themselves on the end of a surprising home defeat. Knustford travelled to the Cumberland Arena and breached the Crewe back line for the first time on home turf this campaign.
A double from substitute Barney Wynne was enough to earn all three points for an improving Knustford side in a 2-1 win.
Eagle seized the chance to go second and overtake Crewe as they dispatched Altrincham Reserves in a 2-0 victory; Richard Chinn and Adam Coleman with the goals.
Whaley Bridge recovered from their midweek drubbing with a 3-1 away victory over Broadheath Central. A double from veteran Bill Sutton plus another from swashbuckling midfielder Jason Broome earned the win in a game which was marred slightly by two late red cards; one for either side.
Last season’s League One champions Lostock Gralam continued their mixed start to the season with a 2-1 win over Egerton.
Egerton had held the lead until late on in the match when Liam Collins grabbed an equaliser for the Lambs. Then, in the dying embers of the game, Scott Twite popped up with the winner to send the visiting fans into fits of ecstasy while Egerton’s collective heart broke.
Middlewich picked up a much needed point, their first in five games, at home to Billinge. The host’s Sam Jackson was the hero as he popped up in the 86th minute to cancel out Aaron Rice’s opener.
In Saturday’s other game there was a regulation win for Poynton at home to Daten. It was goalless at the break but two goals immediately after the interval from Tom Bowey and Jay Burgess put the home side in charge before a late brace from sub Marcus Graham put the gloss on things.
In League One Styal were knocked off top spot after they were humbled in a 5-1 home defeat to Malpas.
A hat-trick from Lee Parry plus goals from Danny Lloyd and Dave Pearson wrapped up the points for the visitors.
Styal’s loss gave Winstanley Warriors the opportunity to go top which they took with both hands against Cheadle Heath Nomads Reserves.
A third hat-trick of the season for the impressive Elliot Morris alongside goals for Jake Burrows and Josh Taffe mean that the Warriors go into September top of the league.
At the other end of the table Ford Motors’ miserable start to the season continued as they lost 5-0 at home to Garswood United; two from Danny Bell and further goals for Danny Atkins and Declan Ashurst sent Garswood into third position; they sit four points behind the teams above them but with two games in hand.
Cuddington and Ashton Athletic Reserves played out a seven goal thriller in which Cuddington ran out 4-3 winners thanks to goals from Max Linaker, Dec Wilkinson, Ben Curbishley and Joe Lanceley.
Moore United moved off the bottom of the table with their first win of the season thanks to goals from Stephen Boden and Lloyd Pownell. Their opponents, Vulcan FC, remain fourth with 11 points from their opening six games.
Elsewhere Maine Road won 4-0 on their visit to Orford FC, Layton Smith (2), Jake Richardson and Joe Simms with the goals while Windle and Cheadle Town reserves shared four goals and the points when they met; Marcello Arhin and Zak Bell for the hosts, Dan Bate and Liam Bowden for the visitors.
Not for the first time this season the best of the weekend’s footballing entertainment was found in League Two where the six games boasted 34 goals.
Newton Athletic drew level on points with free-scoring table-toppers Mersey Valley with some free-scoring of their own; they ran out 7-1 winners over Holmes Chapel Hurricanes. There was a hat-trick apiece for Dan Christian and Ben Woodman (we are still waiting for confirmation on who got to keep the match ball) and a seventh for sub Nathan Evans.
Mersey Valley lost their three point gap at the top of the league as they fell to a 3-1 defeat away to Parklands. Goals for Bradley Donovan, Samuel Freeman and Lee Jackson sealing an impressive win over the league leaders.
Partington Village hit seven against Rylands reserves who sit bottom without a point after three games.
Partington’s goals were scored by Zac Ashford, Warren Collier, Michael Dolan Josh McVety (2), Sam Wright and Ryan Mellor.
St Helens Town reserves’ wait for a point continues, they were beaten by Winnington Avenue who, once again, lived up to their name with a 5-3 home success.
Doubles from Thomas Sneyd and Craig Humphries plus another from Ben Lambert earned Avenue the points in an eight-goal thriller.
There were also home wins for Pilkington reserves and Sandbach United reserves who ran out 5-0 and 1-0 winners over Golborne and Hartford respectively.

Dan Whelan
CFL Press Officer

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