Weekend round up - Friday 8th/Saturday 9th/Sunday 10th March 2019
Sun 10th March 2019 | General | By Ian Templeman
Attendances around the league at six venues on Friday, Saturday and Sunday were boosted by non-league fans from across the country, who took in five games in the 2019 Groundhop.
The opening Groundhop game was on Friday night, when Vauxhall Motors defeated Barnton 2-0 in the First Division South. David Webb's first half penalty was added to by George Hassall in the second half to secure a win that moved the Motormen into fourth place.
Saturday morning and early afternoon then saw the two top teams in the Premier Division in action in the next two Groundhop games.
Bootle kicked off the proceedings with a 4-2 home win over Ashton Athletic, the Bucks' 13th consecutive win.
Carl Peers set the Bucks on the way with two early goals, and although Adam Gilchrist and Charlie Munro pulled Athletic back on level terms, goals in the last 20 minutes from Ryan Cox and Ste Jones ensured Bootle collected all three points.
They still remain five points behind league leaders City of Liverpool, who kept up their fine form with a 2-1 win in the derby clash at Litherland REMYCA, which was the lunchtime Groundhop game.
Paul Foy had given Remy the lead on the stroke of half time, but second half goals from Daniel Dalton and Karl Clair secured the points for the Purps.
The third Groundhop game was also on Merseyside, but in the First Division North with Lower Breck recording an emphatic 6-1 win over Ashton Town, Ste Milne completing a hat trick in stoppage time for Breck.
The final Groundhop game of the day was at St Helens Town, where the evening kick off to round off the Groundhop's second day saw visitors Garstang run out 3-1 winners.
Richard Coar's 12th minute opener for Garstang was cancelled out by Liam Diggle's equaliser for Saints, before Shaun Sailor and Jonathan Hothersall with a penalty secured the points for the visitors.
Unfortunately, the final scheduled game of the Groundhop weekend at Irlam was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, but the earlier game between Rylands and Cheadle Heath Nomads in the First Division South went ahead as planned.
League leaders Rylands remain on top, but two goals in the opening 25 minutes from James Green set Nomads on the way to a 5-3 win.
Back in the Premier Division, a few weeks ago Congleton Town were in a chase with the top two, but they are now a distant third, 13 points behind Bootle, after going down 2-1 at home to Runcorn Town
Daniel Cope had cancelled out Francois Antoine's opener for Town, but a Dale Jennings goal on 58 minutes was enough to give Town the victory.
Highest scorers of the day in the division were Charnock Richard, who were 2-1 down early in the game against Winsford United, before going on to win 6-2. Matthew Davison scored twice for Charnock, and club record goalscorer Carl Grimshaw also added another to his tally for the season.
That defeat sees Winsford still in relegation trouble, and they are now level on points with Hanley Town just above the drop zone after Hanley's 4-0 win at bottom club Abbey Hey, in which Lewis Grocutt played a starring role with a hat trick.
There was also a hat trick at the Silentnight Stadium, and a rapid fire one too, with Alex Hughes completing his treble in the space of five minutes in Whitchurch Alport's 3-1 win at Barnoldswick Town.
In the other game, Scott McGowan scored twice in 1874 Northwich's 4-2 win over Burscough to take his total to 33 goals for the season.
First Division North leaders Longridge Town's game at AFC Liverpool on Friday night was postponed, giving nearest challengers Avro the chance to close the gap at the top, which they did in fine style with a 7-0 win over bottom club Atherton LR. Louis Potts hit a hat trick, two of the goals coming from penalties.
Avro weren't highest scorers of the day though, as that honour went to Nelson with their 8-1 home win over Daisy Hill, with Gareth Hill scoring four for the Admirals.
In the other game in the division, Anthony Hall scored twice, once from the penalty spot, in Bacup Borough's 3-2 win at AFC Blackpool.
There were six Saturday games in the First Division South, and Wythenshawe Amateurs kept up their promotion chase with a 4-0 win at St Martins.
Ben Woods scored twice for the Ammies in a win that keeps them in third place, level on points with second placed Stone Old Alleynians, who didn't have a game.
Ammies' local rivals Wythenshawe Town also collected three points with a 3-1 home win over bottom club Stone Dominoes, a goal from Sam Heathcote and two from Brad Byrne putting Town in an unassailable lead before half time.
Abbey Hulton United are sixth after Mark Groom's gaol earned them a 1-0 win in the derby clash with Eccleshall.
Elsewhere, two early goals from Finn Thompson and Connor Hughes set Maine Road on the way to a 2-1 win at New Mills, all the goals came in the opening half hour at Sandbach United in their 2-2 draw with Cheadle Town, and four second half goals saw Stockport Town through to a 4-0 home win over Ellesmere Rangers.
Weekend round up - Friday 8th/Saturday 9th/Sunday 10th March 2019
Sun 10th March 2019 | General
By Ian Templeman
Attendances around the league at six venues on Friday, Saturday and Sunday were boosted by non-league fans from across the country, who took in five games in the 2019 Groundhop.
The opening Groundhop game was on Friday night, when Vauxhall Motors defeated Barnton 2-0 in the First Division South. David Webb's first half penalty was added to by George Hassall in the second half to secure a win that moved the Motormen into fourth place.
Saturday morning and early afternoon then saw the two top teams in the Premier Division in action in the next two Groundhop games.
Bootle kicked off the proceedings with a 4-2 home win over Ashton Athletic, the Bucks' 13th consecutive win.
Carl Peers set the Bucks on the way with two early goals, and although Adam Gilchrist and Charlie Munro pulled Athletic back on level terms, goals in the last 20 minutes from Ryan Cox and Ste Jones ensured Bootle collected all three points.
They still remain five points behind league leaders City of Liverpool, who kept up their fine form with a 2-1 win in the derby clash at Litherland REMYCA, which was the lunchtime Groundhop game.
Paul Foy had given Remy the lead on the stroke of half time, but second half goals from Daniel Dalton and Karl Clair secured the points for the Purps.
The third Groundhop game was also on Merseyside, but in the First Division North with Lower Breck recording an emphatic 6-1 win over Ashton Town, Ste Milne completing a hat trick in stoppage time for Breck.
The final Groundhop game of the day was at St Helens Town, where the evening kick off to round off the Groundhop's second day saw visitors Garstang run out 3-1 winners.
Richard Coar's 12th minute opener for Garstang was cancelled out by Liam Diggle's equaliser for Saints, before Shaun Sailor and Jonathan Hothersall with a penalty secured the points for the visitors.
Unfortunately, the final scheduled game of the Groundhop weekend at Irlam was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, but the earlier game between Rylands and Cheadle Heath Nomads in the First Division South went ahead as planned.
League leaders Rylands remain on top, but two goals in the opening 25 minutes from James Green set Nomads on the way to a 5-3 win.
Back in the Premier Division, a few weeks ago Congleton Town were in a chase with the top two, but they are now a distant third, 13 points behind Bootle, after going down 2-1 at home to Runcorn Town
Daniel Cope had cancelled out Francois Antoine's opener for Town, but a Dale Jennings goal on 58 minutes was enough to give Town the victory.
Highest scorers of the day in the division were Charnock Richard, who were 2-1 down early in the game against Winsford United, before going on to win 6-2. Matthew Davison scored twice for Charnock, and club record goalscorer Carl Grimshaw also added another to his tally for the season.
That defeat sees Winsford still in relegation trouble, and they are now level on points with Hanley Town just above the drop zone after Hanley's 4-0 win at bottom club Abbey Hey, in which Lewis Grocutt played a starring role with a hat trick.
There was also a hat trick at the Silentnight Stadium, and a rapid fire one too, with Alex Hughes completing his treble in the space of five minutes in Whitchurch Alport's 3-1 win at Barnoldswick Town.
In the other game, Scott McGowan scored twice in 1874 Northwich's 4-2 win over Burscough to take his total to 33 goals for the season.
First Division North leaders Longridge Town's game at AFC Liverpool on Friday night was postponed, giving nearest challengers Avro the chance to close the gap at the top, which they did in fine style with a 7-0 win over bottom club Atherton LR. Louis Potts hit a hat trick, two of the goals coming from penalties.
Avro weren't highest scorers of the day though, as that honour went to Nelson with their 8-1 home win over Daisy Hill, with Gareth Hill scoring four for the Admirals.
In the other game in the division, Anthony Hall scored twice, once from the penalty spot, in Bacup Borough's 3-2 win at AFC Blackpool.
There were six Saturday games in the First Division South, and Wythenshawe Amateurs kept up their promotion chase with a 4-0 win at St Martins.
Ben Woods scored twice for the Ammies in a win that keeps them in third place, level on points with second placed Stone Old Alleynians, who didn't have a game.
Ammies' local rivals Wythenshawe Town also collected three points with a 3-1 home win over bottom club Stone Dominoes, a goal from Sam Heathcote and two from Brad Byrne putting Town in an unassailable lead before half time.
Abbey Hulton United are sixth after Mark Groom's gaol earned them a 1-0 win in the derby clash with Eccleshall.
Elsewhere, two early goals from Finn Thompson and Connor Hughes set Maine Road on the way to a 2-1 win at New Mills, all the goals came in the opening half hour at Sandbach United in their 2-2 draw with Cheadle Town, and four second half goals saw Stockport Town through to a 4-0 home win over Ellesmere Rangers.
