W3319 by Champion Newspapers

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SPORT

Ormskirk’s title hopes suffer a setback after Bootle washout WET weather once again ruined another round of league fixtures in the Liverpool & District Cricket Competition Premier Division on Saturday. Bootle remain 31 points clear at the top after their eagerly anticipated home clash against second placed Ormskirk was abandoned without a ball being bowled. Ormskirk’s scheduled National Club Cup game at Richmondshire was rained off last Sunday and will now be played on Sunday, August 25. Ormksirk will host Toft in the ECB National Club Twenty20 quarter final this Sunday, August 18 with a 2pm start. But one game were substantial play was possible was Southport & Birkdale’s match at third placed New Brighton which ended in a closely fought draw S&B were asked to bat and, in between a two hour deluge, were bowled out in 44.5 overs for 98. Harry May 28 and Isaac Lea

National Club Cup tie at Richmondshire also hit by weather 23 were the top scorers, while Ashraf Nawab took 622 with the ball. In reply the hosts had 19 overs in which to reach their target and eventually ended 11 runs short of victory on 88-8. Matty Thompson top scored with 32, whilst Gary Keedy 4-15 and Chris Cunningham 3-36 took S&B to within two wickets of victory. For all S&B’s efforts in the field they only came away with four points, whilst the hosts collected five from a match that maybe merited them both getting a little more from their efforts. Formby managed some play in their home match against Northern but it was called off after 23.4 overs with James Seward 44* and Ollie Sutton 34* both unbeaten at the crease with the score on 82-0.

Dickenson bowls devastating spell in win for Hesketh IN the First Division, Fleetwood Hesketh beat the weather and Highfield in a very entertaining match at Sea Cop. The hosts were asked to bat and collapsed from 35-0 (Luke Tinsley 20) to 65-8 before Gavin Dickensen 16 and Danny Murphy 13* added a few vital runs down the order as they were dismissed for 94, with Chris Liptrot taking 6-49 and Madduma Lakmal 3-26 with the ball. In reply, a devastating opening burst of six wickets out of seven from Dickensen quickly reduced the visitors to 44-7, however with Ben Gregory at

the crease the visitors were still in the match and at 84-9 it was anyone’s to win. The reintroduction of Dickensen (7-24) then proved decisive as the return catch he took to remove Gregory for 33 meant Fleetwood ran out victors by just eight runs. Ainsdale’s fixture at Sefton Park was abandoned without a single ball being bowled. In the Second Division, Southport Trinity’s match at Spring View was another to succumb to the weather, as was Burscough’s home fixture against Maghull and Hightown St Mary’s home match against Sutton.

THIS weekend’s local LDCC fixtures (noon start): Formby v Orrell Red Triangle, Northern v Lytham, Ormskirk v Colwyn Bay, Southport & Birkdale v Bootle, Ainsdale v Birkenhead Park, Rainford v Fleetwood Hesketh, Maghull v Hightown St Mary’s, Norley Hall v Burscough and Southport Trinity v Liverpool.

The Champion l Wednesday 14 August 2019

Skem face FA Cup replay after Cawley strike cancelled out Report by Neil Leatherbarrow Skelmersdale United 1 Penistone Church 1 SKELMERSDALE United will face a replay in their FA Cup qualifying match after letting a 1-0 lead slip against Penistone Church. Skelmersdale United opened the scoring on Friday night at Volair Park Prescot in the 57th minute, but were pegged back by an equaliser just 15 minutes from full-time. The first-half saw a pair of defences on top and as a result chances were at a premium. Skelmersdale came nearest to scoring when a corner was partially cleared and the ball was lobbed back into the goalmouth from the left and under pressure from a host of Skem players Penistone goalkeeper Chris Snaith needed all his six-foot plus build to tip the ball to safety over his crossbar. Down the other end Skelmersdale goalkeeper Ben Barnes, who has joined since last season, competently dealt with a series of crosses and preventive keeping that really was what you would expect from a goalkeeper. The second-half was a lot livelier, and soon a shot from the right went into the Penistone side-netting, while Barnes was made to save at away forward Nathan Keightley ’s feet in the corner of the penalty area. Skelmersdale took the lead and after some neat approach play. Barnes took a ground kick in the Skem 18 yard box and the ball bounced once and sailed over the last defender. Joe Cawley read the situation

Cawley celebrates his opening goal. Picture by John Driscoll

well, ran onto the ball and from 12 yards with his right-foot lifted the ball over advancing keeper Snaith into the net behind him. Just after the hour mark Alex Griffiths cut in from the left and his shot drifted just wide of the far post as Skem came close to making it 2-0. However, in the 75th minute Penistone got their equaliser. The ball was played wide right to Keightley who quickly put it across the face of goal and substitute Shaun Mundy slid in and managed to direct the ball into the Skelmersdale net to make it 11. Skelmersdale had more of the possession after the Penistone goal and but for a brave save at Cawley’s feet by Snaith they could

have won. The last big moment fell to Penistone deep into added time. A James Young free-kick was hoisted up to the far post and headed down to number six Brett Lovell, his shot from four yards slammed against the Skelmersdale bar and bounced clear, within five seconds referee Anthony Ball blew for full-time. Skelmersdale deserved at least a draw and will head towards Barnsley on Wednesday night with serious hopes of winning. After two league games and an FA Cup game they remain unbeaten, defensively they look strong and the presence of Barnes in goal has made a noticeable difference. The winner of the replay though has the tough task of visiting City of Liverpool in the next round.

Linnets win five goal thriller thanks to late penalty from Hill BURSCOUGH won a fivegoal thriller against local rivals AFC Liverpool in their FA Cup qualifying victory. Goals from Ben Lightfoot (26 mins), Andy Presho (58 mins) and a late Deklan Hill penalty saw the Linnets win 3-2 and reach the next round of the competition. Burscough have a trip to Manchester as their reward where they play Trafford in the Preliminary Round on Saturday, August 24. If Skelmersdale win their replay against Penistone tonight (Wednesday, August 14) in South Yorkshire they will travel to play City of Liverpool also on August 24, COL playing their home games at Bootle FC. Both teams are back to league action on Saturday and in the North-West

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Counties Premier Division table there is not a lot to choose between the teams. Burscough are currently 11th on 3 points from their two league games, while unbeaten Skelmersdale are in 13th position on two points from two league games. Skelmersdale face a visit to familiar territory on Saturday but a far from easy encounter at Northwich Victoria. The Vic’s have done some wandering ground-wise over the last few years but seem to have settled at Witton Albion’s Wincham Park for now, a ground Skem supporters will know well from the Northern Premier League days and maybe more significantly one they have only lost once on over

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those years. Northwich have won one and lost one in the league so far. Burscough are on home territory, where they face Irlam, kick off 3pm. The team from the west side of Manchester have made a solid start to the season with a win and a draw so far and sit unbeaten on four points. They regularly give the Linnets a close encounter so it should be a good game at Victoria Park on Saturday. Both teams are again in action in the middle of next week. Skem have a local derby at Litherland Remyca on Wednesday, August 21, kick off 7.45pm. It will be of big significance to a number of people involved at Skem, especially manager Paul McNally who

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spent a successful period as assistant manager at the club a couple of years ago. The night before on Tuesday, August 20, Burscough are at home to newly promoted Rylands. The Warrington based club got promotion in their first ever season in the North-West Counties League and have won their opening two games in the Premier Division. The club are owned by Wayne Rooney’s agent Paul Stretford. If Skelmersdale lose out in their replay in Yorkshire they will play at home to Barnoldswick Town on Saturday, August 24. It will be a first ever league meeting between the clubs, but obviously that has to be confirmed.