Guildhall Cup Thriller: Appley Bridge Edge Out Cherrybrook in Heart-Stopping Penalty Showdown!

Premiership

Bickerstaffe 3-1 Highgrove
In an action-packed clash, Bickerstaffe took charge early, with Will Lamb making it 1-0. Shortly after, Alex Grisedale doubled the lead, leaving Highgrove on the back foot at halftime with a 2-0 deficit to overcome.

The second half saw a flash of hope for Highgrove as Cristian Lacob struck in the 65th minute, narrowing the score to 2-1. However, any comeback dreams were dashed when Ollie Molyneux sealed the deal for Bickerstaffe, who walked away 3-1 victors with a commanding performance.

Preston Wanderers 0-3 Shevington
Shevington set the tone early against Preston Wanderers, with Louie Fitzpatrick finding the back of the net in the 21st minute to give his side a 1-0 lead at halftime.

As the second half rolled on, Fitzpatrick once again delivered in the 70th minute, making it 2-0, and in the 83rd minute, Andrew Thomas added a third, leaving Wanderers with little chance to rally. Shevington cruised to a well-deserved 3-0 victory.

Southport & Ainsdale Amateurs 0-2 Burscough Dynamo
Burscough Dynamo put on a show as Ben Pallet launched a thunderous 30-yard strike to open the scoring, giving his side a 1-0 lead at halftime.

Southport & Ainsdale Amateurs looked to find their way back into the game, but Jacob Williams-Tranter dashed their hopes, making it 2-0 and securing the win for Burscough with a solid all-around performance.

Tarleton Corinthians 0-5 Eccleston & Heskin
Eccleston & Heskin made quick work of Tarleton Corinthians, opening the scoring in the 16th minute through David McMillan. Just seven minutes later, Jordan Aird added a second, putting Corinthians on high alert with a 2-0 scoreline at halftime.

The onslaught continued in the second half as Aird struck again in the 60th minute, extending the lead to 3-0. Not to be outdone, Alex Brooks netted in the 77th, and Scott Snape capped off the rout with an 85th-minute goal, handing Eccleston & Heskin a resounding 5-0 win.

Division One

AFC Ainsdale 3-3 Standish St Wilfrids
What a showdown at Ainsdale! The home side took an early lead in the 20th minute with a neat finish from Liam Mackie. But it didn’t take long for Standish St Wilfrids to answer back as Jay Bramwell struck in the 28th minute, leveling the score and setting up a tense second half.

Things heated up after halftime when Rob Thomas scored twice, once in the 55th and then again in the 70th, to give Standish a 3-1 lead. But just when it seemed like they’d run away with it, AFC Ainsdale roared back. Joseph Tinsley cut the deficit in the 88th minute, and then in the dying seconds, Elliot Styche stepped up to rescue a point with a dramatic equalizer in the 91st minute. Fans won’t soon forget this nail-biter!

Astley FC 5-2 Southport & Ainsdale Amateurs Reserves
Astley FC served up a goal-fest at home, delighting fans with a 5-2 victory! Luke Robinson set the tone with a brace, scoring in the 23rd and 42nd minutes. Not to be outdone, Anthony Baffoe added to the tally with a cool strike in the 60th minute, before Charles Young made it four in the 75th. Cieran Dowd capped things off with a cherry-on-top goal in the 88th. Southport & Ainsdale Amateurs Reserves, missing a teamsheet, managed to score twice, but Astley had too much firepower.

Hoole United 1-2 Sir Tom Finney
In a tightly contested match, Hoole United and Sir Tom Finney went toe-to-toe, but it was the visitors who came out on top. Harvey Torrance got the home fans on their feet in the 25th minute with a well-timed goal, but Sir Tom Finney struck back just before the half, with Kiran Collister finding the net in the 44th minute.

The second half was all about who could grab the next goal, and it came in the 75th minute courtesy of Conor Garrett. That clinched the win for Sir Tom Finney and earned them three valuable points!

Leyland RAFA FC 4-0 Ribchester Rovers
Leyland RAFA FC gave their fans a show with a dominant 4-0 win! Jordan Griffiths was the hero of the day, starting off with a goal in the 30th minute. After the break, Griffiths found the back of the net again in the 50th minute, building momentum. Martin Smith joined the scoring fun in the 65th minute, and Griffiths completed his hat-trick with an 80th-minute strike to seal the deal. A strong performance for Leyland, with Ribchester Rovers struggling to keep up.

Division Two

Fleetwood Hesketh 2-8 Castle FC
A goal bonanza unfolded in Southport, with Castle FC showing no mercy in a spectacular 8-2 rout. Fleetwood Hesketh couldn’t keep pace, and Castle FC’s finishing was lethal. While we didn’t have the teamsheets, it’s clear this match was one to remember for Castle FC fans, who watched their side score nearly at will. The home team found the net twice, but it wasn’t enough to slow Castle’s relentless attack.

Marsh United 8-1 Middleton & Overton Sports FC
Marsh United delivered a masterclass on home turf, starting strong with Jamie Taylor’s seventh-minute opener. Nick Buckley followed with a cool finish in the 20th minute, and Joseph Pollard made it 3-0 by the 32nd minute, sending Middleton & Overton into halftime with a mountain to climb.

The second half saw Daniel Smith firing on all cylinders with two goals in quick succession, just before Michael McGrady gave Middleton & Overton a glimmer of hope with a lone reply. But Marsh quickly snuffed it out as Smith bagged his hat-trick and Jamie Taylor and Daniel Martin added two more for an 8-1 hammering that left their opponents reeling.

Wigan Rovers 1-7 New Longton Rovers
New Longton Rovers dominated away, striking early through Thomas Bentley in the 12th minute. Just two minutes later, George Kelly doubled the score, and Christian Roach’s 19th-minute goal set the visitors up with a comfortable 3-0 lead at halftime. Wigan Rovers looked helpless as the onslaught continued.

Roach was far from done, sealing a hat-trick with two more goals in the 56th and 70th minutes. Jonathan Croft’s 81st-minute goal made it 6-0 before Wigan Rovers’ Ben Harford nabbed a consolation in the 83rd. New Longton had the last laugh, though, with George Kelly closing it out at 7-1 in the 85th minute. It was a day to forget for Wigan, but New Longton fans were left singing all the way home.

Division Three

Bay Rangers FC A 4-0 Walmer Bridge Reserves
Bay Rangers FC A came out firing on all cylinders as they steamrolled Walmer Bridge Reserves in a 4-0 romp! Jamie Scott started the festivities early, finding the net in the 7th minute with a sweet assist from Leon Bartholomew, making it 1-0. Just ten minutes later, Kieran Potter doubled the score, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Bay Rangers were sitting pretty at halftime, up 2-0 and looking unstoppable.

After the break, the action heated up again when Jamie Scott struck his second goal of the day in the 53rd minute, with Ricky Ball adding the final touch on a well-placed assist. Not to be outdone, Leon Bartholomew closed out the scoring in the 59th minute, securing a perfect four-goal victory with Thomas Geary helping out with the assist. It was a commanding win that put Bay Rangers right back in the spotlight!

Middleton & Overton Sports FC Reserves 0-7 Marsh United Reserves
Marsh United Reserves unleashed an unstoppable wave on Middleton & Overton, cruising to a stunning 7-0 away victory! Cameron McLeod opened the scoring in the 27th minute, followed swiftly by Peter Myerscough in the 32nd. Just before the break, Connor Wallis made it 3-0 with a cool finish, setting up a dominant lead for Marsh.

They came out of halftime with the same fire, and Wallis struck again in the 50th minute to make it 4-0. Five minutes later, McLeod bagged his second goal, putting Middleton & Overton even further on the ropes. He completed his hat-trick in the 65th minute, leaving the fans in awe, before Charlie-Scott Thompson wrapped up the rout in the 80th minute. Marsh United’s clinical performance left no doubt—this was their day!

Shevington Reserves 0-2 AFC Ainsdale Reserves
Shevington Reserves faced a tough test in AFC Ainsdale Reserves, who edged them out with a solid 2-0 victory. Seb Mikolajewski broke the deadlock in the 28th minute, giving AFC Ainsdale the lead as they headed into halftime with a slim advantage.

In the second half, Connor Edmondson found the back of the net in the 73rd minute, sealing the win. It was a clinical performance by AFC Ainsdale Reserves, showing their defensive resilience and sharp finishing to take all three points.

Wyre Villa Reserves 6-2 Broughton Amateurs AFC Reserves
Wyre Villa Reserves put on a show with a dazzling 6-2 win over Broughton Amateurs Reserves, thrilling fans from start to finish! Alexander Rhodes got things rolling early with the opening goal, quickly followed by strikes from Jamie Houghton and Nico Moreton, sending Wyre Villa to a comfortable 3-0 lead. Travis Stringfellow then added a fourth to close out a near-perfect first half, with Broughton struggling to keep pace.

Broughton tried to rally in the second half with a goal from Collins Iheuko, but Wyre Villa had more in the tank. Stringfellow added his second, while Houghton capped the scoring in style to make it 6-2, even as Albashir Ahmed found the net for Broughton. It was a goal fest that ended with Wyre Villa celebrating a high-scoring victory!

Guildhall Cup

Appley Bridge 3-3 Cherrybrook (Appley Bridge win 4-2 on penalties)
In a Guildhall Cup showdown that felt more like a rollercoaster than a soccer match, Appley Bridge and Cherrybrook went head-to-head in a nail-biting contest that ended in a 3-3 draw, only for Appley Bridge to clinch victory in a dramatic penalty shootout. The action started early, with Danny Atkins giving Appley Bridge the lead in the 20th minute, showing off his lethal finishing skills. But Cherrybrook weren’t going down without a fight, and by the 32nd minute, Matty Glover had equalized, bringing the score to 1-1. Only three minutes later, Atkins struck again, doubling down on his mission to keep Appley Bridge ahead. They went into halftime with a narrow 2-1 lead.

The second half was just as intense! Jack Thorogood brought Cherrybrook back to level terms in the 55th minute, but Appley Bridge quickly responded, with Mattias Lokuta finding the back of the net in the 65th to make it 3-2. As the clock ticked down, Lewis Barlow stepped up for Cherrybrook, scoring in the 78th minute to make it 3-3 and setting up a thrilling finish. The game went to penalties, where Appley Bridge kept their cool and secured a 4-2 victory, moving forward in the cup with their nerves intact and heads held high.