The 2026-27 Mid Lancashire Football League season got underway this past weekend with two of last season’s top two in the Premier Division in action. Thank you to all club secretaries, coaches, parents, players, supporters and officials for their patience during the offseason. There were 56 goals scored in 12 games as teams hit the ground running after their pre-season schedules.
Premiership
Marsh United 2-0 Hoole United
Lancaster’s Marsh United won last season’s Premier Division by just one point from Standish St. Wilfrids and Walmer Bridge, combining success with the Guild Hall Cup. Jamie Taylor scored in the showpiece occasion at Leyland’s County Ground and he got Marsh’s season underway with a first half goal against Hoole United. The second 45 saw Jerome Jolly add to the scoreline, earning Marsh an opening day win as they opened their title defence.
Shevington 3-3 Walmer Bridge
A pulsating game at Vicarage Lane saw a share of the spoils after Daniel Simm’s 77th minute equaliser for the hosts. Shevington took an early lead through Joseph Hull before Walmer turned things around, going into the sheds two goals to one ahead thanks to Dom Case and Matty Wignall. Zak Deaves is always a dangerman for Walmer Bridge, he put the visitors 3-1 up before Shevington reduced the arrears through Jack Hamilton on the hour mark. Simm’s leveller was enough for a point each to both sides.
Eccleston & Heskin 4-3 Southport & Ainsdale Amateurs
The home side will be delighted to have earned three hard-fought points on Saturday having gone three goals down to Southport & Ainsdale. Conor Bligh and Charles Lunt established a two-goal lead for the home side by the ten minute mark and when Bligh added a second with ten to play before the interval, it must have looked like a secure three points would be taken back to Sefton. Eccleston were on the board by half time, Alex Brooks the goalscorer. If the Eccleston & Heskin coaching team could share what they said at the break, we’d all appreciate it, because just six minutes after play resumed, they were level at 3-3. Two more Brooks goals earned him a hat-trick and Ted Ball scored the winning goal on 65 minutes.
Astley FC 2-2 Highgrove
A score draw at West Way was the final result, meaning both sides claimed a point from their opening league fixture. Highgrove had Liam Breslin and Harvey Ogley to thank for their goals, while Astley’s Charles Young notched a brace. Last season Astley won both games between the two sides so a point for Highgrove represents a better return than in 2025-26.
Division One
Wyre Villa FC 8-1 Southport Trinity
Third on the ladder last season, Wyre Villa are looking to go two better this time around and started in commanding fashion. It was an impressive performance at Hallgate Park as Rory Walmsley scored a hat-trick, both Nico Moreton and Tom Whiteside recorded braces, Toby Smith also on the scoresheet for Wyre. There will be better days for promoted Trinity.
New Longton Rovers 5-1 Fleetwood Hesketh
New Longton boast two teams in Division One this season, the first side and their reserves. The first team were at home and picked up three points at the first time of asking. Joseph Richardson contributed four goals and Harry Hardacre added one to see New Longton take up second spot behind Wyre.
Sir Tom Finney FC 1-3 New Longton Rovers Reserves
Promoted from Division Two from second place just two points shy of winners Lostock St Gerard’s, New Longton Rovers Reserves showed their quality with a 3-1 success away at ULan Sports Arena. Zak Slater struck first for New Longton before Jamie Forshaw squared the ledger for Sir Tom Finney. Joshua Tayor’s two strikes, one just shy of the half hour and one in the second half, meant it was a New Longton Rovers double on the opening day.
Westgate Wanderers Hawks 5-4 Tarleton Corinthians ‘A’
Last season it took Westgate Hawks until mid-January to record their first three points of the league season, they have bettered that record by five months with victory against Tarleton Corinthians ‘A’. A brace from James Okeeffe and a hat-trick by Connor Mason was enough to win at King Georges Playing Field.
Wigan Rovers 1-2 AFC Ainsdale
A second away win of Division One’s opening day fixtures saw Ainsdale claim the chocolates at St James Park. Owen Highton opened the scoring for the visitors early in the first half and on 65 minutes, Wigan Rovers’ Daniel Bibby levelled the score. Charlie Gray grabbed the winner of 71 minutes for AFC Ainsdale.
Hoole United Reserves 0-1 Middleton & Overton Sports FC
And the final away win of Division One went the way of Middleton & Overton Sports. A tight affair with Hoole United’s reserves resulted in a 1-0 scoreline in favour of the away team with Nick Grundy the man responsible for the sole goal of the game on 22 minutes.
Division Two
Lancaster Red Rose FC 3-0 Wyre Villa Reserves
The first of two games in Division Two saw the three points earned by hosts Lancaster Red Rose at Salt Ayre Leisure Centre. Harry Tinkler and Thomas Leech gave Lancaster a two-goal advantage at the break and Alfie Askew added a third in the second half.
Ribchester Rovers 0-2 Freckleton FC Reserves
Freckleton’s reserve side joined Lancaster Red Rose on three points from the opening day after a 2-0 victory on the road at Ribchester. Taylor Royle struck on 21 minutes to give the away side the lead, which they held at 1-0 until the 90th minute when substitute Daniel Valentine added a goal to give the visitors a two-goal margin.