FOOTBALL ROUND-UP: IN THE East Lancashire Football Alliance League, Rishton United Under 15s lost 6-0 to Haslingden. United had beaten Haslingden 2-0 in the cup last week but Rishton never got going.
In the North Valley League, the Under 11s beat Readstone United 7-0. Tom Bartley fired home from 15 yards for the first goal before a Keenan O’Carroll corner was slotted home by Hayden Walker. Walker struck again - to make it nine goals in nine starts for him - while MOTM O’Carroll then scored direct from a corner to make it 4-0 at half-time. Bartley rifled in his second before Matt Aspinall chipped the keeper to take the tally to six. To finish the scoring, Jamie Maxwell fired the ball in from the half-way line and the keeper made a mistake to allow in the seventh.
In the Accrington and District Junior Football League, the Under nines lost 5-1 to Wilpshire Wanderers.
Also the Under 11s, on Saturday, lost 4-2 to Pendle Forest Green. Rishton were two goals down inside the first three minutes. They improved after the break with midfielder Matt Aspinall smashing the ball home before half-time sub Keenan O’Carroll made it 2-2. Rishton pressed for a winner but Pendle broke to re-take the lead and scored the fourth at the death. Referee’s MOTM was Keenan O’Carrol and the Manager’s MOTM was Matt Aspinall.
The Under 12s lost 5-1 to Barrowford Cetlic. They trailed 3-0 before Jack Goggins set up Alister Lofthouse who finished well. Goggins also hit the crossbar but, after the break, Barrowford took their chances.
The Under 13s won 5-0 at Rossendale Valley with MOTM Kegan Dobson scoring twice, Declan Byrom, Daniel Quinn and Ngone Madzimabmuto on the scoresheet.
In the seniors, the first team lost 2-1 to Islington while the Reserves and the A team both notched up wins. The Reserves won 4-2 against Bluestar and the A team won 2-1 at Witton Inn.
ACCRINGTON STANLEY LADIES: Stanley ended a run of four successive defeats with a deserved point against high-flying Wigan. Charlotte Holden’s composed finish seven minutes from time was reward for a brave Stanley display. The Reds went behind to a superb early strike from 20 yards. Stanley could have had a spot kick when Chloe Smith was bundled over, and Holden had a goal ruled out for a borderline off-side. After the break, captain Katharine Butler made a stunning save to keep Stanley in the game. That proved a big moment, as substitute Carolyn Watson threaded a clever ball through to Holden, who kept her nerve to pass the ball inside the far corner. Top-scorer Dawn Haczycki could have won it at the death with a back post header, but a draw was a fair result. Ally O'Donnell was outstanding at centre back. The Reds are next in action against Padiham at Queens Park on Sunday, kick-off 2 p.m.
ACCRINGTON GIRLS AND LADIES FC: They were in confident mood to take on another local team, Haslingden, on Sunday after beating Accrington Stanley Ladies last week. Both teams attacked early on - a good break from Becky De-Maine was well saved by the Haslingden keeper while a last ditch tackle on the line thwarted a Haslingden attack. After ten minutes the deadlock was broken with a left foot drive from Player of the Match Di Salisbury. But then a couple of rash challenges by Natasha Hosker earned her two yellow cards - and a red.
This put the home defence under pressure and Haslingden scored when a free kick hit the post and the back of a player and bounced into the net to remain level at half-time. Ten-men Accrington were unfortunate not to take the lead after the break when Sarah Arbuary met a cross with her head only for the keeper to make a reaction save and keep the final score at 1-1.
The Under 16s followed last week’s semi-final win with another fine performance at Myerscough. A bullet of a goal from captain Amy Sturgess, two from Kerry Bamford, a first goal for Chloe Roberts and a Player of the Match performance from defender Tara Parmar helped Accrington to a 4 - 2 win
Accrington Ladies FC are on the look out for a new manager, with a view to gaining promotion to the North West Counties League. For more information, please contact Club Secretary, Carl Ellwood at: agsasec@aol.com.
HUNCOAT UNITED: The Under nines won 2-0 at Rossendale Valley Greeen while the Under 10s won 5-0 against Church on Saturday. Within 30 seconds of the start, an unmarked Joel Fox strolled into the box and lashed it past the advancing keeper. Henry Hindle added a second, turning the defender to shoot past the keeper. Close to half-time, Archie Twist squared for the on-rushing Callum Boyle to steer past the keeper for number three. Boyle side footed into an empty net for the fourth before a fifth came after good passing play and Twist drove the ball wide of the keeper's hand into the left hand corner. Referee’s MOTM was Joel Fox while Manager's MOTM was Callum Boyle.
The Under 10s Allstars won 3-1 against Darwen Rangers. Despite playing against the wind, Huncoat were 2-0 up at half-time thanks to goals from Taylor Harris and Callum Savage. In the second half goalkeeper Dominic Ashley got hold of the ball in his own area and kicked it down field. The ball bounced once, over the outcoming goalkeeper and into the empty net. MOTM was Dominic Ashley.
The Under 10s Badgers saw off Clitheroe Wolves with a 4-2 win to stretch their unbeaten league and cup run to 22 games. Clitheroe did race into a two-goal lead in the first 10 minutes but then Tom Sumner played a great ball out to to Max Verlander and he cracked an unstoppable effort into the top corner to make it 2-1 at half-time. They had some luck for the equaliser after missing a number of chances when a Rowan Holden corner hit a Clitheroe defender and fell over the line. The Badgers finally took the lead after Lewis Eccles muscled his way through two challenges and put a superb ball into the box to Dylan Liddle who controlled it with his right foot and then put a great left foot finish past the keeper. Verlander then set-up Lewis Eccles who made no mistake from six yards out. Opposition MOTM was Max Verlander while Manager’s MOTM was Jack Briggs. The captain’s performance was Dylan Liddle.
The Under 11s lost 3-0 to Rossendale Valley Yellow while the Under 12s on Saturday lost 6-2 to Rossendale Valley. Spencer Harris scored both Huncoat's goals. MOTM was Zac Bannan.
On Sunday, the Under 12s won 1-0 against Langho while the Under 13s boosted their promotion push with a 6-1 win over Belthorn. Referee’s MOTM was Jack Brooks while the Manager’s MOTM was Shahbaz Khan.
The Under 14s were 1-0 winners over Oswaldtwistle St Marys while the Under 15s lost 4-1 to Oswaldtwistle FC. The Under 16s suffered a narrow 3-2 defeat to Belvedere.
