This week there was a number of exciting games taking place, with Light Church facing Halton Rangers, Crown Lane facing Sam Dennis’ side, Capernwray facing Carnforth and Chipping playing Newbeginners.
Tonight’s 8pm game saw Halton returning from a two week vacation. But Pete must have stayed abroad on holiday for an extra few days leaving Ryan in charge of rangers tonight. And a fine job he did. Ryan took on the gloves tonight from absent manager Pete. Halton looked sharp from the off and were soon back to playing good football! A couple of fresh faces in the side tonight and showing they were capable of upholding the Halton reputation. Levon had a great game tonight and saw plenty of the ball and opened up the scoring. Michael opened up his game with a great strike but saved by the Light Church keeper! Halton soon scored again this time from Nathan. By this point Halton were looking well in control! Light Church we’re seeing plenty of the ball at times but we’re unable to just finish off with a goal after playing some good passing football.
Levon was back on the score tally getting the 3rd goal with a great left footed strike. Light Church gave Halton keeper Ryan a testing strike but was saved by his competent hands. The half finish 3-0 to Halton but Light Church were well and truly still in the game if they could score!
The second half set of just as well for Halton Rangers again with Nathan opening up the scoring early on to score his second! Into the second half and a penalty was award to Halton, and Stuart stepped up to the mark to send his team further into the lead but a great save from Light Church’s keeper Wilfred kept the well struck spot kick out! Wilfred has a fantastic game in nets but with 10 mins to go swapped the safety and comfort of his goal area to come out and meet Halton out field, hoping he could help his team mates fight back into this game and James went on nets. But Halton kept the goals coming, Alex scored would could be the goal of the night with a well struck shot into the top corner of the net after his first shot was saved from a great body stop save. Stuart got onto the score sheet soon after his penalty save. As well as Levon having a good game, Nathan was too. He was looking more and more confident on the ball as the game went on! An own goal was scored midway through the half to give Halton a bigger lead and it was looking like Ryan was going to keep a clean sheet tonight, not many have claimed this title over the years on a Wednesday night. He came very close to doing so but Dan for Light Church scored two late goals for his team, but it was to little to late for them and the game finished 8-2. Halton will be feeling confident heading into next weeks game and hopefully Pete will have returned to pick up the gloves and lead his side on……maybe to another 3 points.
In the other 8pm game, an unbeaten Crown Lane faced a winless Sam Dennis side, in what proved to be a really good and close game. It was a very cagey start, with neither side stamping their authority on the game. However, after about 8 mins 0-0, Sam Dennis’ side scored through Shaun, after a rasping shot span over the line, before spinning back out. 1-0. However, Crown Lane are very good at fighting until they can fight no more and within a minute of conceding, Dan Giannocaro cut in from the left and rasped a shot onto the bar and into the net. 1-1. Both sides continued to battle hard but could find no way through until a few minutes before half time as Luke Parkinson netted for Crown Lane to give them a narrow lead before half time.
Much like the first half, the second half started off very cagey, with neither side able to find a way through and it took until the 9th minute for Dan Parkinson to score again for Crown Lane to take their lead to 3-1. It was two moments of magic from him to do so as he cut in from the right on the half way line and fired home – similar to Dan Giannocaro’s goal in the first half. Soon after that, Dan Parkinson scored again as Sam Dennis’ side had committed too many men forward, in the search of an equalizer, which then Parkinson took advantage of to take Crown Lane into a 4-1 lead. Dan Parkinson could have secured his hat trick, but a fantastic save from Isaac meant that he didn’t secure that. Shaun added another one near the end of the game, adding a consolation for Sam Dennis’ side, making it 4-2. However, Crown Lane slowed it down and saw the game out to ensure they took victory, making it four wins from four at the top of the table.
At 9pm, Dick Gorst came to share with us, bringing a Cup he had won back in 1974 with a cow at a big competition. He shared how he had a cow two years before, entered in the same competition, that he should have won with, but he didn’t prepare it well and so didn’t win. He shared how he had a second chance two years later with this other cow. He then shared how it is the same for us and that we have a second chance before God, that although we may mess up we can come to God and ask for forgiveness. He urged those there to consider their lives and whether they themselves have come before God to ask for forgiveness.
In the two late games, they were very one sided as both Newbeginners and Capernwray Students claimed big wins against Chipping and Carnforth. In the Newbeginners vs. Chipping game, Newbeginners ran out 11-1 winners, a convincing victory against what usually is a competitive Chipping side. Meanwhile, the continental Capernwray side ran out 13-3 winners against Carnforth. They outclassed a Carnforth side that had made a very good start to the season, but Capernwray’s talented new team proved too difficult to handle and succumb to the pressure, conceding a number of goals. Capernwray are proving to be a real handful this season, batting both sides they have faced out of the way comfortably. Dark horses for the title this season? I think so! The challenges will come when they have to face the likes of Wray, Crown Lane and Roeburndale Rascals, all of whom have made a strong start to the season.
Next week, Lune Valley face Roeburndale Rascals, Light Church face Garstang, Capernwray face a difficult test against Ingleton and Chipping face Newbeginners. A number of good games to look out for next week!
