Date published: 08/02/2010

Everybody in the Stockport Sunday Football League League was shocked to hear that Sporting Northern had resigned from the league. It was with great sadness that secretary Les Horton had to write the fateful letter. Les has been associated with the league as a player, then the secretary of the Northern since the early sixties. They reached the pinnacle of getting into the Premier Division, which fulfilled Les's dream, but unfortunately it turned into a nightmare. Along with Tony Leah, his trusty right hand man, they thought they could have seen the season out and recruit new players. But the fickleness of the players he had left him with no option. If there is any team out there that wants a ready-made, top class secretary, Les is your man.

Cale Green are out of the Cheshire Sunday Cup, but they put up a sterling performance in their defeat. Influenced by the home supporters, the referee showed the red card to Duane Ridgeways with only fifteen minutes of the game played. He was adjudged to have used his elbow in a challenge with a Queens player. Showing their true fighting spirit, it wasn’t until just after the half hour that the home side took the lead, again another decision that was debatable. Mickey Ryan made what was thought to have been a clean, fair challenge, but the referee had no hesitation in giving a penalty, Lee Gibson netting from the spot. Danny Dignan, fully fit after his early season injury, hammered home the equaliser with a thundering free kick. A tremendous save by, keeper Pete Mellor ended the first half all square.In a frantic three minute period just after the hour mark, Queens captain, Terry Cosgrave, restored his side’s lead. Immediately at the other end. Dignan rattled the home cross bar with another super strike, then in a blink of the eye, a long ball out of defence saw Mike Burke head home Queen’, third goal. Only a great save by Queens’ keeper Dave Peace, from Nick Boothby's header, denied him a goal. Late in the game, Dignan picked out Martin McDonald on the far post, his sweetly struck volley giving Peace no chance. The holders were glad to hear the referee’s final whistle, like they had on two occasions in the first half. Cale Green are back on their travels again this Sunday, going over to Kirkby, to play Mariners FC in the North West Champions Cup. Better luck this time lads.

It was all systems go for the league on a reasonable mild morning. There were a few cup games played. In the H.English Memorial Trophy Round 3 game, Real Reform, beat Division One side Hillgate Spartans, who, to their credit, battled all the way. Daryl Dickin, Real's player manager, put them in the lead. James Bowden made it one apiece. It was the class of the Premier side that got them through. Jon Wood, with the second, and Paul Cunningham's penalty, ended the scoring.

Two games were played in the first round of the P.Bailey/G.Wright Memorial Trophy. Horse & Jockey, the Division Three side, won away at Brinnington Ward Labour Club. Warren Gaskin and Martin Banks each scored twice for the Jockey, Wes Salt, Luke Mather, and Tom Purslow adding the others. For the losers, James Dean, Louis Kidd, and Nathan Allison, shared the three goals.

Hindley Street finally overcame Stockport Dynamoes reserves, thanks to Paul Lamb's late penalty. Mark Taylor had put the Street in front. Dominic Pearson equalised. Paul Lamb restored the lead, but again Dynamoes hit back with a Jimmy Wood penalty.

Three teams are safely through to the last eight, following their Round 2 wins. AFC. Stockport were well in command against Werneth, with two goals each from Rick Williams and captain Daz Eaves. But they had the smiles wiped off their faces when, before half time, Werneth had drawn level with a Mike Lambert hat trick and a goal from Ashley Cliffe. It was then left to Stockport's keeper, Colin Walker, stopping Werneth taking the lead with his save from Lambert's spot kick. Thankfully, that was the turning point. Rick Williams went on to score two more and Eaves completed his hat trick.
FC Wrights were looking for revenge after being beaten in the league earlier by Mount Villa, but it was not to be, for the Villa did them again. Wrights actually took the lead with a Ryan Murphy goal. Matthew Moulden equalised, and then Rob. Green hit the winner.
Atlas were beaten by SGC, who scored three in each half. Daniel Mellor and Ricky Thomas shared four of the goals and Andy, and Ant Thomas ended the scoring with their goals. For Atlas, Chris Burt, Rihaz and Fareed Bigoli were on the scoresheet.

On the league scene, there were a shocks for a couple of the top teams. In the Premier Division, the Bredbury FC v Offerton Green game was called off due to Bredbury not being able to field a team, something that in Pete Watson's day would have been unheard of. I hope, for the sake of Pete' s memory, that the players who he nurtured from their early days in football will show respect for him, rally round and not let 'his ' club go out of existance. Queens, Bredbury got within a point of leaders Offerton Green after their comfortable win over Cheadle FC. Pete Sidebottom and Mark Haslam got two goals each. Sam Walker, Tom Thornton and Martin Andrews shared the other three.
Barlow, who had met and beaten Sporting Northern twice, had four points expunged from their record, so the win over FC Kenilworth was a welcome one. Tom Barratt gave them the lead, Mike Berisford equalised with a free kick and a rare goal from Jamie Mccord put Barlow back in front before two late goals from Dave Gilbert and Paul Edisbury completed the scoring.

Heaton Plough, leaders of Division One, were two-nil up against the Salisbury club, both goals scored by Paul Connor, but they had not reckoned with the Club's fightback.
They were helped when Paul Reddy put the ball into his own net, but they did not need any further help, Dave Cartwright's two goals clinching the win. Plough stay top, but all the teams below them won, none more emphatically than arch rivals Straw., who led six-nil at half time against Yew Tree. The second half was more even, finishing two each. Matt Chilton got a hat-trick, Kev Smith and Ryan McNally two each. Jordy McNally got the other. Jon Conroy scored both Tree goals with tremendous headers.
Millbrow stay second, scoring four without reply against Offerton Nomads. Both Chris Lees goals came from the penalty spot, Andy Given and sub Paul Tipper adding the others. Tom Watson scored all three of Higher Poynton's goals in the win away against bottom club Harvester, whose lone goal was scored by Sam Evans. Ben Connolly was on the mark four times in Adswood United's win at Stockport Norris, team mates Andy Rowlands and Steve Owen scoring the other two. Norris's scorers were Rob Bricknell and Matt Kilheeney.

Great Moor Travellers hit seven past Dilke Celtic and stay top of Division Two. The scorers were Andy Williams and Sam Pollard, with two apiece, James Bowden, Mark Perry and keeper Dave Hatfield, with a penalty. Dilke’s lone reply was scored by, Matt Wallace. Great Moor lost their proud unbeaten record against South Park United, Nick Stokes scoring twice for the winners and Andy Speed for the disappointed losers. Offerton Green Reserves kept their unbeaten record intact, but they could have easily dropped a point in their game with Roaring Winds. They had their keeper, Ritchie Torkington, to thank, for two excellent saves, both from Luke Andrews, who scored the equaliser with a fierce angled shot. Clint Dempsey had given the Green the half time lead. Andy Bull, with a well placed header from Alex Crowe's corner, scored the winner.

The two games in Division Three ended with the same scoreline, 6-1. Adswood United reserves emulated the first team’s scoring prowess by beating Hinds Head. Rick Kelly with two, Matt Kelly, Danny Sleigh, Aiden Cassells and an own goal made up their six. There was an own goal at the other end for Hinds Head. Romiley Sports were hit for six at home by Higher Poynton reserves. Paul Fairweather was Poynton's top scorer with a hat-trick, Andy Peart scored two and the other came from Ian Williams. Lee Howard netted for Romiley.

It’s still neck and neck at the top of Division Four, only goal difference separating the two top teams. Cheadle Hulme Athletic gave their goals for column a healthier look, with the six they scored against Bredbury Travellers, Adam Baker and James Tancock, sharing four of them and the other two divided between Neil Booth and Craig McCall. For Bredbury, Steve Mairs scored their only goal. Joe MsWali gave Spurley Hey the lead over second placed Marple FC, who then took over the scoring with goals from Andy Carter, Callum Dunion and sub Josh Simoli. Ryan Walker got Spurley's second before Sam Howarth ended the scoring with Marple’s fourth. Millbrow reserves won by the odd goal in nine against Adswood United ' B', who were trying to make it a hat-trick of wins for the Adswood club. Chris Kirkland scored a hat trick for the winners, Daniel Davis and Mike Woolridge adding the other two. Danny King and 'Kipper' Harrison shared their sides four. Adam Murphy got four of Stockport Athletic's five against bottom club The Ash, Danny Fitzpatrick getting the other.

The council, due to the adverse weather of the past few weeks, have given an extention to the league of two weeks. The season will now finish on Sunday May 9th. The league are also introducing night games from Tuesday March 30th.