West Round-up: Eight is the magic number!

By James Gordon

Atherton Collieries aren’t going to let go of the lead in the EVO-STIK League West Division without a fight if Saturday is anything to go by.

They plundered eight goals past struggling Kendal Town, with striker Tom Bentham claiming six of those, to no doubt have the historians checking their records late on Saturday evening.

The official Colls report said that Kendal bossed the first five minutes, but that will be a distant memory as Bentham notched a first half brace to give them a 2-0 half-time advantage.

It was 5-0 by the hour mark, Bentham with two more and Ben Hardcastle getting on the scoresheet.

Bentham would add a further two goals either side of a James Kirby strike.

Remarkably, Colls weren’t the only team to score eight on Saturday, as Colne did the same in beating Market Drayton Town 8-1.

They were 5-0 up by half-time, with Oliver Wood and Brad Lynch grabbing two apiece, while Josh Hine would add to his first half strike to complete a hat-trick for his first goals for the club.

Ramsbottom United’s 5-0 thrashing of Glossop North End was quite modest in comparison, though the headline grabbing Rams won’t mind that as they now find themselves in a real gridlock of teams fighting for the play-offs.

Jamie Rainford and Nic Evangelinos helped themselves to two goals apiece, while Richard Brodie scored his first goal for the club.

Just a point now separates fifth placed Leek and ninth placed Trafford.

Leek’s recent form was undone in their derby clash at Kidsgrove Athletic, Kyle Diskin scoring a last minute winner as they went down 2-1.

Aaron Bott had given Leek a seventh minute lead, though that was soon cancelled out by Anthony Malbon.

Trafford slipped up in an early kick-off at Colwyn Bay, who came from a goal down to win 2-1.

Declan Rydings put Trafford in front after 15 minutes, before Thomas McCready equalised from the penalty spot.

Daniel Andrews popped up with an injury time winner which means the Welshmen move within three points of their opponents.

The form team in the division is Mossley and they won a seven goal thriller at Radcliffe, who suffered only their second home defeat of the season in the process.

Lewis Lacy and Max Leonard exchanged first half goals, but Mossley took charge in the first five minutes of the second half with Leonard’s second and a Lacy own goal putting them 3-1 up.

Ben Wharton and Tunde Owolabi then clawed it back for Boro, but Michael Fish struck a winner 20 minutes from time for a win that moves Mossley within two points of Radcliffe in third place.

Back up to second place are Runcorn Linnets, who won 2-1 against Prescot Cables.

They scored all three goals themselves as Paul Shanley and Ryan Gibson put them in charge before half-time, and they held on despite Robert Evans putting through his own goal on 69 minutes.

Clitheroe’s desperate run of form continued as they conceded two late goals to lose 2-1 at Newcastle Town.

Harry Pratt looked like he had scored the winner on the hour mark, but Kyle Stubbs and Chris Smith scored two goals within three minutes in the closing stages to earn Newcastle the three points.

Clitheroe can take comfort from the fact that neither of the bottom two look capable of putting together enough points to get near them, a point highlighted by Skelmersdale United falling to their 17th loss of the season.

Tom Hill’s brace fired Chasetown to a 2-0 victory to leave Skem still without a win at home, albeit their temporary home at Prescot’s Volair Park, all season.

To view all the results from the weekend’s games, visit the EVO-STIK League results page, and check the latest league tables here.

Where next?

Dawson swaps Brig for Lancaster Bamber Bridge have confirmed that Paul Dawson has left the club to join EVO-STIK League Premier Division rivals Lancaster City.
East Round-up: Stocksbridge end away drought 
 Stocksbridge Park Steels ended their long wait for an away win and with it moved off the bottom of the EVO-STIK League East Division table.

Match centre

Northern Premier League - Premier
Northern Premier League - East
Northern Premier League - Midlands
Northern Premier League - West

The Pitching In Northern Premier League newsletter

Keep up-to-date with our exclusive email newsletters.

Subscribe