Weekly Round Up - 2nd December 2023

Photos from the Guildhall cup match between Sir Tom Finney and Gables FC, the remainder of the photos can be viewed here. Photos are courtesy of Donna Artis Photography.

The blanket of snow draped over the country this weekend turned many football fields into picturesque winter wonderlands, but for most fixtures across various leagues, it was a weekend of hibernation. Despite the wintry weather disrupting the majority of scheduled matches, a few brave encounters marched on, leaving a trail of goals and excitement amidst the frosty backdrop.

Premiership
The Premiership encountered a complete whiteout as fixtures, including Bickerstaffe versus Newburgh Harrock, Eccleston & Heskin against Preston Wanderers, Standish St Wilfrid's versus Highgrove, Tarleton Corinthians versus Shevington FC, and Walmer Bridge versus Southport & Ainsdale Amateurs, were all sidelined due to the wintry conditions. The playing fields stood silent and serene, blanketed by snow, as eager supporters were left waiting for the thaw to witness their teams in action.

Division One
Similarly, Division One fixtures, particularly the clash between Southport & Ainsdale Amateurs Reserves and Standish St Wilfrid's Reserves, fell victim to the relentless snowfall, prompting a postponement. However, amidst the flurry of cancellations, Astley FC and Ribchester Rovers managed to defy the odds and staged an enthralling encounter. Astley FC emerged triumphant with a commanding 5-1 victory, with goals from Jack Brindle, Tom Carter, Josh Hurst, Aidan Townsley, and substitute Charles Young, while Ribchester's solitary response came courtesy of Mark Holt.

Division Two
Division Two faced a total freeze as Broughton Amateurs AFC Reserves versus Astley FC Reserves, Shevington FC Reserves against Middleton & Overton Sports FC, and Wyre Villa Reserves versus Bickerstaffe Reserves were all postponed due to the snow-laden pitches, leaving players and supporters alike frustrated by the weather's intervention

Guildhall Cup - Round 2
In the Guildhall Cup's second-round encounters, Broughton Amateurs AFC secured a commanding 4-1 victory against New Longton Rovers Reserves. Michael Mathias, Luca Hancock, Alex Moore, and substitute Jack Jemson all found the net for Broughton, while no goalscorers were documented for New Longton. Conversely, clashes between Burscough Dynamo versus Cherrybrook, Cube FC against Fleetwood Hesketh, Hoole United versus AFC Ainsdale, all succumbed to the adverse weather conditions, forcing postponements.
In the midst of the snowy chaos, Sir Tom Finney FC and Gables FC managed to stage a thrilling battle that defied the odds. Gables FC emerged victorious with a hard-fought 5-3 win. The first half saw Gables take a 3-1 lead with goals from Jordan Griffiths (2) and Martin Smith, countered by Abdullah Shaban's strike for Sir Tom Finney FC. Despite Sir Tom Finney FC's valiant efforts in the second half with goals from Joshua Omotoyinbo and substitute Michael Jukka, Gables FC extended their lead with Craig Ronald's goal and a late penalty from Jordan Griffiths in the 84th minute, securing a memorable win amidst the wintry conditions.

Despite the weather's best efforts to halt proceedings, the few games that managed to kick off provided moments of sporting excellence, leaving supporters hopeful for a thaw and a rescheduled roster of exciting fixtures in the near future.