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Two of our youth clubs, BAE Warton and Winstanley Warriors will meet in the Final of the LFA U18s Youth Cup (sponsored by Phil Collier Associates) at the County Ground, Leyland on Sunday 22 April 2018, kick off 4.30pm.

The U18s Youth Cup is the LFA’s oldest running youth competition first competed for in 1954. Both Chorley and Southport have won the competition the most times with four Cup victories each and Chorley had the opportunity to become the Cup's record winners last season, but they were defeated by AFC Fylde.

BAE Warton, managed by Mark Sevens have a 100% record in youth division white but their success in cup competitions has left them with a backlog of league fixtures but they have the youth sections top goal scorer in Matthew Van Wyk who has netted 29 to date. They will meet Foxhall FC in the Final of this League’s Syndicate Trust Youth Cup Final a week on Sunday at Bamber Bridge FC, kick off 2.00pm.

Winstanley Warriors are managed by Shaun Rotherham find themselves in 4th spot in the competitive youth division red. To reach this final they have beaten Coppull United, Midway, Ramsbottom United and Nelson, their strike force of Callum Best with 23 and Dylan Rutter with 15 goals are the ones to watch.

Eamonn McNamara.

Clubs are reminded that the final date to register for the UCLan Summer Challenge Football League is 30th April. The league will operate from Tuesday 8th May until Friday 29th June 2018.

All games will be played on UCLan’s excellent 3G surface on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays and all teams must be flexible with this for everyone to benefit from the League. If any team is only available on one evening it may affect their chances of being guaranteed a game every week.

Games will last for 50 minutes with two equal haves of 25 minutes and a ten-minute half time interval. Kick off times are 6.00pm, 7.00pm and 8.00pm and games will be finished by 9.00pm sharp.

The League is sanctioned by the Lancashire Football Association (LFA) and clubs must provide their LFA affiliation number when registering. Match fees are £21.00 per team per game which are inclusive of the pitch fee and referees fee.

Interested clubs can register for the League by contacting the UCLan Football Development Officer Cian McEvoy here

Eamonn McNamara.

League Champions Hunters beat Acregate Lane LC 6-1 to capture the Syndicate Trust Challenge Cup and complete an impressive league and cup double.

After months of wet and miserable weather it was a joy to see the game kick-off in glorious evening sunshine in front of a large crowd over 450 at Bamber Bridge FC. And it was Acregate Lane who made the first impressions with some energetic play and plenty of possession. They had their chances too, which were either just off target or were saved by Danny Roccia in the Hunters goal.

It took 29 minutes before we saw the first goal, a close-range header from Dee Edmonds, something against the run of play but nevertheless it gave Hunters that all import lead. Six minutes later Ash Ball made eluded Acregate’s keeper Paul Howson with a shot off the post to make it 2-0 and Ash then celebrated with his signature somersault.

Acregate started the second half as they had the first with plenty of possession, but no end product and they paid the price on 58 minutes when Damian Green fired Hunters into a 3-0 lead with a long range effort. You could visibly see the Acregate heads drop and they weren’t helped when Man-of-the Match Jamie Sanderson made it 4-0 and four minutes later Adam Thomas dummied the keeper to make it 5-0 and by this time Hunters were well on top and in control.

A ray of hope came for Acregate on 75 minutes when the precocious Paul Turner scored to pull one back but two minutes later Andrew Naylor converted a corner to complete the scoring and give Hunters a well-deserved 6-1 victory.

The Cup and medals were presented to the teams by Sponsor John Carrig of Building Supplies West Coast Ltd. There was warm applause at the end for both teams and the match official Referee Bob Roberts, his Assistants Martin Winters & Dan Hooton and 4th Official Mark Fitzpatrick. And a special word for the two mascots wearing the team’s replica outfits, Chanel Paige Dixon, daughter of Hunters manager Dixie Dawson and little Archie Bell whose Dad Connor is the Acregate full back.

Report & photos by Eamonn McNamara with special thanks to Paul Vause for his photos.

The eagerly awaited Syndicate Trust Challenge Cup Final between premier division big boys Acregate Lane LC and Hunters will be played at the Sir Tom Finney Stadium, Bamber Bridge on Wednesday 18 April 2018, kick off 7.30pm.

League Champions Hunters retained their title on Sunday and manager Dixie Dawson will be looking to make it a league and cup double. Their form this season has been impressive with 13 wins and a draw from their 14 league games and they have a potent strike force in Dee Edmonds who has bagged 28 goals and Adam Thomas who has scored 26 this season.

Standing in their way are Acregate Lane LC who are nothing if not resilient and manager Gary Duboulay has ensured that that they will be well prepared and they will have no intention of playing second fiddle. Whilst Acregate’s league form has been indifferent they certainly turn up for the big occasions as cup holders Ingol Rangers found out when Acregate beat them 4-2 in the semi-final and to press the point they have the premier league’s top scorer in Paul Turner who has netted 36 this season.

The match will be refereed by Bob Roberts, with Assistant Referees Martin Winters & Dan Hooton and Mark Fitzpatrick on 4th Official duties. Admission is £4.00, concessions and children £2.00 for what should be a mouth-watering game.

Eamonn McNamara.

The last semi-final of this rain sodden season saw Bolton County beat Broughton Amateurs 6-2 to reach the Syndicate Trust Youth Trophy Final where they will meet Fleetwood Town Rangers at Bamber Bridge FC on Thursday 26 April at 7.30pm.

Bolton County from youth division red certainly hit the ground running as George Bowers fired them ahead after just two minutes and a brace from Freddie Stevens in the 12th & 15th minutes gave them what seemed like an unassailable lead. Matt Wignall had other ideas and his goal on 37 minutes gave hope to Broughton Amateurs but that was extinguished on the stroke of half time when Lewis Gibson scored to make it 4-1 at the interval.

The two teams made every effort to play attacking football and it was clear to see that they were well coached and well-disciplined clubs. George Bowers got his second on 50 minutes to give Bolton County a 5-1 lead and it looked all over when Chris Hough finished off a lovely move to make it 6-1 to County with 14 minutes to go. That said, Broughton Amateurs had the last say when Max Bryden converted a penalty on 80 minutes to make the final score 6-2.

Hats off to our League Champions Hunters, who retained their title in some style this morning by beating Ashton on Ribble 6-0 through goals from Oli Oxley, John Stead, Dee Edmonds (3) and Damian Green. Next stop for Hunters is the Challenge Cup Final at Bamber Bridge on Wednesday and the chance of completing the double but no doubt Acregate Lane LC will have something to say about that. Ingol Rangers beat Springfields 4-3, AFC Ingol won 3-0 at Ashton Villa and Theatre Boys won 2-1 at Acregate Lane.

Newcomers Southport & Ainsdale Amateurs have completed their own double, having already won the Syndicate Trust Presidents Cup they beat Worden Rangers 9-1 this morning to claim the division 1 title. Second placed Bolton Lads & Girls Club lost 2-0 at Tulketh United, Warton beat AFC Longridge 3-1 and Wyresdale Rangers won 2-1 at Walton Athletic. It will be some time before the division 2 title is decided, leaders Arkwrights won 2-0 at Vernon Sports, Earnshaw Bridge beat Penwortham Town 8-0 but the team to watch could well be Gregson Lane Wanderers with games in hand, they beat second placed Walton 5-1 today. Division 3 champions Sir Tom Finney saw their game this morning postponed, Kingsfold won at Ribbleton Wanderers and BAE Warton & Tarleton Corinthians drew 2-2.

AFC Fylde beat Winstanley Warriors 3-1 to strengthen their grip at the top of youth division red where Lostock St Gerards beat Southport 2-0 and Coppull United and Padiham drew 2-2. The BAE Warton juggernaut drives on in youth division white, they beat Poulton 9-0 to maintain their 100% record, Wyre Villa beat Fleetwood Town Rangers 3-2 and Garstang won 8-5 at Eccleston & Heskin where the defences were clearly on top. Two double headers in youth division blue resulted in Tarleton Corinthians beating Appley Bridge Reds 2-1 and 4-0, Springfields beat Lancon 3-0 and 4-0 and Penwortham St Teresas and Lostock Hall Blues drew 3-3.

Round up and photos by Eamonn McNamara.

With yet another week of weather affected fixtures, it didn't bode well for the two Syndicate Trust Youth Trophy semi-finals scheduled to be played at Fulwood Amateurs. In fact the Bolton County v Broughton Amateurs game was called off on Saturday evening due to one of the pitches being unfit and that semi will now be played at Fulwood Amateurs next Sunday 15 April.

This League is immensely grateful to Fulwood Amateurs FC and particularly to their Chairman Paul Eastwood for his help and support in getting our semi-finals played. Paul was working on the pitch first thing this morning, rolling and marking it out and then catering for spectators in their pitch side café.

Both teams were both keen to get on the score sheet, but it was difficult to see how the deadlock would be broken with end to end play and both sides having plenty of possession. Just as it looked as if the first half was heading to a goalless conclusion, Jack Fender opened the scoring for Coppull United with a well struck shot on 35 minutes. However, Fleetwood Town were quick to respond on 38 minutes when Will Brown levelled the score and sent the teams in 1-1 at half time.

The second half was a mirror of the first with opportunities at both ends but with neither team able to find the back of the net. Special mention must be made of a full stretch save on 70 minutes which saw Coppull keeper Luke Christie scoop the ball out of what seemed like certain goal, but full time saw the sides locked at 1-1.

Referee Matty Moss had barely got the extra time under way when Rob Jones shot Fleetwood Town into the lead. Coppull United threw everything at Fleetwood in an effort to draw level, but the heavy pitch took its toll and we witnessed a number of players suffering cramp. Coppull must have thought their prayers had been were answered in the dying minutes, when the ball crossed the line after a goalmouth scramble, only for it to be ruled offside.

Credit to both teams and their coaches for a thoroughly enjoyable game played in the right spirit and to the match officials referee Matty Moss and his Assistants Josh Ridley and Dave Shaw who handled the game well.

Report and photos by Eamonn McNamara.

Physical Training: The Society provides physical training for its members at UCLan Sports Arena Training every Monday evening between 6.30-7.30pm except on Society Monthly Meeting nights when it will be brought forward to 6.00-7.00pm.

For further details about the physical training sessions please contact Paul Marsden here.

Lancashire Sunday Football League is always happy to accept new referees to its list of officials. If you have any enquiries about refereeing on the League or would like to be added to the list of officials, please contact the League’s Referee Manager David McNamara here.

Mid Lancashire Football League operates on Saturday afternoons for Open Age clubs and they are also happy to accept new referees to its list of officials. If you have any enquiries about refereeing on the League or would like to be added to the list of officials, please contact the League’s Referee Secretary Tony Hawkes here.