By David Figg

North West Counties Football League Division One South

Cheadle Town 1

FC Oswestry Town 5

FOR the third game running, FC Oswestry Town were able to find the net five times as they dismantled hosts Cheadle Town.

Matt Burton’s men kept their 100 per cent win record intact with another convincing performance and result.

Harry Bower, Michael O’Reilly and David Howarth gave the visiting Town side a three-goal lead before the break, before Steven Evans and Bower’s second half goals.

The scoring opened in the ninth minute when Liam Parry struck a ball across the front of the Cheadle keeper who could only parry the ball into the path of Bower to give him the simple task of firing home from two yards out.

Town doubled their lead in the 29th minute through O’Reilly’s long-range effort which was struck well into goalkeeper Steve Piggott’s top left-hand corner.

It took just a minute to grab their third when Joe Newton’s through ball found Dave Howarth who was able to beat his man and fire his shot into the bottom left-hand corner.

After the break, Cheadle had a glimmer of hope within a minute of the restart when Paul Sunderland’s long ball was headed by Newton who guided the ball into his own net.

This prompted a response from Town who made it 4-1 in the 63rd minute – O’Reilly’s corner was met by the head of Evans who leaped highest to head home from six yards out.

Their fifth and final goal came in added time when Mason Springthorpe’s goal kick was passed on by Howarth to Bower who ran into the penalty area before firing his effort in off the underside of the bar.

Town took on Cammell Laird 1907 at home on Tuesday night (result not known at time of print), and will face Sandbach United away on Saturday, before a Bank Holiday Monday home game against Vauxhall Motors (both kick-off 3pm).

North West Counties Football League Division One South

St Martins 2

Sandbach United 3

DESPITE taking the lead after less than five minutes, St Martins lost their 100 per cent win record after Sandbach United were able to come from behind to take the three points.

An early own goal gave Saints the lead, before two goals later in the first half for United turned the scoreline on its head.

A penalty for each side scored in the second half set up an exciting end to the afternoon, however it was United who came out on top.

Saints were gifted their opener in the fourth minute when a cross was misjudged by the visiting goalkeeper, resulting in the ball bouncing off the post and into his midriff before rolling into his own net.

United drew level quarter of an hour later however when Kieran Garner-Knapper broke into the St Martins penalty area and fired past the onrushing Jack Perry.

Shortly after the 30-minute mark, Knapper turned provider when he found himself in the penalty area again to square the ball across to Adam Clayton who made it 2-1.

After the break Sandbach were able to double their lead through William Buckley who won and scored a penalty just three minutes after the restart.

Saints managed to regain some control after a shaky start to the second half and the referee awarded them a penalty in the 58th minute.

Jamie Hands kept his cool and slotted home from the spot to make it 3-2.

St Martins worked hard to find an equalising goal and came close through substitute Brendon Price in the 81st minute when his header bounced off the crossbar and away from the goal.

Saints narrowly missed out on a draw and suffered their first defeat of the league campaign.

They faced Vauxhall Motors away on Tuesday night (result not known at time of going to print.

North West Counties Football League Division One South

Ellesmere Rangers 1

Vauxhall Motors 2

A GOAL in the final 10 seconds of the game for Vauxhall Motors meant Ellesmere Rangers’ wait to get points on the board this season continues.

The Meresiders have lost four in four at the start of the 2019/20 season, but came agonisingly close to a draw on Saturday.

With no goals scored in the first half, fans were treated to an eventful final 20 minutes with all three goals on the day coming after the 75th minute.

As the game got underway, it was not long before Ellesmere keeper Lee Davis was called into action to divert Matthew Carlin’s effort off target with an excellent fingertip save.

Rangers struggled to get hold of the ball in the first half and create chances of their own, however Motors were unable to score, despite having more of the ball and more goalscoring opportunities.

In the second half, Ellesmere continued to have a tough time going forward, but were able to make things more difficult for their visitors by defending well. The deadlock was not broken until the 78th minute of the game when Vauxhall opened the scoring.

Greg Drummond’s cross found Michael Burkey who slotted home to put his side a goal ahead.

However, the resilient Ellesmere side responded well to draw level again after just seven minutes. Emmanuel Williams was the man to find the net with Rangers’ first shot on target on the afternoon.

The Meresiders looked to have done enough to salvage a point until the 94th minute when Motors found a way through to score with just 10 seconds of injury time left to play. Ben Holmes was on hand to fire home.

Rangers are now 19th as they continue searching for their first point.

They face Eccleshall away tonight (Wednesday) at 7.45pm, before Stone Old Alleynians away on Saturday and a Bank Holiday Monday game at home against Abbey Hulton United (both kick-off at 3pm).

Welsh National League

Premier Division

Rhostyllen 2

Chirk AAA 1

CHIRK AAAs are now without a win in their opening three Welsh National League Premier Division fixtures this season after a second defeat on Saturday at the hands of Rhostyllen.

A late winner for the hosts snatched a point away from Chirk after they had equalised on the hour mark through Joe Roberts.

Drew Wickens was able to capitalise on Chirk’s tired legs late in the afternoon and grabbed the important second goal for Rhostyllen.

Chirk were stripped to the bare 11 with the holiday season having its impact and several injuries sidelining some squad members.

Nevertheless, the visiting Colliers will have been disappointed to come away from the game empty-handed.

Ollie Allman’s goal put the hosts ahead in the first half after Chirk squandered several chances.

Chirk’s performance went up a level in the second half and they were rewarded with a goal through Roberts with half an hour left to play.

Roberts’ great finish was not enough to salvage a point however, as Chirk tried to keep the hosts out in the closing minutes, but could not do enough to keep Wickens’ strike out.

Chirk were also in action last Wednesday when they hosted Rhos Aelwyd and drew 2-2.

They now sit 11th in the table. Their next fixture will be played tonight (Wednesday) when they take on Mold Alexandra away (kick-off 7.30pm).

Shropshire Premier League Premier Division

Gobowen Celtic 2

Prees 0

GOBOWEN Celtic came out on top in their game against Prees as they kicked off their Shropshire Premier League campaign.

It was two first half goals that made sure of the points for Celtic, with Prees doing all of the running in the second 45 without managing a goal to show for it.

In the opening exchanges, there was little to separate the two teams, but with 20 minutes on the clock Prees were awarded a penalty when Tom Clive was brought down in the box.

The resulting penalty saw Matt Baldwin’s spot kick smartly saved, before the resulting corner was cleared off the line as Prees looked for an opener.

On the half-hour mark Gobowen were awarded a penalty of their own when Chris Owen was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area.

Ed Rogers stepped up for the hosts and made no mistake from 12 yards.

Rogers then turned provider as Celtic doubled their lead before the break, with Matthew Hardy’s curling effort just out of the reach of Will Hopkins in the Prees goal.

In the second half, Celtic did everything defensively to keep Prees out.

Prees’ new signing Nathan Brayford went close on two occasions, and Joel Browne and Louis Williams also went close, but Celtic were able to hold on for the three points to start the season well.

On Saturday, Gobowen Celtic entertain Stoke Heath.

Elsewhere on the opening day of the season, Shrewsbury Juniors showed exactly why they won the league last season as they recorded a 10-1 away win over Hopesgate United.

There was an entertaining battle between Telford Juniors Reserves and Wellington Amateurs Development with the Wellington side winning 7-5.

The remaining match saw Wrockwardine Wood Juniors and Albrighton share a 2-2 draw.

St Martins Village are yet to start their season – they begin with a home game against Telford Juniors Reserves on Saturday, August 31.

Brown Clee, Madeley Sports and Stoke Heath were all without a game on the opening weekend.

They are all expected to begin their season on Saturday.