North West Counties Football League Division One South

Vauxhall Motors 2

Ellesmere Rangers 4

IN-FORM Ellesmere Rangers made it three wins from three as they stunned league leaders Vauxhall Motors with a faultless second half performance to take three points.

Rangers found themselves two goals down at half-time after a Joe Brandon double midway through the half put the hosts in a good position.

The game was turned on its head however, when the Meresiders grabbed three goals in the space of five minutes in the second half, before adding a fourth goal 15 minutes from time.

It was all Vauxhall in the early stages of the afternoon, with a handful of early opportunities going close.

Brandon’s opener was a neat finish which wrapped u a well worked move, before the forward netted again with a well-struck effort from the edge of the penalty area.

It could have been 3-0 before the break, but Liam Cairns produced an excellent point-blank save on the stroke of half-time to keep the score at 2-0.

After the break, it took just eight minutes to get a goal back with Connor Courtney producing a great strike from 25 yards.

They were level two minutes later when Shawn Melusi showed good footwork to find space and set up Jack Briscoe who curled his effort into the net.

After another two minutes of play, Briscoe added his second and Ellesmere’s third to complete the turnaround.

Melusi was again on hand to provide the assist, this time passing across the front of the goal to allow a simple tap-in for Briscoe.

With 15 minutes remaining, Rangers put themselves in a much more comfortable position when Brendon Price capitalised on an error e Vauxhall back line and goalkeeper to pass into the net and double his team’s lead.

Price’s goal proved to be the last of the afternoon as the visiting Ellesmere side defended well to keep their two-goal lead until the final whistle.

Ellesmere’s good form has seen them move up to 18th in the league and six points away from the relegation zone.

Their next game takes place on Saturday, January 4 when they host Wythenshawe Amateurs.

North West Counties Football League Division One South

Cheadle Heath Nomads 2

FC Oswestry Town 4

ASA Hamilton’s hat-trick inspired FC Oswestry Town to come back from two goals down and take the win away at Cheadle Heath Nomads on Saturday.

Town were looking for a good result to keep pressure on league leaders Vauxhall Motors, but were two goals behind after 35 minutes with Richard Tindall scoring both.

But Hamilton got his first of the afternoon from the penalty spot before the break, before adding another two in the second half alongside a Steven Evans goal to take three points.

Town started the game well and looked on the front foot for the most part, but a break for Cheadle ended with Benjamin Woods pulling the ball back for Tindall to find the corner of the net and put the hosts one ahead.

Things were made more difficult for Town when a flick-on fell nicely for Tindall who again kept his cool to finish well and double his side’s lead.

Cheadle were to end the half frustrated though, as the referee awarded a penalty to the visiting Oswestry men on the stroke of half-time.

Hamilton fired the spot kick in off the bar to reduce Cheadle’s advantage to one goal.

After five minutes of play in the second half, a corner for Oswestry was met by Evans who did well to make contact with the ball and guide it into the net and bring his side level.

Oswestry were in fine form and managed to take the lead as a result on the hour mark through Hamilton who lobbed the keeper to make it 3-2.

And 10 minutes later they extended their lead when Ethan Short delivered a well-weighted cross for Hamilton to put away and round off his hat-trick.

The Town defence produced a solid second half display and did not concede a third goal.

With Vauxhall Motors losing their Saturday fixture, Oswestry move to within two points of the leaders having played two more games.

They face second from bottom side Wythenshawe Amateurs on Saturday, January 4 in their next game. They then face Ellesmere Rangers on Tuesday, January 7 (kick-off 7.45pm).

North Wets Counties Football League Division One South

St Martins 2

West Didsbury and Chorlton 2

St MARTINS’ winless run in all competitions stretched to 21 games on Saturday as they picked up a point at home against West Didsbury and Chorlton.

With Saints sitting at the bottom of the table however, a point will be welcomed as they look to climb out of the relegation zone.

Things got off to a bad start for the hosts as West had the ball in the back of the net in the opening two minutes.

Their well-worked goal was cancelled out in the fourth minute though, when Saints pulled a goal back to restore parity.

After growing into the game, St Martins looked like the better side and were rewarded for their good play when they took the lead in the 26th minute.

They held onto their lead until the break, but West drew level again after seven minutes of the second half and held on for the rest of the half to take a point from the game.

The result means Saints remain bottom after taking 12 points from 20 games.

St Martins are currently four points from safety, but 19th-placed Wythenshawe Amateurs have three games in hand. Saints face Abbey Hulton United away on Saturday, January 4.