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The outstanding quarter-final games in both the Challenge and Youth Cups, which had been postponed for the past two weeks, were all successfully completed this morning.

In the Syndicate Trust Challenge Cup, Hunters & Ingol Rangers beat Earnshaw Bridge (division 1) 6-0 at the UCLan Sports Arena, meanwhile Southport & Ainsdale Amateurs beat Lostock Hall (division 3) 6-1 at Ainsdale and they will play Hunters & Ingol Rangers in the semi-final.

The Syndicate Trust Youth Cup games saw BAE Warton beat Garstang 2-0 and Winstanley Warriors Reds beat Ribbleton 2-0, so the semi-final line-up reads Bolton County v BAE Warton and Padiham v Winstanley Warriors Reds.

Ribbleton still lead the premier division after their 8-0 win against Ashton on Ribble where Ritchie Allen scored 5 bringing his total for the season to 39, AFC Ingol beat Bamber Bridge United 3-0 and Theatre Boys earned a useful 2-1 win at home to Springfields. Walton put their recent poor run in division 1 behind them with a thumping 8-0 win at home to AFC Longridge who had won their last six league games. Gregson Lane Wanderers won 4-2 at Walton Athletic, Vernon Sports won 3-2 at Worden Rangers and Wyresdale Rangers and Warton drew 2-2.

Sir Tom Finney beat Leyland Orient 6-0 to draw level on points with AFC Preston at the top of division 2, Gregson Lane won 6-3 at Kingsfold, Penwortham Town beat Blackpool Town 6-3 and Waverley Park beat Bamber Bridge Town 4-1. The shock result in division 3 and of the day saw Park United lose for the first time in the league since 2 September when they went down 4-2 to Rufford Park Rangers at Moor Park, Ribbleton Wanderers and Leyland BTR drew 1-1 whilst the Tarleton Derby between Tarleton White and Tarleton Corinthians ended 1-0 in favour of Tarleton Whites so Paul Batey’s lads have earned the bragging rights.

Youth division red leaders Fulwood Amateurs were held 2-2 at Padiham and second placed Bolton County beat Mill Hill 4-1. Division white leaders Southport won 2-1 at Winstanley Warriors, Mellor won 5-2 at Chipping and Poulton beat Fleetwood Gym 6=3. The three games in youth blue saw Springfields win 5-0 at AC Preston, Fulwood Amateurs Blues win 5-0 at home to Tarleton Corinthians and Ribble Wanderers win 1-0 at Layton Cavs.

Round up by Eamonn McNamara with additional photos by Graham Lancaster and Gareth Jones.

The draws for the semi-finals of the four Syndicate Trust Cup competitions were made at the League Meeting on Monday 11 February 2019 by Shaun Taylor of the Lancashire Football Association.

Syndicate Trust Challenge Cup Semi-finals

AFC Ingol	v	Walton
Lostock Hall or Southport & Ainsdale A	v	Earnshaw Bridge or Hunters & Ingol Rangers

Syndicate Trust Presidents Cup Semi-finals

Arkwrights or Sir Tom Finney	v	Park United
Waverley Park	v	Penwortham Town

Syndicate Trust Youth Cup Semi-finals

Bolton County	v	BAE Warton or Garstang
Ribbleton or Winstanley Warriors Reds	v	Padiham

Syndicate Trust Youth Trophy Semi-finals

Lostock St Gerards or Cadley	v	Mill Hill
Winstanley Warriors	v	Fulwood Amateurs

The dates and venues for the semi-finals will be announced later.

Eamonn McNamara.

The eagerly awaited clash between AFC Preston and Sir Tom Finney, the top two teams in division 2 was played at Brownedge St Marys HS and it ended 3-3.

AFC Preston are in their debut season in this League having played previously in the Mid Lancs League and they currently sit on top of the table with 41 points from 18 games. Their leading scorer Aamir Toorawa has netted 60 goals in all competitions this season, 52 of them coming in their 18 league games.

Sir Tom Finney FC provide football for players of all ages, both male and female and give them the opportunity to engage in football and achieve their full potential and they have 19 teams playing in a variety of local leagues. They were run away winners of division 3 last season and currently sit three points behind AFC Preston with 38 points from 15 games but crucially they have three games in hand on their rivals.

Aamir Toorawa opened the scoring for AFC Preston after 11 minutes but Anthony Robinson equalised five minutes later. Jon Faloon restored Sir Tom Finney’s lead and when Dajaine Jenkins added a third it looked game over. Not so, two late goals from the voracious Toorawa ensured that the points were shared in a game played in an excellent spirit and one which was a credit to both clubs and the League.

BAE Warton’s exploits in the LFA U18s Youth Cup came to an abrupt halt this morning when they were beaten 8-0 in the semi-final by an absurdly strong AFC Fylde team, which hardly makes this competition a level playing field.

Park United (division 3) are through to the semi-finals of the Syndicate Trust Presidents Cup after their 4-3 victory over last year’s finalists Walton Athletic (division 1). Bolton County won 4-1 at Coppull United and Padiham won 7-0 at Euxton Villa to claim their spots in the Syndicate Trust Youth Cup semi-finals whilst Winstanley Warriors 5-1 win at home to Poulton sees them through to the semi-finals of the Syndicate Trust Youth Trophy.

The weather saw to it that not many league games were played today, Wyresdale Rangers excelled themselves by holding division 1 hotshots Walton to a 1-1 draw at Scorton and Blackpool Town made it 16 points from their last 6 games by beating Kingsfold 7-0 in division 2. They only league games played in the youth section were in division blue and they saw Tarleton Corinthians win 2-1 at Astley & Buckshaw ands Fulwood Amateurs Blues win 9-1 at Gregson Lane.

Round up and photos by Eamonn McNamara.

Following the heavy rain this week and with more forecast it will be no surprise that Preston City Council and South Ribble Borough Council have declared their pitches unfit for play this weekend, Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th February 2019. This means that no matches will take place this weekend on the following parks;

Preston City Parks

Frenchwood Park

Moor Park

Ribbleton Park

London Rd Athletic Track

Mill Lane

Station Lane, Barton

South Ribble Parks

Higher Walton Recreation Ground

Hutton Village Hall

Kingsfold (Penwortham)

Tardy Gate Recreation Ground

Withy Grove (Bamber Bridge)

Worden Park (Leyland)

UCLan Sports Arena will make a decision on their pitches tomorrow (Saturday).

Eamonn McNamara.

The 14th Annual Preston Sports Awards will take place at Preston Guild Hall on Friday 22 March 2019, commencing 6.30pm & concluding at approx. 10.45pm. There will be a waiter served meal, followed by a multi-media presentation and speaker.

Anyone can nominate an individual, team, club or group. The nominee must be either from a Preston Sports Club or an individual that resides in or represents a club in Preston.

Nomination forms can be obtained via Preston Sports Forum and returned to that address once completed. All shortlisted nominees will be notified before the event and receive a complimentary ticket for the Awards. No winners will be filmed this year with the winners being announced on the night. Nomination deadline is Monday 18th February 2019, 8.00pm.

Tickets - £25 each (surcharges apply). Ticket Sales close 15th March, 5.00pm. Booking via Preston Guild Hall Box Office 01772 804444. Tickets are non-refundable.

Eamonn McNamara.

Walton from division 1 booked their place in this season’s Syndicate Trust Challenge Cup semi-finals with an impressive 4-0 victory over premier division Theatre Boys on the 3G pitch at Brownedge St Marys High School. James McIver netted a hat trick with Alistair Palmer scored the other.

It was the only game out of the 31 scheduled for this morning that managed to survive the weather and this will no doubt have a knock on effect on next week’s fixture programme.

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 Mark Moore 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.