CUP action took centre stage in the Warrington and District League this week: with Grange Sports showing they are a force to be reckoned with again.

MGFC 2 Grange Sports 5

DIVISION One high-flyers Grange Sports started their defence of the Depot Cup with a win at Runcorn outfit MGFC in Saturday’s first leg.

In atrocious conditions they did find themselves behind after five minutes and pegged back to 2-2 before the break but A second-half hat-trick from Scott Robinson to go with strikes from him and Ryan Wilde in the opening period hands the men from Latchford a big advantage going into the second leg on December 12.

Eagle JFC 0 Grange Sports Reserves 2

IN a good day for the club, Grange Sports Reserves bagged a two-goal cushion in the opening 90 minutes of their Drinkwater Cup clash at Eagle JFC.

Youngster Craig Purnell’s first goal for the club and another from Tom Doherty sealed a 2-0 win against depleted hosts.

Three men over the age of 40, including manager Chris Rodger, pulled on their boots for Eagle and made life tough for Grange, showing all is still to play for in the second leg on December 5.

Crosfields 2 Bruche 4

RICHARD Keates netted after only 27 seconds as Bruche bounced back from successive defeats to register victory at Crosfields in the Buchanan Cup.

A Paul Jones header from a corner doubled the margin but Crosfields kept snapping at their heels, cutting cut the deficit with a second goal before the break after Mellor’s smash had made it 3-1.

Keates added the only goal of the second stanza, making the most of a lay-on from sub Ryan Bradbury.

The second leg of the tie is scheduled for December 12.

The Village 5 Burtonwood Albion Reserves 1

THE Village extended their lead at the Division Four summit to six points courtesy of Saturday’s emphatic triumph in Culcheth.

In a well-supported game, described by the referee as played in the true spirit of football, The Village showed good form even in the challenging weather conditions.

Two goals from man-of-the-match Alex Brooks, two from Sam Stainer and one from regular scorer Dominic Bibby gives The Village, with two games in hand, breathing space on second-placed Grange Sports Reserves.

Results:

Jubilee Cup: Croft 5 Windle Labour 0, Knowsley South 8 Cromwell 1.

Depot Cup: Commercial Hotel 3 Knowsley South 3, Grange 5 MG 2, Sankey Vale 2 New Street 2.

Rylands Cup: Halebank Res 1 Newton Ath 1, Haydock Res 1 Newton 1.

Reg Oliver Cup: Halton Res 2 Wellington 3, Showbar 6 St Michaels Res 1, Windle Labour Res 0 Monks 5.

Drinkwater Cup: Eagle JFC 0 Grange Res 2, Mattiola 2 Rainhill 4th 4, Moorfield Res 2 West Bank Main Top 3, Windmill 3 Halton 3.

Buchanan Cup: Cronton Res 8 Sankey Vale Res 2, Crosfields 2 Bruche 4.

Premier Division: Moorfield 3 Avon 7.

Division One: Farnworth 0 Runcorn Albion 4.

Division Two: Widnes Basils 5 Carr Mill 1.

Division Three: Halewood 17 Avon Res 1, Winwick Ath 3 Cricketers 1.

Division Four: The Village 5 Burtonwood Res 1.

Division Five: Earlestown Ath 0 Parklands Res 3, Liverpool Arms 2 St Michaels 3rd 3.

Fixtures for Saturday, kick off 2pm:

Guardian Cup: Widnes Basils v Blackbrook.

Premier Division: Burtonwood v Windle Labour, Halton v Knowsley South, Haydock v Cromwell Ath, Moorfield v Orford.

Division One: Knowsley South Res v Rainhill 3rd, MG v Sutton Heath, Pex Hill v Commercial Hotel, Runcorn Albion v Grange, Sidac v New Street.

Division Two: Beeches v Newton, Carr Mill v Haydock Res, Newton v Woolston, Orford Res v Halebank Res, Railway v Winwick.

Division Three: Cricketers v Halton Res, Halewood v Showbar, Monks v Wellington, St Michaels Res v Earlestown, Windle Labour Res v Blackbrook Res, Winwick Ath v Parklands.

Division Four: Burtonwood Res v Eagle JFC, Grange Res v Vulcan Res, Mattiola v Halton 3rd, Moorfield Res v Rainhill 4th, Orford 3rd v Lomax, The Village v Windmill.

Division Five: Cronton Villa Res v The Village Res, Crosfields v Liverpool Arms, Newton Res v Earlestown Ath, Parklands Res v Woolston Res, Penketh Utd v St Michaels 3rd.