Marathon shoot-out ends in victory for Poulton Victoria

Apr 11 2007 by James Maloney, Birkenhead News

THE 95th Pyke Challenge Cup will always be remembered for its marathon penalty shoot-out between Poulton Victoria and Heswall.

After 120 minutes of football, neither side’s keeper was called on to make a save of any note.

Having endured such a stalemate, the large crowd then had to endure the tension of 21 penalties before Victoria – last year’s beaten finalists – became the new holders of the Cup by winning the shoot-out 8-7.

Meanwhile in Division One of the Birkenhead and Wirral League, Beechwood Social kept up the pressure on leaders Bird in Hand with an 5-1 victory over Manor Athletic.

Chris Brennan scored two with Tommy Burn, Simon Saunders and Ashley Oldham also on target.

Parkfield BA enjoyed an impressive 3-1 win over AC Brookley, while Kelma overcame Sports Bar 2-1.

New Ferry AFC defeated Universal Windows 5-0, while Admiral edged past Black Horse Borough in a seven goal thriller. In Division Two, Black Horse Wallasey remain on course for the title after a 3-0 victory against Wirral LFC.

Trafalgar's title ambitions were dealt a severe blow when Future inflicted their first league defeat this year, while Bronze Social beat Bebington Rovers 2-1.

Wirral Wanderers rebounded from last week's disappointment with a 2-1 win overNew Dock, Tower thrashed FC Village 7-1, while Claughton Hotel beat Central Park 3-1.

Elsewhere in the Birkenhead Sunday League, Queens Park’s once unassailable lead at the top of the Premiership is starting to look reachable after FC Prenton, who are fighting for survival, beat them 2-1.

Allan Kearns scored two priceless goals for Prenton and with stand-in goalkeeper Gareth McAvoy having a blinder, it was just not Queens Park’s day.

CARLSBERG WEST CHESHIRE – Div One: Ashville 0 West Kirby 1; Blacon Yth Club 0 Castrol Social 1; Cammell Laird Res 1 Marine Res 1; New Brighton 1 Newton 1 ; Upton AA 1 Christleton 1. Cheshire County FA Amateur Cup semi-final: Ellesmere Port 1 Heswall 1 (Heswall won 5-3 on pens). Wednesday April 4, Div One: Christleton 1 Ashville 3. Div Two: Chester Nomads 1 Halton 1. Div Three: Blacon Yth Club Res 1 Upton AA Res 3 Capenhurst Villa Res 0 Ellesmere Port Res 0. Thursday April 5, Div One: Ellesmere Port 2 Castrol Social 2. Liverpool County FA Youth Cup Final: Hale 0 Marine Youth 4. Friday April 6, Pyke Cup final: Heswall 0 Poulton Victoria 0 (Poulton Victoria won 8-7 on pens). Chester District FA Senior Cup semi-final: Upton AA 7 Sutton Way Villa 2. Saturday, April 7, Div One: Aintree Villa 0 Blacon Youth Club 5; Castrol Social 2 Upton AA 0; Maghull 0 Ellesmere Port 2; Marine Res 2 Christleton 1; New Brighton 3 Ashville 2; Newton 5 Merseyside Police 2. Div Two:Christleton Res 2 New Brighton Res 1; Helsby 1 West Kirby Res 1; Manweb 3 Chester Nomads 2; Runcorn Town 4 FC Pensby 2; Willaston 0 Mallaby 1.Div Three: Blacon Yth Club Res 0 Willaston Res 3; Bronze Social 3 Runcorn Town 0; Capenhurst Villa Res 0 Focus 0; Ellesmere Port Res 3 St Werburghs 1; Mersey Royal 1 Merseyside Police Res 0. Youth Division Plate quarter-finals: Ashville (withdrawn) Richmond Raith Rovers (walkover); Cammell Laird 3 Maghull 2; West Kirby (withdrawn) Lakewood (walkover).

BIRKENHEAD & WIRRAL – Div 1: AC Brookley 1, Parkfield BA 3; Beechwood Social 5, Manor Athletic 1; Black Horse Borough 3, Admiral 4; Kelma 2, Sports Bar 1; Universal Windows 0, New Ferry AFC 5. Div 2: Bebington Rovers 1, Bronze Social 2; Black Horse Wallasey 3, Wirral LFC 0; Central Park 1, Claughton Hotel 3; Tower 7, FC Village 1; Trafalgar Rangers 1, Future 2; Wirral Wanderers 2, New Dock 1. Fixtures – Truman Cup Final (Tuesday, April 10 @ 7pm): Trafalgar Rangers v Future. Div 1 (Thursday, April 12 @ 6pm): Kelma v Admiral; New Ferry AFC v Parkfield BA. Div 2 (6pm): Claughton Hotel v Black Horse Wallasey; FC Village v Wirral Wanderers; New Dock v Wirral LFC. Regent Cup Final (Friday, April 13 @ 7pm): Beechwood Social v Bird in Hand. Div 1 (Saturday, April 14 @ 3pm): Admiral v Parkfield BA; Kelma v Universal Windows; Manor Athletic v Black Horse; Borough; Sports Bar v New Ferry AFC; Windsor Perch Rock v AC Brookley. Div 2 (3pm): Big House v Upton FC; Black Horse Wallasey v Wirral Wanderers; Bronze Social v Tower; Central Park v Bebington Rovers; Claughton Hotel v New Dock; Future v Wirral LFC; Trafalagr Rangers v FC Village BIRKENHEAD SUNDAY –Houlihans Memorial Challenge Cup semi-finals: Bidston Hotel 0 Neston Nomads 2; Houlihans Variety Club 0 Dock 2. Premier Division:FC Prenton 2 Queens Park 1; Stirrup S & SC 3 Royal Sun Alliance 2; Warwick 1 Shaftesbury Youth A 2. Division One: Heygarth FC 1 Hoylake Athletic 2; Penny Lane 7 Rangers Breaks 2. Division Two: Sandbrook 1 Young Lions 1; St Josephs 1 Windmill-Bar Cuba 3; Ultra Seal 2 Noble Arks 0. Wirral District FA Sunday Amateur Cup:Heswall Windows 1 Grange FC 3. Michael-Groundwork Cup semi-finals: Irby FC 3 Argyll FC 1; FC Vaults 2 Hallmark 1. The Joey Griffiths memorial Trophy semi-finals: AFC Mississippi 2 Tranmere Park 1; Bromborough Hotel 0 Car Spa 2. League Games: Devonshire Park 1 Claughton Village Hotel 4; Irby Youth 1 AFC Kings 5; Shilling Bar 2 Wirral Nomads 3. Youth Division: Ashville Youth 0 Vauxhall Colts 1; Ashville Colts 0 Stork Youth 1; Heswall Youth 3 Newton Athletic Colts 3; Shaftesury Youth 0 Neston Nomads 2; Vauxhall Motors Youth 3 New Brighton Youth 3; Glenavon Youth 3 Ellesmere Port Youth 7.