Fylde coast amateur football: Alliance cup final fever at Highbury; Blackpool Wren Rovers' agony hands West Lancs title to Garstang

Blackhurst Budd, E&P Publications and Westview ended the Blackpool and Fylde Sunday Alliance season in glorious style with victory in the Berry's Beds divisional cup finals at Fleetwood Town's Highbury Stadium.
Additions' Simon Beevers takes on the Blackhurst Budd defence  Picture: ROB LOCKAdditions' Simon Beevers takes on the Blackhurst Budd defence  Picture: ROB LOCK
Additions' Simon Beevers takes on the Blackhurst Budd defence Picture: ROB LOCK

Blackhurst Budd, E&P Publications and Westview ended the Blackpool and Fylde Sunday Alliance season in glorious style with victory in the Berry’s Beds divisional cup finals at Fleetwood Town’s Highbury Stadium.Just days after lifting the Lancashire FA Sunday Trophy in Leyland, Budd made it a cup double by winning the premier division cup 2-1 against league champions Additions. Additions couldn’t build on their 100 per cent league campaign as the teams cancelled each other out. Ash Robinson and Brett Dawson both had goals disallowed for offside before Tarren Moxon’s effort on 17 minutes was well saved by Additions keeper Kyle Thomas.Ric Seear then broke for Budd and dinked the ball over Thomas but his effort was cleared. At the other end, Budd keeper Mark Smith saved with his feet when Robinson fired through and Seear shot wide for Budd as the first half ended goalless. Budd continued to create chances as Seear headed over from a cross by Dawson, who then controlled a long pass well only to shoot wide. Man of the match Michael Clark’s free-kick was tipped over by Thomas on 65 minutes, but Budd soon broke the deadlock when Seear was upended in the box and converted the penalty himself. Liam Forrest drove Additions forward but Budd doubled their lead with seven minutes remaining, when Seear sent Clark away to fire under Thomas. Smith saved well from Marc Seymour, and although the Fleetwood side pulled one back with Forrest’s stunning into the top corner it was too late to deny Budd the victory.E&P Publications sealed a league and cup double in the division one final, beating Station Lytham 4-0. Station, who finished third, made the brighter start but couldn’t capitalise on Rick Horrocks’ dangerous free-kick. E&P went in front after 10 minutes, when Luke Gunniss headed home a corner. James Hall headed narrowly wide for Station, who fell further behind when a free-kick by Ahern Playforth seemed to wrong-foot Aiden Ward-Smith.Danny Jones fired into the side-netting from Richard Wilson’s cross as the half ended at 2-0. Station came out strong for the second half but found keeper Danny Hogg in fine form, saving well from Ben McKay as AJ Greenwood fired over. Ellis Tortelly slotted home a penalty for the third, then Sam Dyer added the late fourth. The scoreline was harsh on Station, for whom Dominic Griffiths curled a shot just wide. Defender Chris Gardner was named man of the match.The game of the day was the division two final, in which Westview beat Clifton Rangers 3-1.Adam Eldridge went close in the first minute and Westview were ahead after five, when Steve Rankine chased what seemed like a lost cause and flicked the ball over the keeper into the net. And when Billy Dollin broke and calmly sorted home 10 minutes later to double the lead, champions Clifton were rocking.Their captain Steve McEwan did his utmost to inspire Clifton and Rob Hanslip was repeatedly thwarted by a flag, a post of Westview keeper Dan Fisher. In the second half, Westview looked like closing out the game until McEwan found Connor Whiteside unmarked in the box and he gave Clifton hope by smashing home with 10 minutes remaining.But Westview went back on the attack and man of the match Dollin scored his second from a goalmouth scramble. He had two more chances to complete his hat-trick, one of which struck a post, but victory was Westview’s.

Blackpool Wren Rovers’ agonising 5-4 defeat at Longridge Town on Saturday handed the West Lancashire League title to Garstang, even though they had no game.It was a repeat of last year’s ‘winner takes all’ game between Wrens and Longridge, though this time only one of them had the chance to become premier division champions.Wrens needed victory in their final match to return to the top and put the pressure on Garstang to win their last game at Tempest United last night.However, Blackpool’s defeat made that game academic – it ended in a 1-1 draw, leaving Garstang two points clear at the top.Wrens made a nightmare start at Longridge, where they were 3-0 down after 20 minutes and soon conceded a fourth. Alex Murphy’s deflected strike opened the scoring in the 10th minute, then he crossed for Mitch Newsham to double the lead.Danny Wilkinson fired home the third from 20 yards, then James Sloane volleyed number four after Murphy’s shot had been tipped against the bar by Wren keeper Alex Cameron.Carl Eastwood’s headed goal gave Wrens a sniff at half-time and Joe Booth made it 4-2 despite some excellent saves by Town keeper Lee Dovey. Danny Thompson came off the bench after 18 months out injured to restore Longridge’s three -goal lead.And that goal proved vital as Eastwood (above) scored his second from the penalty spot and completed his hat-trick three minutes from time, heading home Booth’s cross. Wrens’ defeat meant Garstang remained out in front by a point despite not playing on Saturday. They completed their season at Tempest, where Kieran O’Connor gave Garstang the lead on the stroke of half-time. Peter Lancaster equalised for the fifth-placed club early in the second half.Poulton sealed the first division title with Wednesday’s 4-1 win at Kendal County.After a goalless first half, Josh Few and Adam Sharrocks put Poulton in control with two quickfire efforts after the interval.Connor Walmsley pulled one back for Kendal but two late goals from Max Landless sealed the title.Hurst Green and CMB pulled level with Poulton by winning their final games on Saturday, though Poulton have two matches still to play and a vastly better goal difference.CMB’s hopes were hit when they were held 2-2 at home last Tuesday by Lytham Town, who finish ninth.