Back row: Left to right: Jimmy Robinson (secretary), Vic Holliday, Allan Walsh (chairman), Tom Allen, Billy Pattinson, Brian Young, Keith Davis, Bob Burrows, John Fleming, Eddie Perkins (treasurer).
Front row: John Walsh, Cliff Burrows, Brian Perkins, Mike Skillen, Eddie Mulholland.
Deer Orchard will be celebrating their diamond jubilee later this year, possibly one of the longest-lasting Sunday League sides in the country.
Originally starting life in the 1962/63 season as a junior under-18s side in the Derwent Valley League, they soon joined the Workington and District Sunday League to accommodate the players too old for junior football.
They have been there since and would have been fitting winners of the current Sunday league’s Premier Division – but have suffered a damaging decline over the last two weeks.
On Sunday they lost 2-1 at Blue Bell which had followed a pivotal 5-0 midweek loss to main rivals Northside who appear to be in pole position to claim the title again.
David Knowles and Connor Kilgour scored the goals for Blue Bell which virtually put an end to Orchard’s fading title hopes.
The Wakefield Road side will try and revive their fortunes on Wednesday night when they entertain Salterbeck in the Divisional Cup semi-final.
The Divisional Cup semi-final for Division One teams between Sun Inn Athletic and Flimby Social Club had to go to penalties after a very exciting contest.
It finished 2-2 after 90, had moved on to 3-3 after extra time and when it came to the penalty shoot-out Athletic won 5-3.
Mark Campbell (2) and Daniel Stockdale scored the Sun Inn Athletic goals in the tie while Max Litt (2) and Brandon Birks replied for Flimby.
The second semi-final between Maryport Athletic and JJ’s will now be played this Sunday.
The Division One Divisional Cup final had been slotted ion for Friday, April 29 at Borough Park but with Workington Reds possibly being involved in an NPL West play-off final the following day, that may now be moved to Wednesday, May 4.
There was another Premier Division game on Sunday at Pottery Park where hosts Dearham came out on top 4-3 against Sun Inn.
Jack Brown, Josh Palmer, Dylan Elsworth and Calum Casson scored for Dearham with Mally Graham (2) and Shaun Smith responding for the Sun.
There are four games planned for tomorrow night, as follows:
Premier Division – Sun Inn v Dearham. Premier Division Divisional Cup semi-final – Deer Orchard v Salterbeck.
Division One – Highfield v Maryport Athletic; Junction v JJ’s.
