Acting coach Dave Catherall saw his Appleton Stars side crash out of the North Berks League's WarMemorial Cup 27-0 and admitted: “I was not surprised."

Stars were crushed in round one by Division 2 leaders Wantage A.

“On the way to the game, I predicted a 25-0 scoreline,” said Catherall.

“We can lose to fellow Division 5 sides 10-0, so this result against one of the best teams in the league did not surprise me at all, although I didn’t think we had conceded so many.

“In hindsight, I don’t know why we bothered to enter this competition. We were always going to get thrashed.”

Catherall was in charge in the absence of the club’s coach, Briony MacKellar.

He said: “I started as a substitute and went on in the first half when one of our players went off with a knee injury.”

Catherall, who said his 20-year-old son, Michael, played a blinder in goal, got booked, but Appleton still had 11 players on the field at the end.

The club have 13 players available every game, although being bottom has prevented them attracting promising youngsters.

“As it was a cup tie, we weren’t down-hearted,” said Catherall. “We knew we didn’t have a chance of winning”

Wantage’s Liam McCullough bagged nine goals in the win, which the league are checking to see if it is a record.

Chris Whitworth scored four times, Jarrad Jones and Tobias Daley netted hat-tricks, Luca Rennie and Bill MacDonald each bagged a brace.

Jamie Wilkins, Sam Barder, Scott Groves and Ben Eltham sealed the rout.

Division 3 side Blewbury pulled off a shock 5-2 win at Division 2 outfit Sutton Courtenay, with goals from Will Vaukins (2), with Rob Pritchard, Levi Webb and Will Reddy also on target. Josh Gilsenan and Dan Kovman replied.

Division 5 outfit Uffington United won 3-2 at Division 4 Hagbourne United, Ross Garcia, Jamie Glock and Louis Butler the visitors’ scorers.

Nick Guiry and Stuart Goodenough hit back for the home side.

Marcham, from Division 3, edged out Division 4 leaders Turnpike Sports 3-2.

Kirk Willmoth and Steve James netted for Turnpike, but goals from Jonny Lloyd, Dave Yallop and Jonny Eldridge won it for Marcham.

Steventon, from Division 2, pipped Division 4 outfit Kennington Athletic 2-1 with goals from Kevin Scott and Tom Davies strikes. Andy Dyer replied.

East Hendred cruised to a 6-2 victory at Division 4 Grove Rangers.

Joe Ledbury and Matt Cramp scored for the lower league side, but Gareth Cooper (2) and Ricardo Riccio (2), Jason Moss and Ben Hummel efforts won it.

Wayne Gregory, Josh Bourne, Dave Griffin and Jason Pook gave Stanford in the Vale a 4-2 home win again Milton United Res for whom Karl Burton and Sam Fieldings registered.

Meanwhile, in league action, Ardington & Lockinge returned to the summit of Division 1 with a goalless draw at home to Kintbury Rangers.

The result sees both sides remain unbeaten in the league and they will be delighted by rivals Saxton Rovers missing the opportunity to close the gap after losing 2-1 at home to Long Wittenham Athletic.

Frankie Haines netted for the hosts, but Dejan Jones and Steve Molloy won it for the visitors.

Both Mike van der Mortel and Jamie Hopgood netted hat-tricks as Faringdon Town thrashed Lambourn Sports 10-0 at home.

Liam Humphreys scored twice, with Tom Denmead and Rich Evans also on target.

Wallingford Town recorded their second successive 2-1 victory, this time at home to Crowmarsh Gifford, thanks to goals from Ashley Searle and Simon Vaisey. Tim Holtom replied for the visitors.

Abingdon United Res returned to the top of the Division 2 table as they handed Radley a 6-1 hammering at home.

Kieran Cochrane helped himself to a double, with Tom O’Connor, Paul Druce, Adam Greenaway and Steve Pitson completing the rout, with Luke Ambler on target for Radley.

Drayton drew 3-3 at Coleshill United, with goals from Ryan Seamark, Kevin Kogel and Luke Black.

Shane Blake (2) and Lee Andrews hit back for the hosts.

Clanfield 85 Res slumped to a 4-1 defeat at new Division 3 leaders Kintbury Rangers Res.

Alistair Shambrook and Scot Bowers both scored twice, with Jonathan Smith netting for the visitors.

Goals from James Bishop, Matt Woodside and Richard Hughes earned Hanney United a 3-0 victory at home to Dorchester Res.

Long Wittenham Athletic Res ran out 4-2 winners against visitors Ardington & Lockinge Res in Division 4.

Richard Taylor, with a pair, Callum Bowler and Wayne Railton were on target with Matt Hill and Jason O’Hanlon netting for the visitors.

Crowmarsh Gifford Res closed the gap on Division 5 leaders Uffington United with a 3-1 home victory over Didcot Eagles.

Ben Higgins, Darryl Franklin and Nick Smith were all on the scoresheet with Darryl Harper replying for the Eagles.

Doubles for Alan Donnelly and Mike Smith as well as a Kevin Smith strike saw Steventon Res close the gap on Uffington with a 5-2 win at Grove Rangers Res who scored through Liam Brooks and Danny Ferguson.

Charlie Lee and Martin Dawson netted doubles for Wallingford Town Res in a 7-3 win at Challow.

Mike Bone, Sam Hurst and Aaron Fell sealed it, with Jake Eyley (2) and Eammon McGowran hitting back.

Elsewhere, in the first round of the Nairne Paul Trophy, Division 2 Faringdon Town Res won 2-0 at Division 4 Berinsfield Res, with goals from Stuart Sears and Liam Ridley.