Hesketh Bank - Centenary Sports Ground

Hesketh Bank FC

Centenary Sports Ground

Station Road

Hesketh Bank

Preston

Lancashire

PR4 6SR

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Ground Number: 1464

Sunday 24th August 2025

Hesketh Bank 6-2 Turton
West Lancs D1

HESKETH BANK FC - A BRIEF HISTORY

Although there is a history of football in the village running back to the previous century, Hesketh Bank were established in 1922. For much of their history, they played in local leagues such as the Southport & District. They joined the West Lancashire League Division 2 in 1987, finishing 4th in 1996 and 1997. The league was renamed Division 1 in 1998, and Hesketh Bank were champions in 2004. They spent two seasons in the Premier Division before being relegated back. Hesketh Bank were Division 1 champions again in 2014, and this time, a longer 5-year spell, including two 7th place finishes, was spent in the Premier Division. They were relegated in 2019 have come close to a return, finishing in 3rd place in their last four seasons.

Hesketh Bank is a village in West Lancashire. It is situated approximately 7 miles north-east of Southport and 7 miles south-west of Preston. It has a population of around 4,000. Hesketh was first recorded in 1288 as Heschath. The name is derived either from Old Norse hest shei, meaning "race course", or from a plural of the Welsh hesg, meaning "sedges". The village of Hesketh is known to have existed in the 13th century. Hesketh Bank had a substantial brick-making industry using the local boulder clay, bricks being transported by the West Lancashire Railway, which opened in 1878. Due to its geographical location, close to the cities of Preston and Liverpool, the village suffered during the Second World War. Stray bombs hit the old church in 1943 and landed along Becconsall Lane, causing extensive damage to the housing there. Due to the village's position on the West Lancashire Coastal Plain, it has a rich soil, suitable for the farming of flowers and vegetables – this is still the main economic activity in the area.

MY VISIT

From our game at Croston, it was a 15-minute drive to Hesketh Bank. I initially parked in the community centre next door, but heard that they might be locking it up. Not wanting a repeat of when I went to Wingate & Finchley a few years back, I moved it to the other side of the gate. Common sense would be to give people a chance to get their cars out, but that's in short supply sometimes. I went back in and had a brilliant, authentic chicken curry, cooked by the local Indian restaurant. I also got some black pudding and mustard crisps. It was all a bit rushed pre-kickoff due to the previous game running over.

Hesketh Bank sat 3rd in the table, having won four and lost one of their games so far. Although they lost their latest game 4-1 at Ulverston Rangers,  they had won their first four games of the season. Turton had travelled 29 miles to today's game, they were based just west of Ramsbottom. They sat 9th, having won two and last four of their games. In their last game, they beat Lytham Town 3-0. Hesketh Bank took the lead after five minutes through a header and dominated early on. Hesketh scored a second with a low shot on 20 minutes. On 25 minutes, it was 3-0 in off the bar. Just before halftime, a great free kick made it 4-0 in a half of dominance. Turton were far better in the second half and they reduced the arrears on 54 minutes with a great lob over the keeper. On 57 minutes, it was 5-1 with a close-range shot. Four minutes from time, a low shot into the bottom right made it 6-1 to Hesketh Bank. The goals had not dried up yet as Turton made it 6-2 with a lob.

 

THE GROUND

THE CENTENARY GROUND is a decent setup, a fully railed pitch with some hard standing and a small area of cover. The food facilities were temporary but excellent when I went with a proper curry and a tuck shop. There was no bar. There was plenty of parking at the ground.