AFTER five rounds, the nine-division Bolton Sports Fed tennis league has taken good shape, as teams fight for dominance and position.

Both top men's teams had comfortable wins and cruised through the fifth week in style.

Holcombe Brook SC A fielded a weak third couple who lost all three, but their bacon was saved by the other two couples who won all three for a 6-3 win over Ellesmere A. They stay as Division One top dogs, but contenders, South College A, faced a sterner challenge when they visited Markland Hill A.

Markland Hill fought hard but South College A turned out a strong squad who were not in a mood to compromise. Markland's best performance came from their Bentley & Bromley couple who made a real fight of it by drawing, but their team-mates could add only a drawn game to give South College A a straightforward 7-2 victory.

There were fireworks a-plenty in Division Two, with both top teams, Lostock and Leigh CC, starting undefeated. Leaders, Lostock A, fought a keenly contested battle against an in-form Next Generation (Chorley) A and, such was the tension, that competition was replaced by acrimony. On the match card, Lostock A took the match 5-2 but as a set remained unplayed, heat replaced light between the teams.

The BSF committee will rule on the validity of this result and investigate issues related to this in the next two weeks.

In second place, Leigh CC A missed a golden opportunity to put themselves on top of Division Two when they visited Longsight Meths A. They were shot down in flames when they lost to a surprising score of 6-3.

Top Meth's couple, Hassall & Williamson, led their team from the front and won all three, their other two couples also contributing to register a fine win, and Leigh's first defeat of the season. Last week, Walkers A led Claremont by one point in Division Three, but this week the arrangement was completely reversed when the pair met in Salford. The well-balanced Claremont outfit were in top form and, in spite of the best efforts of Walkers' top couple, Greenhalgh & Kirkbright being unbeaten, the night turned into a 3-5 defeat.

Division Four's top two teams had easy wins, and David Lloyd (Bolton) A stay in front of Eagley B, being the only unbeaten team in this division.

After just missing out on promotion last year, South College C put another brick in the wall of securing the title this season with a good win over third placed Walmer B. In a match containing two draws, Walmer fought valiantly, but the exceptional strength of the College C team, which includes Fran Walsh and Dave Whittle, proved too much and they lost 2-7.

Division Six is the most keenly contested in the men's league so far this year, with two points separating three teams.

Harwood CC A took top place for a change by putting one across Eagley A, which pushed them down to third place. Second placed Guildhall played a derby match against Astley & Tyldesley and won to move second to Harwood CC.

David Lloyd (Bolton) B are the class act of Division Seven and are in another week, another win' mode at present. They were given a good match by Meadow Hill whose couples all scored, but captain Tony Taylor later sportingly conceded that David Lloyd (Bolton) are too good for this division. Flying and in fine form, Walmer C lead Division Eight with a kingly five-point advantage over Chorley B. They took on Eagley B who must have wondered whether it was worth it when they saw the wealth of talent fielded by the other side. Nevertheless, they gave it their best shot and declared the 2-7 defeat a sporting result in the best tradition of local tennis.

Two unbeaten teams are running away with Division Nine and are so evenly matched that only games difference separates them. Hawkshaw D lead Harwood CC B after both had good wins, but the next match should be a good one when the pair meet.

The Howarth Cup Junior Knockout competition has reached the semi-final stage and four new teams, who have never reached this stage before, ensure a new name will appear on this popular trophy. The two semi-finals involve teams pitted against each other with wide separation in the league, and high handicaps so keen competition for the final spot is guaranteed.

Lostock B are at home to Barrow Bridge, who receive 49 games start, while Bradshaw are sure to have a team in the final as the B team host their A team and receive a massive 52 games advantage.

With six rounds completed and one past the half-way stage, the Junior League is going great guns.

Tyldesley A emphasised their supremacy at the top of Division One with an easy 10-2 defeat of a reasonable Markland Hill side, with captain Andrew Rodgers and partner, Anita Warhurst, winning all six of their sets.

The only team with a chance of catching the Tyldesley squad is Lostock A who this week sharpened their claws to give Leigh CC A a 12-0 mauling.

Junior Divisions Two and Three are led by teams already looking too good for the others.

Holcombe Brook SC A had an easy victory over Tyldesley B and remain undefeated in Division Two, and Hawkshaw B made Division Three their own by beating second placed Lostock C 10-2, and they now lead by a monumental six points.

Barrow Bridge are quietly becoming a force in junior tennis and remain atop Division Four after moving up from the lower division last season, without losing any matches. This is a well-rounded outfit in which all play their part, and girl captain, Jennifer McArthur, competently led her squad to an 11-1 win over Eagley A.

Divisions Five and Six are close with Hawkshaw D and Holcombe Brook SC C just holding off chasing teams.

Hawkshaw are under a lot of pressure from a quality David Lloyd (Manchester) B side and only two points separate them. Holcombe Brook SC C pulled away from a chasing Bradshaw B, who were sidelined this week with an open fixture.

The tables will be turned later in the season when the Holcombe Brook team will miss a fixture week, but Bradshaw Juniors will have to play out of their skins to overcome the enormous advantage which Holcombe have with a 36-set difference record.