ATHERTON Town completed a seven day double over rivals Pennington following a 4-0 home win with a 2-0 away victory at the weekend.

With an unbeaten run now stretching back thirteen games Town have moved into second place in the Premier Division table and have never been better placed to clinch the Manchester League's top title.

Three points separate the Howe Bridge outfit from current leaders Wythenshawe Amateurs with one game in hand. This latest result however leaves Pennington stuck next to bottom in the listing with relegation clouds gathering.

Phil Hornby scored Town's first and his 17th of the season following good work by Daniel Christie, who also setup fellow former Pennington man Neil Lewis to volley into the top corner for the second.

Those two goals came in the opening 20 minutes with Town prevented from adding more by sterling work in the home goal by Peter Doohan. Scott Hodson in an unaccustomed midfield role won the Leighton Packaging man of the match award.

Town's Reserves beat Dukinfield Town 1-0 at home courtesy of a Chris Garvey goal to stay top of Division Two, whilst Pennington's 2nd team won 5-1 at Stand.

Missed chances cost Elton Fold all three points in a 2-2 draw at Willows. Guy Mallinson's side produced quality football but not the finish and 1-0 at the break become even worse within thirty seconds of the restart as the home side scored again. Steve Smith got Fold's first with a free header from Owen Coyle's overhead kick with the latter accredited with the equaliser as his chip caught out the home keeper who was hampered by an injury.

Leigh Athletic still set the pace in Division One following a 2-1 win at Milton. The home side dominated the opening twenty minutes but Latics' defence was superbly marshalled by Darren Barclay and Brian Edwards. Johnny Knowles made the most of his opportunity to show what he can do in the 1st team with a run from the halfway line and quality finish on 35 minutes. Craig Little bagged the second with a first time strike following a long kick from the keeper. Edwards was named man of the match. Breightmet United stay second in the table following a 13-0 away humbling of bottom club Old Alts. Four goals came in the first 15 minutes, Phil Hinks twice, Paul Fletcher and Damien Harper and by half time it was 9-0, two more for Hinks, Paul Smith, John Crossland and Paul Gallagher. Two in the second half got Fletcher the man of the match vote with Crossland and Jimmy Beavers completing the scoring. Hindsford's home clash with form team Belden erupted six minutes from time and was abandoned by the referee. An altercation between two players saw both being booked but the sitution got out of control as a Belden player headbutted a Hindsford opponent. The match official took the decision that further play was impossible. The result will stand leaving Hindsford still in title contention, goals coming from Dan Toone, following good work by Stuart Lomax, and a 75th minute absolute beauty from Craig Briggs who measured his shot from fully 45 yards having spotted the keeper off his line. Left back Tony Brown was named as man of the match. Elton Fold Reserves went down 3-1 at home to New Mills, Dave Aspinall scoring, whilst Leigh Athletic won 6-1 at home to Monton Amateurs and Breightmet United 2nd team gave away two sloppy goals to lose 2-1 at home to Wythenshawe Amateurs having led 1-0 at the break through Gary Curnock. Stand Athletic won 1-0 at Failsworth Town, Steve Stott scoring and Karl Brown voted man of the match.