DANNY Melling snatched a lastgasp equaliser to earn Leigh Athletic a 1-1 draw at Premier Division high-flyers East Manchester.

A point was no more than the Latics deserved after a spirited second-half performance.

The Manchester men were good value for their half-time lead but it was a different story after the break as the visitors looked the more dangerous.

For all their efforts, though, Leigh looked like missing out until Melling latched on to a loose ball in the box to rescue a point.

Atherton Town went down 5-1 at Royton Town but the scoreline did not do justice to their performance.

They trailed 1-0 at half time and were still in the game until Royton scored their second goal on the hour. The home side took advantage of some poor marking to make it 4-0 before Mark Parry pulled one back for the Howe Bridge men.

That was to prove only a consolation, though, with Royton netting a fifth late on for a flattering scoreline.

Breightmet United remain joint bottom of Division One after a 3-0 defeat at home to mid-table Chapel Town.

It might have been a different outcome if the home keeper had not kept out Jordan McCormack’s firsthalf header with a sensational save.

Chapel Town broke the deadlock on the hour but Breightmet were still in with a shout until 15 minutes from time when they gambled, throwing on an extra striker, only to be caught twice more on the counter-attack.

Beechfield United maintained their challenge for runners-up spot with a 4-1 win at Salford Victoria and struggling Pennington went down 4- 0 at Monton Amateurs.

Mitch Thompson and Josh Smith got the goals as Worsley-based Fives Athletics Reserves came from behind to beat Failsworth Dynamos 2-1 at Harriet Street to book their place in the Manchester Amateur Cup final at Manchester City’s Eastlands ground on April 1.