THE top three teams in the Premier Division last season sent out a message of intent on the opening day of the new campaign.

The big trio of Ramsbottom A, Flixton and St Catherine’s A all began with resounding 9-0 victories.

Michael Moir, Mark Ramsbottom and Richard Lightowler were the unbeaten players for champions Ramsbottom against Little Lever A, as were Flixton’s Phil Biggs, John Hilton and Phil Bowen against Ramsbottom C, while Charles Musa, Bill Russell and Pawel Orzechowski all trebled for St Catherine’s against promoted Ramsbottom D.

Radcliffe CC edged it 5-4 at Hilton A thanks to three wins by Mick Dore, while Burning Desire beat the other promoted team, Ladybridge A, 5-4 with Ian Quinn the night’s star and Ben Armstrong scoring Desire’s other two, Ladybridge new boy Steve Barber also winning two.

It was a week of nailbiting matches in Division One with five of the six played finishing 5-4. Three wins by Bob Bent and two by Jim Hewitt gave Coburg their victory over Wingates, and Keith Dale won three against Meadow Bank.

John Hutchinson was unbeaten as Little Lever B scraped home at Nomads A, and two wins by John Scowcroft and Duncan Kay led Heaton B to victory over Hilton B.

Ken Connor trebled for promoted Hilton C against Heaton A.

In Division Two, Heaton C won 6-3 at BEN A with three wins by Paul McCormick and two by Mel Brooks. Steve Hathaway was unbeaten for Ladybridge B in a 7- 2 win at Hilton D in which Alex Waring and John Cole added two wins each.

Mick Dunn trebled and Eric Shaw and Dave Bevitt each won two in Heaton D’s 7-2 win at Hilton E, and Farnworth TTC A went one better, beating Hilton F 8-1 including trebles for Craig Johnson and Graham Clayborough and two wins for by Kirit Chauhan.

The St Paul’s Peel A trio, Geoff Rushton, Gillian Marsden and Mick Murray opened their Division Three campaign in style with a maximum points haul against promoted Boyzone. Malcom Wilcock and Tony Mason both trebled for Hilton I in their 7-2 win against Ladybridge C 7-2. BEN B’s 7- 2 win at Walkden Meths included three wins by Alan Hibbert and James Bollard, and Farnworth TTC C won 7-2 at Irlam Steel with three wins by Josh Sandford.

John Rothwell was unbeaten for Farnworth SC in a 6-3 win at Meadow Hill, and three wins by Brian Hall and two by Brian Young gave Hilton H a 5-4 victory over their J team, Rovimil Dato winning two for the losers.

In Division Four, from which Harper Green A have withdrawn, new team Lostock got off to an impressive start with a 6-3 win at Hilton K which featured trebles by John Nuttall and Adam Francis.

Trebles by Katherine Oldfield and Dannie Taylor and two win by Diane Moss led Farnworth TTC D to an 8-1 win at Bolton L&GC A, and Heaton E’s Colin Roberts, Phil Beales and Dave Jones scored maximum points against new team Harper Green B.

Results Premier Division: Ramsbottom A 9 Little Lever A 0, Flixton CC 9 Ramsbottom C 0, St Cath’s A 9 Ramsbottom D 0, Ladybridge A 4 Burning Desire 5, Hilton A 4 Radcliffe CC 5.

Division One: Nomads B 6 Standish 3, Coburg 5 Wingates 4, Nomads C 5 Meadow Bank 4, Nomads A 4 Little Lever B 5, Heaton B 5 Hilton B 4, Heaton A 4 Hilton C 5.

Division Two: Farnworth TTC A 8 Hilton F 1, Meadow BEN A 3 Heaton C 6, Hilton D 2 Ladybridge B 7, Hilton E 2 Heaton D 7.

Division Three: Hilton J 4 Hilton H 5, St Paul’s Peel A 9 Boyzone 0, Hilton I 7 Ladybridge C 2, Walkden Meths 2 Meadow BEN B 7, Irlam Steel 2 Farnworth TTC C 7, Meadow Hill 3 Farnworth SC 6.

Division Four: Harper Green B 0 Heaton E 9, Bolton L&GC A 1 Farnworth TTC D 8, Hilton K 3 Lostock 6.