GAZ Whiteside had a debut to remember when he scored seven goals in a stunning 9-2 victory for Horwich Vics.

The striker, a prolific scorer in Bolton amateur football for years, formed an electric partnership with his former Eagley team-mate Sam Parkinson, who got the other two against a shell-shocked Old Blackburnians.

They grabbed two apiece in the first half before the visitors pulled one back before half time.

After the break it was the Gaz Whiteside show as his pace and movement caused devastation in the Old Blacks defence and he scored five one-on-ones.

“If we can keep hold of Sam and Gaz I’m not saying we’ll win the league but we will score a lot of goals,” said Vics manager Danny Holmes, whose side moved up to seventh in the Premier League.

“They compliment each other brilliantly. Sam’s really fast and strong and Gaz is more a last-man striker and his movement is quality.”

Old Boltonians manager Julian Stevens called for an instant reaction after his side went down to their first defeat of the season at home to Failsworth.

The visitors got their tactics right in the 1-0 win, the decisive goal coming from the spot after 10 minutes when Craig Jolley brought down his man in the box.

Stevens’ side are nine points clear of second-placed Castle Hill and 13 ahead of third placed Prestwich, who have five games in hand.

“I can’t complain,” he said. “Failsworth came off a good win against Castle Hill the week before and worked really hard for it.

“My boys have been fantastic this season and now we have to put it right against Little Lever and Bury in the next two games.”

Howe Bridge Mills won 3-2 at home to Rochdale St Clements after 16-year-old Liam Fitzmorris turned the game in their favour.

With assistant manager Scott Fletcher a makeshift goalkeeper, Mills were 2-0 down after 20 minutes. Dominic Shinks halved the deficit five minutes before half time but the game swung on Fitzmorris’s change of position from left-back to left wing with 30 minutes remaining.

Ten minutes later he won a 50-50 challenge with a centre half twice his size, beat another defender and smashed a shot into the top corner from the edge of the box.

Glenn Heapey put the seal on a thrilling fightback with an injury-time winner as Mills climbed a place to ninth.

It was a day to forget for Little Lever as their patched up side crashed out of the LFA Cup 6-1 at Tottington United.

“We had Mike Fay sent off after 20 minutes for raised hands at 1-0 down and it went downhill from there,” said manager Lee Buckley.

Two goals from Ian Teasdale and one from Stuart Parkinson earned Farnworth Town a 3-2 home victory over Ashtonians and cemented their fifth place in Division Two.