HINDSFORD manager Barry Massey is looking to complete the set of trophies after steering his side through to the third round of the Lancashire FA Amateur Shield with a 4-0 victory over Eagley.

The Shield is the only competition open to the club that it has not yet won.

And after a glittering run of success that has seen Hindsford crowned Premier Division champions for the past three seasons, it is the one Massey most covets.

“I don’t think any team from the Manchester League has ever won it so it would be great to be the first,” he said.

“It would be nice to make the chairman (Paul Devlin) cry again. He got quite emotional when we won the league for the first time and I think winning the Shield would tip him over the edge again.”

Jack Valentine earned the goalscoring plaudits, adding a brace to take his tally to six in three matches since returning from injury.

The striker broke the deadlock through a one-on-one just before half-time and the floodgates opened after the break when Liam Morrison doubled Hindsford’s advantage following a solo run and shot from the egde of the box.

Valentine added a second from a corner 10 minutes later and former captain Mark Chilton – returning for his first game following a long spell out through injury – rounded off the scoring with a toe poke after a goalmouth scramble.

“It was quite even before the break, Eagley were well in the game and Jack missed about five one-on-ones before he finally scored,” added Massey.

“They were quite a young team and tired in the second half as we picked them off.

“Jack obviously was back amongst the goals, but he still needs work on his overall game. We want to be a footballing side, and I think he can add more to his build-up play, but you can’t argue with his goals.”

Eagley will now return to league action next week in the West Lancs League Premier Division, with manager Simon Whaley acknowledging he needs to add to his squad.

“We were let down by a few injuries and some players being away, so we had quite a few young lads out there and I want to bring a few players in,” he said.

“I think we could have gone in at half time two goals up, but they then scored a scrappy goal.

“The lads lost confidence and Hindsford scored three more – I did not think it was a 4-0 game.”

Hindsford have a third round tie to look forward to at Coppull United, also of the West Lancs Premier.

Atherton Town and Pennington will have to wait another year to try to break the Manchester League’s duck in the competition after bowing out in the second round on Saturday.

Ryan Corbett put Atherton 2-0 up at fellow Manchester Premier side Manchester Gregorians, but they were unable to hold on to their lead on the 3G pitch, eventually going down 4-2 and finishing the tie with 10 men after Dane Grimes was sent off for ungentlemanly conduct.

Division One side Pennington lost 2-0 at home to Poulton United, of the second tier of the West Lancs League.

Danny Eaton equalised for Leigh Athletic as they stretched their unbeaten league run to three matches with a 1-1 draw at Heywood St James, which moved them up to eighth in the Division One table.