LEIGH Athletic carried their league form into the Murray Trophy on Saturday with another mean performance to beat local rivals Pennington 2-0 at Leigh Sports Village.

The Latics went into the first-round tie on a five-match winning streak that has taken them to third in the Division One table, without conceding a goal. And they maintained their confidence-boosting record to progress to the second round.

But it took them until midway through the second half to make the breakthrough, Tom Scott supplying the cross from the right for left wing-back Elliott Patrick, running in from the opposite flank, to side-foot the ball home.

Ten minutes later, Danny Eaton outmuscled former Latics player Kieran Halliwell and cut the ball back for James Dooley to convert the second.

“We’ve hit some form,” said Latics skipper Karl Shepherd, “and we’re looking to carry that into every game now.

“Once you get on a run like this, the team spirit improves and you start to play with a lot more confidence.

“We’ve played better than we did on Saturday, when we missed a few chances, but we ground out a result and that’s six on the trot without conceding, which is not bad at all.”

Pennington could count themselves unlucky, though. Having been second best in the first 45 minutes, they improved after the break and things might have turned out differently they had enjoyed the rub of the green when Michael Ackers hit the post with a shot when they trailed 1-0.

Hindsford beat Premier Division rivals Elton Vale 4-3 in the first round of the Gilgryst Cup at Squires Lane, but survived a late scare after looking comfortable for much of the tie.

Riccardo Williamson put Vale in front, but goals from Danny Doherty and Chris Hopwood put Hindsford in control and although Gareth Gardner levelled it up for the visitors Luke Sylvester nudged the home side back in front before half time.

Hopwood netted his second to give the Tonics a two-goal lead but Vale snatched a third five minutes from time to threaten to take the tie into extra time.

“We were looking very comfortable but when they got it back to 4-3 I was starting to wonder what was going to happen next,” said Hindsford manager Barry Massey.

“But we’re through to the next round and with players coming back from suspension (Hindsford have been without the Valentine brothers Tom and Jack, who have both missed the last three games) for a run of seven tough games, starting at Prestwich Heys on Saturday, that will probably tell us how we are going to do this season.

”We’ve got games against a lot of the teams around us, but at least I’m going to be in a position to put out my strongest squad. My biggest problem is deciding who to leave out.”

Atherton Town ‘s Gylgryst Cup hopes were ended by a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Premier Division rivals Dukinfield Town, but they could count themselves unlucky on a day when events conspired against them.

Manager Shaun Lynch lost his goalkeeper – 18-year-old Elliott Winstanley, who was ill in the warm-up – and had to draft in reserve team skipper Ron White, a central defender, as emergency keeper.

Then in a nightmare spell of 10 minutes in the first half, they gifted the visitors three goals – largely the result of defensive errors.

But they created chances throughout the game and were rewarded in the second half when goals from Shane Heaton and Hemsley Mills turned the tie on its head.

An equaliser looked on the cards when Heaton went through and rounded the keeper, only to see his shot cleared by a retreating defender.

Seconds later Dukinfield broke to score a fourth on the counter attack and book their place in the second round.

“It sounds strange when you look at the result but we were the best side for long periods,” manager Lynch said. “With better finishing Gaz Shaw could have had four in the first half alone.

“And when got it back to 3-2 and Shane went round the keeper we looked the team who could go on and win it.

“But the way we are playing, we’re not far off being a good side. We’ve lost five on the spin now but I’ve got a good squad and I only really need a couple of defenders and we’ll be all right.”

Breightmet United were without a game on Saturday after receiving a bye in the Murray Trophy.