THE race for the Premier Division title remains tight.

Ramsbottom A moved to the top after their maximum points win against Horwich Hilton.

Tonge A drop to second despite a 7-2 victory at Radcliffe Cricket Club where Dave Griffiths was unbeaten.

Little Lever A, in third spot, beat Wharton A 8-1 although a lot of the games were close. Nomads went down to visitors Hilton A 9-0 and Burning Desire scored a 6-3 win against Lostock which included three wins by Paul Cichelli.

In Division One Burning Desire B jumped above Heaton A into second place after they beat the Heaton team 6-3 mainly due to a treble by Vinny Croft.

They are now four points behind leaders Little Lever C, both having played 11 matches.

Young Josh Bleakley scored an excellent treble for Ramsbottom B but his team lost 5-4 at Ladybridge. Brian Heyes and John Howarth won three apiece for Wharton who beat Hilton B 8-1.

Division Two leaders Heaton C lost for only the second time, going down 6-3 at Tonge B due to the inevitable treble by Paul Brandwood.

Top 10 leader Siful Khan lost his unbeaten record at Tonge, when he was beaten by Brian Goody, but his team Hilton E went on to a 5-4 win.

They repeated this scoreline at Heaton E with Alan Crompton unbeaten for the Heaton team on the night.

On the strength of these two wins the Hilton team are now second in the table.

Frank Green recorded three wins for Heaton D in their 6-3 win at Hilton C, as did John Davis for Nomads B who beat Little Lever C by the same score.

No change in the five top places in Division Three. Leaders Bolton Evening News A scraped home 5-4 against Farnworth SC with three wins by sub Alan Hibbert and two from Cathy Jones, the Bolton Evening News team moved into an early 5-2 lead but Farnworth won the last two sets to close the gap.

Hilton I in second place closed the gap to two points after winning 9-0 at Walkden Meths and Ellesmere A in third place kept up their challenge with a maximum points win against their B team.

All three Ladybridge B players won two sets to give them a 6-3 win at Meadow Hill and three wins by Gill Marsden and two by Brian Young clinched a 5-4 win for Hilton H against their H team.

Bolton YMCA moved to second place in Division Four following their maximum points win against Hilton L. There were three wins apiece by Matt Hood and Dave Yates for Irlam who beat Tonge D 6-3.