BSF Vets League: DOBBIES A moved a point clear at the top of Division One after a goalless draw away at Cross Keys.

In a hard fought game, a draw was probably a fair result and with two games in hand on second placed Breightmet, Dobbies look odds on to retain their title.

Elsewhere, Turton moved out of the relegation zone after beating bottom club Hayward Old Boys 2-1 at home. Leading 2-0 with goals from Baines and Burke, things looked comfortable, but a goal from Dukes gave Hayward hope. Time ran out and Turton took all three points to move up to fifth place, while Hayward's affair with Division One ended after they became the first team to be relegated this season.

In Division Two, Fox & Stork strengthened their position at the top after beating the Bay Mare Strollers 5-3. Finely poised at 3-3 with 10 minutes to go, two late goals for the Fox ended the Bay's lingering title hopes. The Fox are now five points clear at the top while the Bay drop to fifth spot.

The second and third placed teams did their best to help the Fox & Stork, as Newmarket and Garswood United fought out a 2-2 draw, which helped neither team.

Daten AFC took advantage of the other results to move into third place by beating Walkden Wrecks 2-1 at home, and Dobbies B were held to a 2-2 draw away at Horwich Town, which puts a dent in their title prospects.

Ainsworth Fossils moved clear of the relegation battle after beating Old Smithillians 1-0, but the result means that Old Smithys will have a nervous last few games after being left third from the bottom.

The Lord Raglan's march to the Third Division title continued with an impressive 6-1 away win at the Bottom Bulls Head. The result moves them two points clear at the top and puts an end to any hopes the Bottom Bull had of lifting the title.

Dobbies C leapfrogged the Prince of Wales into second place by beating them 4-1.

The best the Prince can hope for now is second place.

Near the bottom, Rumworth & Hulton's bad run of form came to an end with a great 5-2 win over the Founders Arms. Rumworth were challenging for the title at Christmas but the best they can now hope for is mid-table security.

RESULTS

Division One: Cross Keys 0 Dobbies A 0; Turton 2 Hayward OB 1.

Division Two: Bay Mare Strollers 3 Fox & Stork 5; Horwich Town 2 Dobbies B 2; Old Smithillians 0 Ainsworth Fossils 1; Daten 2 Walkden Wrecks 1; Newmarket Vets 2 Garswood United 2.

Division Three: Prince of Wales 1 Dobbies C 4; Bottom Bulls Head 1 Lord Raglan 6; Rumworth & Hulton CC 5 Founders Arms 2.

Division One

P W D L F A Pts Diff

Dobbies A... 10 8 1 1 31 5 25 26

Breightmet United... 12 8 0 4 42 20 24 22

Elton Vale... 10 7 0 3 33 18 21 15

Cross Keys... 11 5 1 5 25 16 16 9

Turton... 11 4 2 5 23 36 14 -13

Colliers Rest... 11 4 1 6 27 38 13 -11

Hare Athletic... 10 3 3 4 18 31 12 -13

Hayward OB... 11 0 0 11 6 41 0 -35

Division Two

Fox & Stork... 12 9 1 2 31 15 28 16

Garswood United... 11 7 2 2 32 22 23 10

Daten... 13 7 2 4 26 21 23 5

Newmarket Vets... 12 7 2 3 33 30 23 3

Bay Mare Strollers... 13 7 0 6 38 32 21 6

Dobbies B... 9 5 1 3 29 15 16 14

Ainsworth Fossils... 12 5 1 6 23 27 16 -4

Old Smithillians... 14 3 2 9 14 27 11 -13

Horwich Town... 12 1 4 7 13 30 7 -17

Walkden Wrecks... 12 1 1 10 16 36 4 -20

Division Three

Lord Raglan... 12 8 3 1 46 22 27 24

Dobbies C... 12 8 1 3 34 15 25 19

Prince of Wales... 14 7 2 5 43 35 23 8

Bottom Bulls Head... 13 6 4 3 34 32 22 2

Founders Arms... 10 4 3 3 23 20 15 3

Rumworth CC... 12 4 1 7 25 41 13 -16

Quadrant... 12 2 3 7 19 37 9 -18

Bolton Wyresdale... 8 1 3 4 10 15 6 -5

D F Lostock... 9 1 0 8 13 30 3 -17