PREMIER Division early season pacesetters Walkden looked a banker home win on Saturday for the Harriet Street encounter with Ainsworth. Mike Ayres' side had clocked up three successive wins to head the table, whilst the visitors had lost heavily in their opening two fixtures.

After 20 minutes played the league leaders looked well on course when Andy Osborne opened the scoring but signs began to appear before the interval that a bit of an upset may be on the cards. Ainsworth keeper Dave Steel was dealing with everything thrown at him and that home lead was cancelled out two minutes after the break as Paul Fletcher levelled for Ainsworth.

Veteran midfielder Dave Lees pulled all the strings in the middle of the park for Walkden just as effectively as he did in his Little Hulton United glory years but the Ainsworth defence - and especially the inspired Steel - held firm for a 1-1 stalemate.

Champions Stoneclough were also up against a keeper playing at the top of his game in visitors' East Lancs Papers Makers' Dave McGreavey. He was in inspired form yet again for his team in the clash at Brook Street but even his sterling efforts failed to prevent the title holders registering a third victory on the bounce in a 3-2 scoreline. Held at bay in the first half Tommy Harrison's side took the lead in the first minute after the interval through man of the match Ewan Cain with John Openshaw getting a second on 54 minutes. The Papermakers hit back through Paul Walker on 62 minutes and levelled through Tony McGlyn on 74. A nailbiting finish saw Carl O'Brien's 89th minute strike give Stoneclough a 3-2 win.

Impressive

A Matt Sampley goal on 70 minutes gave second placed Walkers a highly impressive 1-0 victory at big rivals Little Lever.

Oxford Grove not only kept the league leading goalscorer Mattie Hughes quiet in the game at Kersal Lads, they also served notice that they are beginning to revel in life in the Premier Division with a 3-1 win.

Flying winger Ricky Samuals who got the last minute winner two weeks ago in the 4-3 home victory over Bolton Lads Club cracked in a superb hat-trick on 18, 27 and 51 minutes. Mark Barratt hit back for the Salford side on 72 minutes but Grove held firm.

Kersal club secretary Ian Wrigley commented: "I'm not taking anything away from them but that is the worst we've played for ages. We couldn't string anything together and there just wasn't any service at all to Mattie up front. Pete Tong our centre half was out and the defence looked all over the place. Samuals tore us apart with his pace but then we moved young full back Dave Valentine across to mark him and that made a difference but it was too late by then." Tottington United have not enjoyed the best of starts back with the Combination with just one point picked up in four games. Bolton Lads Club showed little sympathy on Saturday in a 3-0 win with goals coming from Harry Spencer, Alan Mitchell and Lee Wood.

The McCarthy brothers hit the goal trail for Kersal Vale in a 7-3 win at Adlington Athletic with John getting three and Michael one, taking his season to date total to five. Further strikes came from Brian Crosby, Colin Peterson and Chris Arnison with Latics' goals accredited to the Moore brothers, Anthony (2) and Michael. HOWE Bridge Mills maintained their 100 per cent start in the First Division in magnificent style with a 3-2 win in one of the toughest tests of the season at Walkers Reserves.

Paul White got his fifth of the campaign on 18 minutes for the Atherton table toppers but two goals from Walkers' Steve Holt early in the second half appeared to put the Cotefield Avenue outfit in charge. With twenty minutes left Paul Molyneux levelled for Mills and Martin Yates made it six straight victories with the winner nine minutes from time. Tonge United's five game winning streak came to an abrupt end in a 5-2 mauling at Belmont. Paul Cook put the home side two up on the hour but a 70th minute own goal from Jim Yates looked to have given United hope. It wasn't to be as three goals in six minutes from Mark Broadhead (2) and Nigel Hurst killed off the Tonge challenge although Steve Gibson did register a second consolation goal five minutes from time.

Veteran striker Andy Buckley bagged two as did Jamie Hyles with Robert Hodgin scoring one to keep Brindle Heath in third place with a 5-1 win at Swinton Moorside, Steve Erskine scoring for the home team.

Those leading three have already opened up a quite incredible six point gap from the chasing pack. In fourth place is Mitchell Shackleton who became the latest side to miss out because of Edbro's failure to be able to field a full complement. The fixture was postponed. Looking rosy

Ainsworth Reserves have recently had problems calling games off due of shortage of numbers but by half time in the home game against Walkden Reserves two goals from Colin Wardle had everything looking rosy. The visitors moved it up a gear in the last twenty minutes for a 3-2 win with two in four minutes from Mark Morris and a winner six minutes from time from Tony Power. Light Oak Rangers' Mike Littler was another two goal man to finish on a losing side as Matt Holiday, Chris Sellars and Danny Berry saw home team Turton to a 3-2 victory.

Neil Bennett, Andrew Baguley and Lee Davies put Railay three up with just half an hour gone at Monton Amateurs. Mike Collinge got one back just before half time but a fourth from the visitors' Craig Crook on the hour virtually killed the game off although Lee Abrahams did get another for the Ammies ten minutes from time for a 4-2 scoreline. Michael Girgenti, Kevin Cook, Chris Lynch and Peter Hall saw AS Weaste to a 4-2 home win over Astley Bridge Cricket Club, Adrian Cooper and Paul Johnson replying.

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