IRLAM Steel produced the shock of the day in the first round of the Warburton Cup.

The Division Three side’s trio of Matt Hood, David Yates and Neville Singh rose to the challenge to knock out Premier Division Radcliffe CC in a thrilling encounter. They received the maximum start of 301 points and the game was in the balance until the final frame, Irlam holding their nerve to win by just three points. The all-Second Division tie between Heaton C and Hilton G was another tight affair, with Heaton’s Paul McCormick, Frank Green and Chris Higson victorious by 10 points after giving away 93. Division Four team Boyzone, who had 254 points start, lost by 17 to Premier Division outfit Ladybridge A’s Steve Barber, Dave Bolton and Andy Evans. Farnworth TTC A’s Graham Clayborough, Craig Johnson and Kirit Chauhan beat Second Division rivals Hilton E by 19 points.

Mike Brierley, Alan Auxilly and Paul Pover saw Second Division Meadow Bank to a 22- point victory over Third Division Hilton D despite giving away a 65-point start.

Another Division Two team, Meadow BEN A, represented by John Dodd, Mike Heaton and Phil Calvert, gave Third Division Hilton J 107 points start and recorded a 29-point win. Premier Division Little Lever A gave Division Three Hilton I, 247 points start, but it was not enough to stop Ron Durose, Phil Riley and Graham Jeffries recording a 30-point win.

First Division Little Lever B are also through to round two, their trio of Ric Simmons, John Hutchinson and Ian Lansdale giving Farnworth TTC C 198 points start and winning by 42.

Hilton K’s junior team from Division Four received 107 start from visitors Meadow BEN B but, again a slightly higher handicap would have been appropriate as Alan Weall, Alan Calvert and Mike Aspinall won by 45 points.

Division One team, Heaton A, entertained Ladybridge B from Division Two who received 135 start, a handicap which proved to be a bit to big as the Ladybridge trio of Alex Waring, Brian Greenhalgh and John Cole won by 68.

Third Division Hilton H’s Brian Young, Brian Hall, and Krishna Hooton made good use of their 163 points start to beat Coburg from Division One by 79 . The Division Four clash between the Heaton E veterans, Colin Roberts, Phil Beales and Dave Jones, against St Catherine’s C, played from scratch, resulted in a win for Heaton by a massive 126 points. Seven matches were conceded as walkovers and one match remains outstanding.

The draw for round two is available to view on the league website. Results: Heaton A 365 Ladybridge B (135) 433, Farnworth TTC A 382 Hilton E (79) 363, Irlam Steel (301) 399 Radcliffe CC 396, Hilton H (163) 407 Coburg 328, Hilton J (107) 342 Meadow BEN B 371, Heaton E 380 St Catherine’s C (0.5) 254, Boyzone (254) 379 Ladybridge A 396, L Lever A 394 Hilton I (247) 364, L Lever B 397 Farnworth TTC C (198) 355, Heaton C 365 Hilton G (93) 355, Hilton K (107) 321 Meadow BEN B 366.