THERE are high standards being set at Eagley this season, as Simon Whaley looks to steer his team back to the Premier Division.

Most managers would be delighted with six goals and a clean sheet on the road. But Whaley’s delight was tempered somewhat by some hefty challenges on his players from Division One’s bottom side Wyre Villa – and his own team’s failure to hit double figures.

“Some of the challenges they were putting in were ridiculous, and the ref didn’t help at all,” said Whaley, who watched from the touchline due to a knock he picked up two weeks earlier. “But looking at what we did I’m disappointed with the result, we should have scored 10 in that game.

“I wasn’t ranting and raving afterwards but I wasn’t patting them on the back either. I’ve got high expectations and I want the lads to feel good about themselves but they could have done better. We missed a lot of chances, we had one that was given as offside and we should have had a clear penalty late on.

“We were lucky not to have any major injuries though, even their manager took one of his players off after one bad tackle. Some of the refs are very good and are bang on it right from the off but I’m not sure the young ref we had for that game was ready, he never had a grip of the game.”

Simon Neary and Jordan Hibbert’s goals had put Eagley 2-0 up at half time and Danny Holroyd, Jacob Greenhalgh, Zac Clarke and Bailey Wallace netted second-half goals to complete their third away win of the campaign, with Adam Cormican, promoted after impressing in the second XI, continuing his form in the first team.

And ahead of hosting Hawcoat Park this Saturday, Whaley feels his free-scoring Eagles – only the top two have hit more than their 30 goals so far – have a chance of climbing the table quickly in their bid to return to the Premier Division.

“Hawcoat will be another good test for us,” he added. “We’ve got a few games where we’re playing teams in and around us, and we have games in hand, we’ve got three in hand on CMB (in second) so if we carry on playing like we did on Saturday we shouldn’t have any issues. We’ve had a good month with nine points from three difficult away games.

“When we have dropped points others around us have too so we’re still in the mix, and I’ve been around long enough to know leagues can be won or lost from November to January.

“We have got a good enough and strong enough squad to get in and around the top teams so there are plenty of positives for us.”

Elsewhere in Division One, CMB won their derby at home to Stoneclough 2-1, with Callum Yeardsley and Paul Hallows scoring after Stoneclough had led at half time through Adam Bullock.

Horwich St Mary’s Victoria suffered their first league defeat of the season in Division Two, losing 2-1 at Dalton United, though Mick Abbott’s late strike at least gave the hosts a scare.

There were draws in the Premier Division for Tempest United and Turton, who sit ninth and 10th, respectively, in the table.

Liam Pacey hit an equaliser 20 minutes from time as Tempest drew 1-1 at Hesketh Bank while Turton were held to a goalless draw by visitors Burscough Richmond.