THEY may not have collected maximum points from their trip to Rossendale, but Little Lever’s player-manager Craig Bingham says they proved they are good enough to challenge the Premier Division’s top teams.

Little Lever scored two stunning goals but were pegged back twice by the side who finished third last term, Rossendale’s second equaliser coming with five minutes left on the clock.

His team are now 11th in the table, but Bingham – in his first full season in charge of the first team – says they can hold their own in this company.

“It was a funny game, we should have been 5-0 up in the first half hour,” he told The Bolton News. “We had a bad day against Old Bolts the week before (Little Lever had suffered a 6-0 defeat to their local rivals) and we wanted to prove we are a good team, I think we did that.

“We didn’t win the game, so I wasn’t thrilled but we played well and got two very good goals.”

Ryan Talbot opened the scoring with a quite superb overhead kick to put the visitors a goal ahead at half time. After Rossendale had fashioned an equaliser around the hour mark with their first real opportunity, new signing Ben Heywood restored the lead with a brilliant individual goal, picking up the ball in the midfield and, via a couple of one-twos, beating several men before finding the right finish.

Although Rossendale grabbed a late equaliser Bingham, who is juggling managing and playing duties, is pleased with his side’s efforts.

With the midweek fixtures now at an end and players returning from holidays, injuries and absences he feels they can mount a charge up the table.

“The games coming Saturday-Wednesday killed us really,” he added. “We struggled to get 14 together a lot of the time but they’re back now, we’re looking stronger and we’re ready to put some wins on the board.

“The top two (Whitworth Valley and Burnley Belvedere) have only lost one game each, and we’re the team that beat them both times, so we know we are good enough to start picking points up against anybody.”

n Little Lever Sports Club are looking for an assistant manager for their first team. Qualified coaches, or those looking to get involved in the running of a successful team, are asked to contact the committee via the club’s Facebook or Twitter pages.

Old Boltonians and Blackrod Town both suffered 2-1 home losses on Saturday. Old Bolts were beaten by champions Mostonians while Blackrod lost to Bury GSOB.

In the Manchester League Premier Division, Bolton County drew 1-1 at Stockport Georgians, with Matthew Leatham scoring.

Bolton Lads and Girls Club lost their Murray Trophy tie at Atherton LR Reserves 3-2 and in Division Two Breightmet United were defeated 4-1 at Hindsford Reserves.