FOLLOWING their promotion to Division One last year, Horwich RMI took a giant leap towards staying there as they saw off fellow relegation battlers Wardle 3-1.

The victory, courtesy of goals by Karl Dumbarton, Karl Herrington and Danny Hart, means Horwich are eight points clear of the bottom two in the LAL’s second tier.

Two games remain for RMI, this Saturday’s fixture at Ashtonians who sit a place above Horwich on goal difference, before they round off their campaign against a team deep in the relegation scrap, second-bottom AFC Darwen’s reserves.

And with the teams down below having games in hand on his side, RMI manager Paul Sumner says he wants one more win from those two games in order to rubber-stamp their place in Division One next season.

“Our target, right at the start of the season, was to stay in this division,” he said.

“We have to play Ashtonians, who have the same points as us so are not quite safe yet, then Darwen who are fighting relegation.

“It’s probably going to go down to the wire because it’s quite a close division and I still think we need one win to be mathematically sure.”

Saturday’s victory at Nuttall Avenue did their cause no harm at all, and Sumner admits Horwich had to weather something of a storm in the second half.

Dumbarton struck their opening goal inside the first five minutes but Wardle struck back with a free kick that was drilled underneath the wall and into the bottom corner of the net.

RMI re-established the lead before half time, Herrington converting a penalty.

“It had been a nervous half,” admitted Sumner. “And we knew Wardle would come out of the blocks strongly in the second half. They did that and, through a combination of their good play and our poor defending, they had a few chances but luckily they didn’t take them.

“We managed to get back on top and Danny sealed it with a good header from Andrew Penman’s cross. From that point Wardle lost their impetus and we were fairly comfortable towards the end.”

Sumner admits they had harboured no title aspirations when the season was getting under way last August but has seen enough from his team over the course of their campaign in a higher division – following promotion alongside Chaddertonians and Radcliffe Town last term – to suggest they can set themselves slightly loftier ambitions next time around.

“We have had two narrow defeats to Bolton Wyresdale this season,” he added. “We lost 3-2 and 2-1 to them in the games in January.

“They are at the top of the table and will probably win the title so us losing twice by the odd goal to them shows how tight the division is.

“We got promoted and started the season poorly, we lost quite a few players to teams higher up.

“But the second half of the season has been much better than the first. I’m confident if we can keep the team together we can hopefully challenge for promotion ourselves next season.

“I think we’re not that far behind Wyresdale, they are a bit of an inspiration for us, being local and and a club run very similarly to ours.

“We share the same philosophy and hopefully we can also enjoy success like theirs very soon.”

n Wyresdale could not seal the Division One title on Saturday, as they were defeated 2-1 by the only team able to catch them, Valley United. However, two points from their last three games will be enough to confirm the title.

In the Premier Division, braces for Matt McClellan, Lucas Gaynor and Jason Perry gave Old Boltonians a 6-2 victory at Failsworth Dynamos.

Little Lever may face a nervous end to the season after they were beaten 5-2 at Prestwich while Thornleigh and Blackrod Town played out a goalless draw at Castle Hill.

In the Hallmark Security League First Division North, Atherton LR took their first victory since December, a 1-0 win at Shelley, courtesy of Nathan Strong’s goal.

In the West Lancashire League Premier Division there were wins for Turton and Tempest United.

The Tigers came from a goal behind to beat visitors Vickerstown 2-1 with Steve Fitton’s penalty and Dan Lock scoring the winner, while United ‘s Elliott Hailwood scored the only goal of their game at Burscough Richmond.

CMB marched into the final of the President’s Cup with a 4-1 victory in their semi-final against Ulverston Rangers.

Dan Crook scored their first goal from the penalty spot and Chris McCory, Ben Thornton and Matt Chapman each scored to send Rob Pennington’s team through to the final.

Bolton County were 4-0 winners at home to Springhead in the Manchester League Premier Division, Jordan McLaughlin, Matthew Ormrod, Ian Smalley and Matthew Leatham scoring, but Bolton Lads and Girls Club suffered a 9-3 loss at Heywood St James in Division One.