HORWICH St Mary’s Victoria have their sights set on a second straight promotion, following their victory at Ulverston Rangers at the weekend.

Vics, who won the Second Division title in their first season in the West Lancashire League, sit fifth in the First Division table as the run-in looms.

But with games in hand on the sides above them, chairman Danny Holmes admits their ambitions for the season have shifted.

“We’re still aiming high, definitely,” he told The Bolton News. “At the beginning of the season, after being promoted, we were just looking to finish as high as we could. But, though we’re realistic about the title – Lostock St Gerard’s are nine points clear of Stoneclough and haven’t lost a game – our chances of going up with them are in our own hands.

“We had a bit of a mixed run between October and Christmas where things tailed off a bit but things are getting back on track. We managed to get a win at Ulverston and other results went well for us, Stoneclough lost to Lostock and Croston Sports and Wyre Villa drew 1-1.

“We’ve got games in hand – five on Stoneclough – and we’re in the semi-finals of two competitions so things are going well.”

Horwich have third-placed Wyre Villa to face twice in the league and in the final four of the Divisional Cup, and are to take on Hindsford in the Atherton Charity Cup.

And Holmes says he is not concerned about any fixture congestion despite having a potential 13 matches ahead of them.

Three players – last season’s top scorer Matty Woods, Rick Wood and Scott Adamson – have returned from injury and they have also brought in Anthony Hough from Avro.

Lostock may have all-but sealed the title but Holmes, pictured right, insists his side can make a late charge to secure the other promotion place. And having not lost since the first weekend in January they are rediscovering their form at the perfect time.

“We’re not worried about getting all the fixtures in, we have no game this weekend, it’s our annual Gold Cup get-together so this Saturday was always free for us. And even though we’re a bit behind it’s not problem.

“We had a few postponed last month but we had a friendly against Tempest and won 5-3. Sam Parkinson scored the only goal of the game at Ulverston on Saturday and we’re in a very good place, form-wise. We’re going well and we’re more than happy with our position right now.”

Stoneclough, currently second in the table, lost 2-0 at Lostock while Eagley were beaten at home to Crooklands Casuals.

In the Premier Division, Tempest United were 4-3 winners at home to Slyne-with-Hest, Mark Drew scoring a hat-trick with Aaron Thorpe also netting, but Turton lost 5-0 at Thornton Cleveleys.

CMB scored three at home to Poulton through Matt Chapman (two) and Scott McNair but shipped six in a defeat.

In the Manchester League, Bolton County won 3-2 at Royton Town, with Jordan McLoughlin, Matthew Leatham and Michael Ajibade on target.

Keane Mills hit a brace in Bolton Lads and Girls’ Club’s 4-1 win against Moorside Rangers, Kristian Preston and Thomas Jowett also scoring.

In the North West Counties League First Division North, Daisy Hill started well with Hensley Mills scoring in the first minute at Garstang but things rapidly went downhill from there, as the hosts had drawn level by the break and scored six more without reply in the second half.

A bad day for local teams in the Lancashire Amateur League saw Old Boltonians lose 2-0 at Mostonians, a defeat that sees their lead at the top cut to one point by Failsworth Dynamos, who drew at Rochdale St Clement’s.

Little Lever were beaten 4-0 by visitors Old Blackburnians and Thornleigh’s struggles continued with a 15-1 defeat at Burnley Belvedere.

Horwich RMI were in action in Division One but lost 4-0 away to Failsworth’s reserves.