With only three more league matches to go teams have not got long to make their final impressions in the league. It is reported that in the Premier Division Little Lever have now replaced their damaged table and will be doing catch up on matches, one of which should have been against what was top team Ramsbottom Cricket Club.
Flixton Cricket Club A move top by virtue of playing a match in advance and teams below also have a match in hand. They beat Nomads A 24 – 10 with maximum nines from Phil Bowen and Tony Worthington. Third placed Ramsbottom Town A overpowered Ladybridge A 27 – 7 with all players on maximum nines. Mid-table Flixton Cricket Club B trounced bottom team Coburg A 27 – 3 with all their players scoring maximum points. Second bottom Heaton A had a close match but were beaten 19 – 17 by Wharton three places above them.
In Division One it was time for the leaders to meet the trailers. Top team Burning Desire are virtually assured of promotion back to the Premier Division with another win under their belt. It was next to the bottom Hilton C this time suffering a 27 – 1 trouncing from this former Premier team, all players scored maximum points. They are very likely to be joined by Acre Bottom who beat bottom team Meadow Ben A by the same score. Third placed Nomads A enjoyed the gift of a 19 – 9 win over a two-man Farnworth SC A despite a resisting nine from John Hutchinson. A mid-table clash saw BRASS A beat Hilton B just above them 20 – 16. Little Lever Cricket Club B beat Wingates a few places above them 23 – 17. Mid-table Coburg B overcame Ramsbottom Town B a few places below them 22 – 9 helped by a nine from Kevin Chapman.
In Division Two it looks like the two top teams are unassailable and are certain of Division One play next year. Top Heaton Cricket Club B beat Hilton E 17 – 15 with David Hall on top points. Second placed Hilton D made short shrift of next to the bottom Boyzone 27 – 5 and all players on top form. Third placed Meadow Ben B beat a two-man BRASS B 23 – 9. Mid-table Bolton TTC A also met a two-man bottom team Top Spinners winning out 25 – 6.
In Division Three top team Bolton TTC B are virtually guaranteed promotion. They just held out against second placed St. Paul’s Peel 18 – 14 helped by a nine from Peter McCormick. Third placed Farnworth SC B beat mid-table Meadow Ben C 19 – 14 with a nine from Martyn Garnett. Walkden Methodists just lost out to Hilton G now just below them 22 – 16 despite a resisting 9 from Carl Bennett. Bottom team Ramsbottom Town C managed to beat Farnworth SC C now one place above them 19 – 13 with nines from Paul Wood and Ian Lloyd.
In Division Four the two top teams look unassailable barring disasters. Junior team Hilton I maintained their wins beating lower team Albany 23 – 7 with nines from Steven Gao and Jei Makino. Second placed Meadow Hill A beat venue club compatriots Meadow Ben D with this season’s new recruit Ian Nutter taking maximum nine points. Having proved himself too strong for the B team he has now been officially transferred to the A team. Hilton H beat second from the bottom Ladybridge C 22 – 12 with Leon Smethurst taking nine points. Hilton’s second junior team Hilton J beat Irlam Steel a couple of places above them 22 – 15 with highly consistent Nathan Donaldson once again on maximum nine points.
From next week things start to heat up once again with many top teams facing each other.
