THE cup competitions really started to take shape this week in the BSF Over-35s League. In Division One, The Colliers Rest caused a minor shock by dumping out league leaders Dobbies A.

The Colliers had the better of the early exchanges, but neither team could make it count and even extra time could not separate them.

Penalties ensued and it was The Colliers who held their nerve to go through 3-1 and make it to the final for the second year running.

They will meet Turton who shaded the other semi-final 1-0 against the Newmarket thanks to an Ian Horrocks second-half goal. Although there was very little between the two teams, Turton could have made it more comfortable if they had taken some of their chances.

In Division Two, bottom team Pennington caused a massive shock by beating runaway leaders Dobbies B 1-0 to reach the final where they will meet The Bay Mare Strollers. Both the Division One and Two cup finals will be played at Eagley Football Club on Sunday, April 15, with kick-offs at 10.30am and 2.30pm respectively. Everyone is welcome.

Meanwhile, in Division Three, Golborne Parkside finally got their quarter-final played against Ainsworth B and a John Stallard goal for Ainsworth booked them a semi-final spot against Bolton Wyresdale, while Golborne were left ruing their missed chances.

The winners of that semi-final will meet The Crofters in the final after they beat Real Victoria 2-1 in a fine game with Harry Cormican scoring the two goals. One was a 25-yard screamer and the other was directly from a corner, while Malc Nothard scored for Real.

In the league, Elton Vale moved up to within seven points of Dobbies A at the top of Division One after beating Garswood United 3-1, but the game would have been a lot closer had Garswood made the most of the chances they had created.

Walkden Wrecks' chances of catching Walkden Fives and Dobbies B at the top of Division Two took a massive blow after they squandered a two-goal lead to lose 6-2 against the Plough.

A hat-trick from Graham Ball did most of the damage for the Plough with Sean Woodcock, Roy Winstanley and Keiron McLaughlin also chippping in.

Park Wanderers continued to move up the table after a tight 2-1 win over ICO Pal thanks to two goals from Barry Byrom, and they may well finish in the top four if they carry on winning.

The lead changed again at the top of Division Three after Ainsworth A beat Breightmet United 3-1 with goals from Dave Alford, Mark Lindsay and Eddie Fairhurst. But it would have been different had Breightmet not missed a penalty in the first half. Ainsworth take over at the top from The Crofters.