TONGE A are the early leaders of the Premier Division following their 7-2 win over Radcliffe.

They are closely followed by Lostock who beat Burning Desire A 6-3 with last year's champions Rammy A, who scraped home 5-4 at Horwich Hilton in third spot.

Dave Griffiths and Darren Howarth trebled for Tonge, as did Paul Cichelli for Burning Desire.

The two wins by Bill Russell and one apiece by George and Harry Brennand gave Horwich Hilton their four wins resulting in a very creditable scoreline.

Hilton A also won 5-4 against Nomads A with three wins by Dave Pickard and two by Mark Gibson for Hilton and two by Dennis Collier and one each by Sean Toland and Clive Taylor for Nomads.

All this week's matches in Division One finished with a 5-4 scoreline, suggesting that competition for the top spot will be quite fierce.

Currently Wharton B and Heaton A share this position, both on 11 points, with Heaton B in third place, one point behind.

Wharton won 5-4 at Hilton B thanks to the treble by Duncan Hadfield, while Heaton A lost a very close match with visitors Burning Desire B with three wins by Vinny Croft which included the last set of the night and two by Ian Boyle for the winners.

Three wins by John Scowcroft and two by Steve Barber gave Heaton B their win at YMCA, and trebles were recorded by Roy Costello of Little Lever B and Dave Bolton of Ladybridge A who both finished on the losing team against Wingates and Rammy B respectively.

Meadow Hill A scored a 6-3 win against Rammy C to go top of Division Two, one point ahead of Heaton D with Heaton C and Hilton C who share third place a further point behind.

All three Meadow Hill players won two sets with Paul Wood scoring the three for Ramsbottom. Heaton D scraped home 5-4 against Hilton C - for whom Geoff Rushton won three sets - as did Tonge B on their visit to Heaton C, thanks to three wins by Paul Brandwood.

Martin Howarth and Gareth Palmer trebled for Nomads B who won 7-2 at Little Lever D and Hilton E beat a two-man Heaton E 7-2.

Ellesmere A scored maximum points against their B team to top Division Three, which makes them the only team on maximum points in the league.

Hilton H, five points adrift in second place, ran out 5-4 winners on their visit to their F team which included two wins apiece by Alan Bradshaw and Tony Mason with one from Adam Smart.

Farnworth beat BEN A 5-4 with Cathy Jones scoring the three wins for BEN and Hilton G maintained their good start with a 6-3 win over their J team.

Eamon McEntee and Mike Roberts both trebled for Hilton I, who beat Walkden Meths 7-2, as did Andy Riley for Meadow Hill B who lost 5-4 at Ladybridge B.

Division Four leaders BEN B scored a 6-3 win over Ladybridge C which included a treble by Alan Hibbert.

Bolton YMCA, in second spot, ran out 5-4 winners at Hilton L with three wins by Jack Quin and two by Alan Weall.

Three wins apiece by David Yates and Chris Hilton gave Irlam their 6-3 win at Tonge D, and a treble from John Pilkington contributed to the 7-2 win by Hilton K at Heaton F.

Jack Butler, with three wins, helped Tonge C to their 6-3 win against Hilton M.

Results - Premier Division: Tonge A 7 Radcliffe 2, Lostock 6 Burning Desire 3, H/Hilton 4 Rammy A 5, Hilton A 5 Nomads A 4.

Division One: Wingates 2 Heaton A 7, Rammy B 5 Ladybridge A 4, Hilton B 4 Wharton B 5, Heaton A 4 Burn Desire B 5, YMCA 4 Heaton B 5, L. Lever B 4 Wingates 5.

Division Two: Tonge B 3 Heaton D 6, Hilton E 7 Heaton E 2, M.Hill A 6 Rammy C 3, Heaton D 5 Hilton C 4, Heaton C 4 Tonge 5, L. Lever D 2 Nomads B 7.

Division Three: Ellesmere A 9 Ellesmere B 0, Hilton F 4 Hilton H 5, Farnworth 6 BEN A 3, Hilton J 3 Hilton G 6, Hilton I 7 Walkden Meths 2, Ladybridge B 5 M.Hill B 4.

Division Four: Irlam 3 Hilton L 6, BEN B 6 Ladybridge C 3, Hilton L 4 YMCA 5, Tonge D 3 Irlam 6, Heaton F 2 Hilton K 7, Tonge C 6 Hilton M 3.

PREMIER DIVISION

P W Pt

Tonge A... 2 2 14

Lostock... 2 2 12

Ramsbottom A... 2 2 11

Burning Desire... 2 1 9

Hilton A... 2 1 8

Horwich Hilton... 2 0 7

Nomads A... 2 0 6

Tameside... 1 0 3

Radcliffe... 1 0 2

Little Lever A... 0 0 0

Wharton A... 0 0 0

DIVISION ONE

Wharton B... 2 2 11

Heaton A... 2 2 11

Heaton B... 2 2 10

L.Lever B... 2 1 9

Rammy B... 2 1 9

L.Lever C... 1 1 8

Ladybridge A... 2 0 8

Wingates... 2 1 7

YMCA... 2 0 7

Burning Desire B... 1 1 5

Hilton B... 2 0 5

DIVISION TWO

Meadow Hill A... 2 2 12

Heaton D... 2 2 11

Heaton C... 2 1 10

Hilton C... 2 1 10

Nomads B... 2 1 10

Tonge B... 2 1 8

Hilton E... 1 1 7

Heaton E... 2 1 7

L.Lever D 2 0 6

Rammy C... 2 0 6

Hilton D... 1 0 3

DIVISION THREE

Ellesmere A... 2 2 18

Hilton H... 2 2 13

Farnworth... 2 2 11

Hilton G... 2 2 11

Hilton I... 2 1 11

Ladybridge B... 2 2 10

BEN A... 2 0 7

Walkden Meths... 2 0 6

M.Hill B... 1 0 4

Hilton F... 2 0 4

Hilton J... 2 0 4

Ellesmere B... 1 0 0

DIVISION FOUR

BEN B... 2 2 15

B.YMCA... 2 2 11

Hilton L... 2 1 10

Irlam... 2 1 9

Hilton K... 1 1 7

Tonge C... 2 1 6

Hilton M... 2 0 6

Ladybridge C... 1 0 3

Tonge D... 1 0 3

Heaton F... 1 0 2

Ladybridge D... 0 0 0