THE first round of the Warburton Cup produced some very mixed results with nine of the matches decided by a 5-4 scoreline, and, at the other end of the scale, four teams recorded 9-0 victories.

Three Premier teams progressed to the next round, but the most successful division was the first, with seven teams moving to the next round. Two teams from Division Two, five from Division Three, four from Division Four, and three from Division Five, have won through to round two at this time, with three match results outstanding.

Premier Division teams Little Lever A, Hilton A and Wharton A all recorded comfortable wins against teams from lower divisions. Three Division One teams scraped home 5-4. Chorley Old Road, who were 4-2 down to Heaton D, won the last three sets to clinch their win.

Three wins from Alan Bradbury helped Wingates A to their 5-4 win at Ladybridge H, and a two-man Heaton A ran out 5-4 winners against Hilton H, which included three wins by Ian Craig. Paul Mort trebled for Heaton B in their 6-3 win at Ladybridge G, and Mick Martin trebled for Little Lever E who lost 6-3 at Nomads A.

Ladybridge A ran out 7-2 winners against YMCA, and Little Lever B scored a comprehensive 9-0 win against Jubilee A.

The two Division Two teams in round two are Wingates B, who scored a comfortable 7-2 win against Ladybridge D and included trebles by Hannah Roberts and Greg Lee, and BEN A, who ran out 5-3 winners against Premier side Horwich Hilton A.

Halliwell Road Meths, from the third division, scored a comprehensive 6-0 win at Nomads B, and Ladybridge E recorded a convincing 9-0 win over Hilton J. Heaton E won a close match against fellow Division Three side, Hilton D, 5-4, thanks to an excellent treble by Alan Crompton.

Craig Smyth won his first treble of the season for Ellesmere B, but his team lost 5-4 to the experienced Hilton E team. The veteran Little Lever D team proved too strong for newcomers, Halls, winning 5-2.

Heaton F from Division Four ran out 5-4 winners in a very close match against Black Dog from Division Two, the win included two wins for Colin Roberts and Dave Bevitt and one for Mark Greenhalgh, with Mel Brooks scoring a treble for the losers.

Two wins each for Eamon McEntee and Mike Roberts plus one from Andy Harris gave Hilton G their 5-4 win against their 'I' team. Ladybridge F moved into the next round with a 6-3 win at Horwich Hilton C, and Memorial Road went through with a 9-0 win over Hilton K.

Perhaps the outstanding win of the round was the 5-4 win by Division Five team, Jubilee B, over Mosses from Division One. Jubilee won the first two sets but Mosses fought back to lead 4-3, only for Jubilee to win the next two sets, which were very close and decided on the third game, Dave Miller and Richard Pullen winning two sets, Jim Reggie, one.

Ellesmere A enjoyed a comfortable 7-2 win against Hilton C, which included trebles by Paul Jackson and Geoff Ainsworth, and Meadow Hill C beat their 'A' team 5-4 with two wins by Jackie Smith and Colin Cartwright and one by Peter Holden. Stephen Jones trebled for the 'A' team.

Results

Warburton Cup round one -- Little Lever A 9 Hilton B 0, BEN B 1 Elton A 8, Ellesmere C 2 Wharton A 7, Chorley Old Road 5 Heaton D 4, Ladybridge H 4 Wingates A 5, Heaton A 5 Hilton H 4, Ladybridge G 3 Heaton B 6, Nomads A 6 Little Lever E 3, Ladybridge A 7 YMCA 2, Little Lever B 9 Jubilee A 0, Wingates B 7 Ladybridge D 2, H/Hilton A 3 BEN A 5, Nomads B 0 Halliwell Meths 6, Ladybridge E 9 Hilton J 0, Heaton E 5 Hilton D 4, Ellesmere B 4 Elton E 5, Halls 2 Little Lever D 5, Heaton F 5 Black Dog 4, Hilton 'I' 4 Hilton G 5, H/Hilton C 3 Ladybridge F 6, Memorial Road 9 Hilton K 0, Jubilee B 5 Mosses 4, Ellesmere A 7 Elton C 2, Meadow Hill A 4 Meadow Hill C 5.

Warburton Cup round two -- Jubilee B v BEN A, Heaton G v Little Lever D, Heaton C v Cricketers, Ladybridge C v Heaton A, Wingates B v Meadow Hill C, Little Lever A v Heaton E, Memorial Road v Hilton A, Ramsbottom C v Ladybridge E, Heaton B v Chorley Old Road, Hilton G v Heaton F, Little Lever C/Farnworth C v Ladybridge A, Wingates A v Little Lever B, Ellesmere A v Wharton A, Hilton E v Nomads A, Meadow Hill B v Halliwell Road Meths, Wharton B/Ramsbottom A v Ladybridge F.