"OUR pitch can be under water at 12 noon and fit for play at two if it stops raining," explains Radcliffe Amateurs Press Secretary Pete Daws on a day when his team played and hardly any one else did.

The Ammies took full advantage of being in action to record a 5-2 home win over Newman College to move one point clear at the top of Division One from one game more played than big title rivals Little Lever SC.

Midfielder Wayne Dalton maintained his quite phenomenal recent rich goalscoring vein with his second hat-trick in the last four games.

Centre forward Mike Murphy got in on the act with two goals as sweeper Matt Sheppard picked up the man of the match award. Sheppard and teammate Rick Smith were honoured in midweek as the first two players for many, many years from Radcliffe Amateurs to be selected for the Inter League side.

Both players made the starting 11 in the Representative side and played starring roles in 5-2 victory over the Liverpool Zingari League in the annual clash played at the LFA County Ground HQ at Leyland.

Bury GSOB 2nds beat Oldham Hulmeians 6-1 with goals from Paul Hagan, Jon Edwards, Ken Patterson, Dave Holland, Dave Watson and Clive Briggs. The 4ths lost 4-3 to the same opposition.