SEVERAL Bolton Combination sides put top class shows in the first round of the prestigious Lancashire Adidas Amateur Shield.

The two all-Combination encounters produced some tremendous football and plenty of excitement.

Bolton Lads Club and AFC Walkers fought out a superb contest full of tension with Walkers finally coming out on top in a 2-1 scoreline.

Paul Morris proved the hero of the hour for the visitors by bagging both goals with Paul Samuels replying for Lads Club.

In the other tie to throw together two Premier Division sides, Ainsworth and Hindsford had to put in some overtime to finally decide a winner.

Scoreless at half time, O'Rourke and Dover gave the home side a two-goal advantage, rather against the run of play. But two goals in two minutes from Guest (73) and Toone (75) sent the game into extra time.

Hindsford had pressed throughout the contest and deservedly came out on top, with Toone hitting his second and Twist making the eventual scoreline 4-2. Particularly catching the eye for the Tydlesley side was debutant goalkeeper, 16-years-old Neil Riley. Unfortunately, four sides with home advantage failed to capitalise and crashed out.

British Aerospace went down 4-0 to Daten. Howe Bridge Mills lost 2-1 to Appley Bridge despite Hughes opening the scoring after just two minutes. Atherton C&N and Golborne Sports put on a nine-goal thriller with the away side coming out on top by a 6-3 margin. Poor Summerseat got hammered by Ron Chalker, with Hemmingway getting the consolation strike.

Premier Division pacesetters Seedfield Sports Club carried outstanding League form into the Shield with a 3-0 win over Bacup Cricket Club. The goals came from Feeley, Jarrett and Angulin.

Sadly with so many sides representing the Combination so admirably, down at the other end of the scale Hindley Green players couldn't resist the temptation to 'get involved' in the contest at Ormskirk West End. A mass brawl left the referee with little option but to abandon the game after 62 minutes. Hindley could well regret their actions as they were 2-1 up at the time and the tie must be replayed.

On the Premier Division front Blackrod Town's misery continues after a 5-1 home hammering by Ambassadors, leaving the side promoted last season propping the rest up with not a single point from seven games played. In Division One, the Tottington United against Kersal Vale encounter tragically became the third Combination game already this season to be abandoned due to a player getting hurt.

The home goalkeeper, Nicky Bond, picked up a bad rib injury just two minutes into the second half. Volunteers to now take over the gloves at United might be hard to find as just a fortnight previously Carl Grantham broke an arm pulling off a good save!

Two unbeaten sides in Division One maintained their proud records as Turton and Hindley Green Reserves finished 2-2. Second placed Little Lever continued recent good form with an emphatic 7-1 win at Tyldesley United; Partington getting a hat trick and Settle and Wilkinson two apiece.

In Division Two, new club Partridge Thistle travelled away from home to Ambassadors Reserves and cracked in five goals. Sadly it wasn't enough as they went down 9-5 with Taylor leading the way with four and Dancey not far behind with three.

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