FIVE Bolton Combination sides went into action last Saturday in the Preliminary Round of the Lancashire Adidas Amateur Shield and certainly did enough to justify optimism that this could be the season for a good showing for at least one of the league's representatives.

Success in what is the North West's premier amateur competition is certainly long overdue for "Comb" sides and it's time that was put to rights!

AFC Walkers blazed the trail with a superb 2-1 last gasp win over Wigan League Premier Division side Ashworth Park Lane. The incredible never-say-die approach of the Bolton lads earned a memorable victory courtesy of two strikes from Scott Gemmell on 89 and 90 minutes!

Another of our local clubs to seemingly come back from the dead was Bolton Lads Club. Trailing 3-1 to another Wigan League side, Crooke, things looked bleak with only a Paul Samuels first half strike registered on the scoresheet and just ten minutes left. Miraculously up popped Gary McKintosh to bang in two goals on 80 and 90 minutes and the tie went into extra time. Further strikes from Steve Williams and Andrew Mitchell brought a superb 6-4 away win. AFC Walkden live to fight again after a 2-2 away draw at Walkers S and S that also went to extra time but Tyldesley Utd crashed out in a 4-1 home defeat by Ormskirk West End and Ladybridge in a 8-0 home humbling by Abram.

On the League front, British Aerospace came out on top in a 2-0 away win at Hindsford in what was arguably the "Game Of The Day". The vital goals came from Richard Collier with a 27th minute penalty and Dennis Heyes in the very last minute.

The summer departure of several important players understandably hit Ambassadors hard and the start of this season with just one win in six games reflected that fact. Proof that things are thankfully all coming together again arrived in a 3-1 home win over a highly unpredictable Ainsworth side. Ric Jones opened the scoring after only five minutes, club secretary-cum-striker Simon Murphy increased the lead from the penalty spot on 25 minutes with Phil Rotherham putting it beyond doubt with the third on 80 minutes. Carl Dalton replied for the visitors. More in keeping with expectations. Summerseat went down 4-2 at Hindley Green.

In the first division, Adlington Athletic surprisingly came a cropper at Howe Bridge in a 2-0 defeat. Steve Brown was the star of the show for the Atherton side with both goals on 25 and 57 minutes. A Graham Partington hattrick was highly instrumental in earning Little Lever a 5-2 win over Brindle Heath, backed up by Dave Adamson hitting a brace and Ashall and Buckley replying for the visitors.

The derby meeting of the two league "new boys' saw Monton Amateurs go down 2-0 at home to Kersal Vale. Steve "Trigger" Fagin kept up his remarkable goal scoring record with Lee Davenport hitting the second.

Tragedy struck in the second division 2 meeting between Stoneclough and Turton when the visitors' goalkeeper Neil Kernick suffered a double leg break after only five minutes and the game had to be abandoned.

Partridge Thistle registered two away goals but still went down 5-2 at Ainsworth Reserves and in the meeting of the two second-stringers Walkden Reserves clobbered Ambassadors Reserves 6-0.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.