THE BOLTON Evening News Open Cup got off to a cracking start last weekend with goals, shocks and excitement galore!

No less then SIX Premier Division sides fell at the very first hurdle, giving a stark indication to the remaining seven that this season's top "Comb" Cup is going to be no cakewalk to the Final for the so-called "big fish"!

Catching the eye in the "giant-killing" stakes was Division 2, Atherton S&S coming out on top of a nine-goal, extra time thriller at Premier club, Summerseat.

Simon Hampson was the four-goal hero for the visitors as he cancelled out goals for the home side for Hemingway (2), O'Hanlon and Reynolds. This set up the perfect platform for teammate Ian Battersby to bang in a 100th-minute winner and spark the "Soldiers and Sailors" celebrations!

The tie of the round saw AFC Walkers dumped out in a 3-1 scoreline at home to big rivals Hindley Green.

The two Premier Division sides had fought out a goal-less league encounter the previous week but the goals and excitement flowed in the cup meeting.

Dave Rodden gave the visitors a two-goal cushion with strikes either side of half-time. Dave Clayton grabbed a goal back for Walkers on the hour, only for Andy Hudson to apply the sucker punch for Hindley just five minutes from the end.

Ambassadors crashed out in an 8-1 mauling at Hindsford, victims of a Craig Guest hat-trick, double strikes from Danny and Matt Toone and a Lee Thompson goal.

One of the "Comb"s a new boys, Kersal Vale, showed that their rise to the top of Division 1 after only three games is no fluke with a 2-0 home win over British Aerospace. Dean Stott opened the scoring after 21 minutes with substitute Alan Benson compounding the Premier Division side's misery with a second in the next to last minute.

Kersal Lads Club may not have opened their Premier account yet after three games in their first season in the "Comb", but they relished the cup action with a 4-3 win over Walkden AFC, Andy Brooke cracking in a first half hat-trick.

Blackrod Town also crashed out to lower Division opposition in a 4-2 defeat at Little Lever.

Looking to avoid each other in the draw for the 2nd round will be the remaining Premier Division sides: leaders Seedfield Sports, 3-0 victors over Tottington United; unbeaten Atherton C&N, who coasted through a tricky-looking trip to Turton by a comfortable 4-1 margin: Bolton Lads Club 6-1 winners over Div 1 Mitchell Shackleton and Ainsworth who must have had the match official panicking about how many pages were left in his notebook with an amazing 23-1 win over Partridge Thistle! Carl Doulton top scored with nine.

The all Division 1 tie to saw Tyldesley United come out on top in a 4-3 nail-biter at Adlington Athletic. Also catching the eye in the over-turning the form book stakes were 2nd Division Ainsworth Res who banged in five and conceded none at 1st Division Atherton C&N Res.

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