FLIXTON CC and Ramsbottom A are neck and neck in the Premier Division, both on 40 points, after maintaining their winning start to the season.

Ramsbottom scored maximum points against their C team while Flixton ran out 6-3 winners against Ramsbottom B – a win that featured three wins by Top Ten leader John Hilton, two by Phil Biggs and one by Phil Bowen.

New signing Paul Ciccelli won two for the losers and Brain Clements one.

Radcliffe’s Rob Hall was unbeaten against Burning Desire but his team only fielded two players and as a consequence lost 5-4.

Bob Jackson and Glenn Payne both trebled for Wharton in their 8-1 victory at Ramsbottom D.

Little Lever A won by a similar score at Ladybridge with trebles by Graham Jeffries and Ron Durose.

Hilton A won 5-4 at St Catherine’s A with three players recording two wins.

Division Two leaders Nomads B scraped a 5-4 victory over Little Lever B while Heaton A, in second spot, closed the gap to one point after their 8-1 victory over Coburg. For Nomads, Andy Kaye and Brett Haslam won two apiece and Frederic Turban one, with Ian Lansdale unbeaten for Little Lever.

Heaton A’s Paul Ward and Paul Mort both trebled.

Ken Connor scored three wins and Chris Naylor and Steve Jones two apiece to give Hilton C their 7-2 victory over Meadow Bank whose Mike Brierley won two.

Nomads C won 7-2 at Heaton B with three wins by Derek Watmough and two each by Keith Dale and Martin Howarth, Duncan Kay won the two Heaton sets.

Nomads A won 6-3 at Hilton B with three wins by Dennis Collier.

Top Division Two team Farnworth TTC A consolidated their position with an 8-1 win over Hilton D which featured three wins by Craig Johnson and Graham Clayborough.

Both St Catherine’s B and Heaton C, who share second place, recorded 7-2 wins. St Cath’s, who have a match in hand, won at Hilton F with three wins by Paulina Orzechowska and two apiece by Beth Farnworth and Krishna Chauhan. Heaton C’s win over Ladybridge B featured a treble by Paul McCormick and doubles by Frank Green and Steve Woods.

John Dodd and Mike Heaton were unbeaten for Meadow BEN A who beat Heaton D 7-2, as was Sam Evans for Farnworth TTC B who scraped a 5-4 win against Hilton G. Three wins by Alan Lansdale and two by Keith Mills gave Little Lever C their 5-4 win over Hilton E.

In a tight situation at the top of Division Three, only six points separate the four top teams. Current leaders Meadow BEN B won 5-4 at Hilton H who are fourth in the table. Brian Hall was unbeaten for Hilton.

St Paul’s Peel A are in second spot and their trio, Gill Marsden, Mick Murray and Geoff Rushton, scored maximum points at Ladybridge C while Hilton J, in third place, beat Boyzone 7-2 with three wins by Rovimil Dato and Graham Wilson.

Richard Whittleworth was unbeaten for Walkden Meths who won 7-2 at Meadow Hill and, in Farnworth TTC C team’s 6-3 win at Farnworth SC, four players scored two wins.

Heaton E march on at the top of Division Four and are now 10 points clear of St Catherine’s C following their 7-2 win at Hilton K. The victory featured three wins by Dave Jones and two apiece by Geoff Harris and Phil Beales.

St Cath’s lost a close match with third-placed