ATHERTON Town maintained their Premier Division title push, moving up to fourth in the table with a 2-0 home victory over Monton Amateurs.

In extending their current unbeaten run to 10 games, the defence of Scott Hodson, Steve Dixon, Phil Reynolds and John Elliott yet again gave nothing away, making it a third consecutive clean sheet, number 12 of the season in 17 league games.

Daniel Christie set Phil Hornby through in the first half to round the keeper and slot home the opener with Dixon stepping forward early after the interval to slam in the second from a near post corner. Midfielder Jonathan Hyde was named Leighton Packing man of the match for the second successive week. Tomorrow Town travel to Dukinfield Town.

Pennington showed their is plenty life left in their season with a 3-2 home win over title chasing East Manchester.

The victory marked an amazing double for Steve Cooney's bottom of the table. Striker Clinton McLoughlin, thankfully back to his best after a long spell out with injury, set up Dave Fashou for the first.

Revelling in the situation Pennington added a second with Fashou again the scorer. The visitors got a goal back from the penalty spot but early in the second half Fashou hit the bar and McLoughlin was on hand to control beat his marker and make it three.

East Manchester piled on the pressure and got a second goal back with a scrambled effort from a third rebound. On 87 minutes the visitors were given a second penalty but Pennington keeper Peter Doohan made sure of a great weekend for the club with a tremendous save.

Player manager Cooney won the Letters Inn man of the match vote as he looks for his side to build on this great result at home to Springhead tomorrow.

Leigh Athletic were overtaken at the top of Division One by tomorrow's opponents at Madeley Park, Whitworth Valley after being held to a third consecutive draw 3-3 away at Tintwistle Villa.

Against a rather physical outfit Andy Pickles side was deservedly 2-1 down at the break after a dour first half performance, Craig Little scoring in the only decent Latics move of the half. The home team went 3-1 up in controversial circumstances as the scorer appeared to handle the ball. Little got Latics' second and Danny Wilson headed in the leveller from a cross by the highly impressive substitute Anthony Walker. Right back Brian Edwards was named as Leigh's man of the match.

"The result was better than the performance," admitted Hindsford manager Peter Barry after his team's 3-1 home win over Manchester Royal.

The introduction of substitute Dan Toone on the hour mark transformed a dour game. Within five minutes Craig Briggs had put Peter Barry Junior through for the fist and on 70 minutes pulled the ball back for Simon Hampson to side-foot the second. The Hindsford "supersub" crossed for cousin Matt Toone to bang in the third left footed. Barry take his team across to Wythenshawe Town tomorrow.