THE Leigh League's cup competitions have produced some tremendous excitement this season and last weekend continued in that vein.

Leigh Sportsmen pulled off one of the biggest surprises of the Davenport Cup round two with a 4-1 win at Royal Oak.

Struggling in the league this season, third from bottom of the listing with just two wins in a dozen games, Sportmen looked to be onto a hiding for nothing at the team currently heading the Division One table.

The writing appeared to be on the wall when John France put the home team in front after just two minutes. The underdogs response was swift and incisive.

By the half hour mark Shane Brennan had scored a hat-trick, cancelling out that early lead on four minutes, converting a 15th minute penalty and firing home a third on 25 minutes. Seven minutes before the interval Mark Mather got a fourth to dump one of the tournament hot tips out on their own turf.

That installed Higher Folds as clear favourites for the cup but they had a real tussle to get to round three as the home clash with Moonraker needed extra time to settle the issue.

Three times Fold took the lead through Paul Forshaw, Steve Connor and Steve Critchley and three times the visitors hit back - the marksman on each occasion being Steve Anderton.

The table-toppers kept alive hopes of a league and cup double with extra time goals from Adrian Darwin and Mick Blakeley earning a 5-3 win.

Roger Bond notched a hat-trick in Fir Tree Rangers, 5-3 win at fellow Division Two outfit Sailors and Soldiers. Damien Lowe and Paul Rampling got the other two with Michael McPike (2) and Danny Jackson scoring for the losers.

Mark Broli was another three goal man in Britannia's 8-0 stroll at Union Arms, Chris Mulcahy and Jason Hardman got two and Dave Bullough one. Also celebrating a hat-trick was Andy Pennington of Sir Charles Napier in a 4-1 victory at Atherton Royals, Gary Simpson having paved the way with the first on 10 minutes and Rob Houghton the consolation scorer for the beaten home side.

In the Sharman Cup quarter-final a double blast from Anthony Davey, one on the hour and the second in the last minute, gave Courts B a 2-0 away win at Asda Golborne.

In Division One, Astley Villa remain bottom of the table after a 5-2 home defeat by Limelight. Wesley Walker got both for Villa but strikes from Harry Paddock, Dale Evans, Matt Pollard, John Walters and Chris Sutton gave the Tyldesley outfit victory. Three Crowns A went second in the table with a 3-1 win at Church Inn, goals coming from Greg Anderson, Mark Saunders and Neil Unsworth with David Morrison getting Church on the scoresheet 10 minutes from time.

Atherton C&N moved four points clear at the top of Division Two with a 6-2 victory at Mechanics Arms courtesy of strikes from Ryan Shaw (3), Mick Langin (2) and Mark Toker. Stuart O'Neill and Anthony Kedward scored for Mechanics.

Breathing hard down the necks of the current leaders in second place are Hag Fold Working Mens Club, four points adrift and still with two games in hand following a 4-2 victory at Horns Inn. Scorers for the Atherton outfit were Paul Hook, Gary Farnworth, John Hall and Brian Hupton with Andy Tipping and Aiden Lavery on the mark for the home team.