THE St Helens Combination's under 18 side were left to reflect on a catalogue of missed chances in their Liverpool CFA Inter-League tie against Southport and District at Edgehill College, Ormskirk on Saturday.

Leading after 18 minutes with a penalty by Carl Baker (Child FC), things looked rosy for the St Helens lads. And it looked like a second semi-final spot for them, but the promised goals failed to materialise.

And on the half-hour, Southport equalised with a well taken half-chance. The Combination continued to miss golden opportunities and slack defensive work allowed Southport a free header to take a 2-1 advantage.

Although team changes put more bite into the attack the second period followed a similar pattern to the first with St Helens well on top until the final whistle. The man of the match for St Helens was Steve Latham (Child FC) and other good efforts of note came from Paul Oakes (Gerard Arms) and Nicky Zacharides (East Sutton Labour). Meanwhile Sunday Division games included a thrashing of Brown Edge, 7-0 by the still 100 per cent Rose and Crown outfit. York had a convincing 5-3 away win at Owens Corning, but, Bispham Celtic came unstuck losing 4-2 at Penlake. Ex Services (Rainhill) beat Racing Rovers 6-2 while East Sutton Labour ran out 3-1 victors over Sutton Heath Panthers. Bleak Hill Rovers had to battle all the way for a 3-2 home win over Victoria Rainhill.

In Saturday's Combination, College (St Helens) are making a name for themselves in Division Three. A 7-1 thrashing of Cowley Hill Park being their latest win - Eddie Furlong rattled in four more goals and he was assisted by goals from Woodcroft, Holmes and Stevens. East Sutton Labour's second string whipped Red Star (Rainford) 8-0 and the Combination would like to send their best wishes for a speedy recovery to Mrs Sheila Rigby, The Red Star Secretary who is at present in Hospital.

Carr Mill Reserves have to thank Chris Pimblett (3), and Mike Feeney (2) for hitting their goals in a 5-0 win at Leach Lane. Neil Ody was again on target to present Trees FC with full points in a 1-0 win at Bewsey Athletic. Grosvenor Park had a commendable 0-0 draw at Railway Rangers.

In the St Helens Star Premier Division Robbie Stroud's hat-trick helped in a 6-2 home win for Carr Mill over Rainford North End. Pilkington Reserves (Barrie Devlin) went under 1-2 to Old Congs with Keith Barker and Andy Mitchell replying. Frank Jeffers (3) and Alan Hughes were on target for Child Reserves - 4-2 winners over Haresfinch Social, but Gerard Arms made hard work of a 2-1 home win over Prescot Leisure Reserves.

In Division One the Meek versus Nutgrove battle was abandoned late on with Nutgrove 8-0 up. Clock Face Miners Welfare worked hard for a 5-2 home win over West Bank but Billinge (Douglas, Wiggins, Cross) went down 3-4 at home to Travellers Rest for whom Aspey (2), Travis and Griffiths scored. Dave Jacks (2) and Dave Feeney found the net for Junction in beating Sporstmans Athletic 3-2. Clock Face Miners Welfare Reserves stay on top of Division Two following their 2-1 away win at Top Nogs - Dave Appleton scoring the homesters goal. Into second spot slip Earlestown (Wellington) after a 2-0 home win over Bull and Dog, but Broad Oak's challenge was dented by Pilkington 'A' who held them to a 1-1 stalemate, also the same scoreline was fought out between Gerard Arms Reserves and Kendricks Cross. RESULTS

St Helens Star Premier Division: Carr Mill FC 6 Rainford North End 2, Pilkington Reserves 1 Old Congs 2, Child Reserves 4 Haresfinch Social 2, Gerard Arms 2 Prescot Leisure 1.

Division One: Meek FC 0 Nutgrove 8, Clock Face Miners 5 West Bank 2, Billinge FC 3 Travellers Rest 4, Junction 3 Sportsmans 2.

Division Two: Green Dragon 2 Billinge Reserves 3, Earlestown 2 Bull and Dog 0, Broad Oak 1 Pilkington A 1, Gerard Reserves 1 Kendricks Cross 1, Top Nogs 1 Clock Face Reserves 2.

Division Three: Railway Rangers 0 Grosvenor Park 0, Red Star Rainford 0 East Sutton Reserves 8, Cowley Hill Park 1 College St Helens 7, Leach Lane 0 Carr Mill Reserves 5, Bewsey FC 0 Trees FC 1.

Liverpool CFA under 18 Inter-League Round One: Southport and District League 2 St Helens Combination 1.

Sunday Division: Black Hill Rovers 3 Victoria Rainhill 2, East Sutton Labour 3 St Helens Panthers 1, Ex Services Rainhill 6 Racing Rovers 2, Owens Corning 3 York 5, Penlake 4 Bispham Celtic 2, Rose and Crown 7 Brown Edge 0.

St Helens Star Premier Division: Old Congs (Haydock) v Shoe FC, Rainford North End v Pilkington Reserves, Prescot Leisure Reserves v Carr Mill, Haresfinch Social v Gerard Arms, Carborundum v Child Reserves.

Division One: Nutgrove v Sportsmans FC, Eccleston United v Meek FC, Travellers Rest v Sidac Social, Chestnut Lodge v Billinge, Clock Face Miners v Junction FC.

Division Two: Bull and Dog v Clock Face Miners Reserves, Billinge Reserves v Earlestown (Wellington), Bowling Green v Green Dragon (Sutton Manor), Pilkington A v Gerard Arms Reserves, Broad Oak v Top Nogs FC.

Division Three: East Sutton Labour Reserves v Trees FC, Grosvenor Park v Rainford Red Star, Hardshaw Argyle v Railway Rangers, Carr Mill Reserves v Rainford North End Reserves, College of St Helens v Leach Lane, Cowley Hill Park v Bewsey FC.

Lancashire FC under 18 Inter league semi final: St Helens Combination v Preston and District League.

Sunday Division: Bispham Celtic v Owens Corning, Brown Edge v Penlake, Racing Rovers v Rose & Crown, Sutton Heath Panthers v Bleak Hill Rovers, Victoria Rainhill v Ex Services Rainhill, York Reserves v East Sutton Labour.

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