AT the start of the season it looked as though Carr Mill FC would be odds-on favourites to take the St Helens Star Premier Division title in the St Helens Combination.

But after their 2-1 home defeat by Penlake - their third successive reverse - it looks like they have an uphill task.

Scorers for Penlake were Mark Carrigg and Ant Winrow.

Meanwhile, Barrie Devlin grabbed a hat-trick as Pilkington Reserves claimed a 4-1 home win over Gerard Arms.

And a John Grady goal helped Shoe defeat Child Reserves. Old Congs (Haydock) gained their first points of the season with a 4-0 victory over East Sutton Labour. Scorers were Gary Arnold (2), Paul Hallwood and Keith Barker.

Peter Dooley and John Lawlor hit the goals that earned Prescot Leisure Reserves a home draw with Haresfinch Social.

In Division One Sidac Social beat Junction 3-1 thanks to goals from Carl Pilling, Danny Eaton and Kev Statter.

Gary Farrell (2), Mike Forsyth and Keith Amato scored the goals that gave Billinge a 4-4 draw with Meek FC. Nutgrove's fine run ended with a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Clock Face, despite a goal from Phil Whittred. Eccleston United, with goals from Neil Style and Gary Hughes, just held off a late West Bank rally to win 2-1.

Travellers Rest (Andy Travis and Darren Kinder) went down 5-2 to Chestnut Lodge.

Division Two title chasers Broad Oak demolished Bull and Dog 10-0. Unbeaten Pilkington A were held 1-1, Derek Ellis' goal being cancelled out by a Mike Paladino strike.

Gerard Arms Reserves enjoyed a 3-1 win at Clock Face Reserves (J. Roby).

And goals from Jaundrill (2) and Seery (2) gave Top Nogs the points at Green Dragon. Hardshaw Argyle were beaten 4-3 at home by Carr Mill. Their goals came from Liam McGurk (2) and Neil Connolly.

Carr Mill's scorers were Andy Tilson (3) and Steve Pimblett.

Trees FC beat Leach Lane 8-4 with goals from Seba Doughty (4), Peter Jackson, Neil Chisnall and Mark Greene (2).

Scorers for East Sutton Reserves in their 6-4 over Cowley Hill Park were David Chisnall (4), Anth Johnson and Gary Mitchell.

Eric Bond will now be assisted by former Combination and Prescot Cables stalwart Alan Ward in this season's under 18s quad. They face Bolton Boys Federation in the Lancashire FA Championship.

In the Sunday Division East Sutton Labour and Bispham Celtic shared 14 goals.

York won 3-1 at Bleak Hill Rovers, but Penlake wnet down 3-2 to Rose and Crown. RESULTS

St Helens Star Premier Division: Carr Mill 1 Penlake 2, Pilkington Reserves 4 Gerard Arms 1, Shoe 1 Child Reserves 0, Old Congs 4 East Sutton 0, Rainford North End 1 Carborundum 2, Prescot Leisure 2 Haresfinch 2.

Division One: Sidac 3 Junction 1, Meek 4 Billinge 4, Nutgrove 1 Clock Face 2, Eccleston 2 West Bank 1, Travellers Rest 2 Chestnut Lodge 5.

Division Two: Green Dragon 2 Top Nogs 4, Clock Face Reserves 1 Gerard Arms Reserves 3, Bull and Dog 0 Broad Oak 10, Billinge 1 Pilkington A 1, Bowling Green 1 Kendricks Cross 4.

Division Three: Railway Rangers 2 Bewsey FC 1, Red Star Rainford 0 Rainford North End Reserves 1, Trees FC 8 Leach Lane 4, East Sutton Labour 6 Cowley Hill Park 4, Grosvenor Park 1 College St Helens 6, Hardshaw Argyle 3 Carr Mill Reserves 4.

Sunday Division: Bleak Hill Rovers 1 York 3, East Sutton Labour 7 Bispham Celtic 7, Ex-Services Rainhill 2 Owens Corning 2, Rose and Crown 5 Penlake 2, Sutton Heath Panthers 2 Racing Rovers 3, York Reserves 2 Brown Edge 1. FIXTURES

Hospital Cup round two: Haresfinch v Railway Rangers (J. Rennie), College St Helens v Leach Lane (N. Williams), Old Congs v Prescot Leisure (C. Hulme), Penlake v Grosvenor Park (D. Rose), Chestnut Lodge v Child Reserves (H. Ireland), Nutgrove v Bewsey Athletic (G. Parsonage), Eccleston United v Gerard Arms (J. Goodwin), Rainford North End v Green Dragon (M. Graham), Cowley Hill Park v Carr Mill (M. Cammack), Broad Oak v East Sutton Labour (P. Hughes), Hardshaw Argyle v Earlestown (D. Allen), Red Star Rainford v Bull and Dog (K. Taylor), Bowling Green v Carborundum (E. Johnson), Sportsmans v Clock Face Miners (G. O'Brien), Shoe FC v Junction (A. Burrows), Pilkington Reserves v Sidac (T. Swift).

Rainford Potteries Cup: Billinge Reserves v Rainford North End Reserves (C. Tunstall), Clock Face Reserves v Gerard Arms Reserves (R. Deakin), Pilkington A v East Sutton Reserves (E. Baines).

Sunday Section Hatton Cup: Sutton Heath Panthers v Bleak Hill Rovers (N. Williams), York Reserves v Ex-Services Rainhill (I. Lowe), Racing Rovers v Owens Corning (T. Gorman), Victoria (Rainhill) v Brown Edge (M. Hallwood), Bispham Celtic v East Sutton Labour (K. Birch).

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