THE hotshots of Higher Fold Village Inn almost missed their chance. A series of misses in their Leigh & District Amateur Football League Coronation Cup semi-final with Atherton C&N kept it tight right. But Higher Fold held their nerve to win 3-2 win and now face Union Arms in the final at Atherton Colls on March 10.

Steven Ashbrook gave them the lead against C&N, but they should have wrapped it up with Geoff Myers, Mick Blakeley and Neil Clayton all missing gilt-edged opportunities. Johnathan Woods equalised with the goal of the game, a looping shot from 20 yards, but hopes died as Gareth Hughes and Clayton hit the target before Bob Menzies pulled one back.

In the first round of the Davenport Cup David Calland knocked the heart out of Rileys. His terrific treble for Mechanics Arms A earned the side a 10-2 first round win. The goals poured in from Mark Ternewski, Kevin Loughlan, Tony Halliwell, Paul Cottrell, Mark McHugh, Francis Cottrell plus a Duncan Flynn og, while Rileys scored via Lee Helme (penalty) and James Davies.

Davenport Cup, 1st round: Howe Bridge Mills 2 Mechanics Arms B 3, AFC Limelight 1 Queens 2, Courts 5 Brewery Inn 3 (aet), Lowton Rovers 2 Atherton C&N 3, Atherton Royal 0 Ross's Wanderers 2, Sportsman 1 Leigh Phoenix 3.

Sharman Cup: Courts 0 Britannia 5.

Division One: Higher Fold Village Inn 3 Union Arms 2, Bowling Green Eagles 2 Hag Fold WMC 2, Queens 2 Leigh Phoenix 2, Lowton Rovers 0 Mechanics Arms A 5.

Division Two: Britannia 2 Sir Charles Napier 2, Leigh Avenue 3 New Inn Rangers 1, Sir Charles Napier 3 Atherton Royal 1, Sportsman 0 Leigh Arms 0, Leigh Avenue 2 Howe Bridge Mills Res 1.

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