St Helens Town 3 Ossett Town 1

(FA Vase 1st round) Great Harwood 1

St Helens Town 1

(FA Cup qualifier) THIS Saturday Town break new ground at senior level when the travel to Ramsbottom United for what will be the novelty of a league fixture having been tied up with cup football over the past three weeks.

A fine display and result a week ago under the Hoghton Road floodlights saw Ossett Town dispatched from the FA Vase. But it was not without a fight as the Yorkshiremen gave Town their sternest examination to date.

Although Pennington hit the Ossett bar with a lobbed header the visitors were good value for their 39th minute lead secured by left-back Gareth Dodd who benefited from successive errors by Walmesley and 'keeper Allison.

It was now 'character' time for the locals who found themselves trailing for the first time this season and they responded magnificently to level on 44 minutes when Hill's low cross was turned in by Steven Pennington. This swung the balance and Ossett's defensive assuredness had gone enabling Town to deliver the ko blow with two goals in rapid time when firstly Pennington glanced a header inside the far post from Gwyther's right-wing cross then two minutes later a carbon copy goal provided Paul Gwyther's first goal for the club. This result now sends Town on the road to Lincoln to face Nettleham in round two of the Carlsberg sponsored Vase.

On Saturday it was Littlewoods who provided the competition sponsorship in the FA Cup as Town travelled to Great Harwood where a below-par cup tie ensued due to a ruinous wind. Town were indebted to the salvation of skipper Gary Lowe's 89th minute equaliser but had he not done so a grave injustice would have been done but frankly neither side did enough to merit victory.

Facing the wind first, Town had a let-off in the third minute when Cordingley's blast hit the post before Walmesley did likewise at the other end following a fine solo run. Town's Phoenix also had a header hooked off the line by Clarkson following a corner kick while Pennington was denied his 11th goal of the season when the advancing keeper Barton got the slightest of deflections following a rash back pass.

Great Harwood's long ball tactic using the pace of Brown produced a couple of half-chances but Lynch's finishing was high, wide and not very handsome.

After the break it appeared all Town needed was patience with Gwyther side-footing over from Walker's cross then Gilmore's down wind drive was capably held by Barton. As an attacking force little was seen of the 'Unibond' hosts thanks to Lowe, Kirwan and Williams at the heart of the St Helens defence but with Town's big guns not firing, a stalemate ensued before Great Harwood delivered a shock out of nothing. With 12 minutes left, the wind held up a hopeful punt enabling Paul Baker to race clear and lob the hosts ahead and from controlling the whole match Town found themselves staring defeat in the face and with it, elimination from the FA Cup.

This would have been the outcome had keeper Mike Allison not produced a fine save from Clarkson's free-kick but as the blue St Helens shirts piled forward justice was done when Phoenix's low cross caused a scramble and Lowe forced the ball over the line despite keeper Barton's 'clear back'.

Last night's (Wednesday) replay decided who now travels to County Durham to face Ryhope in the second qualifying round.

Kick off at Ramsbottom is at 2pm (coach 12.45pm).

Lottery numbers 1,2,5,7,10,11. No winners. Next week's prize is £1225.

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