DIVISION One leaders Higher Folds were given a real scare on Saturday in the bid to retain the Leigh League's top title.

Visitors Limelight held the table-toppers at bay in the first half and took the lead through Gary Leatherbarrow five minutes after the interval.

Grit, determination and no small amount of pride saw Fold battle back to level on 65 minutes through Mick Blakeley and with just four minutes remaining Neil Clayton smacked in a winner to ease the jitters and make it six wins on the bounce this term.

The aim for second placed Royal Oak is plain and simple - concentrate on our own game and hope that one of these times the leaders will be unable to pull it round.

Oak did just that at the weekend after going behind at Britannia to a 12th minute John Broli penalty. John France levelled for 1-1 and scored again five minutes from time in a 4-1 victory. Sandwiched in between France's goals Tony Walker had successfully converted two penalties on 45 and 58 minutes.

Joint bottom Astley Villa twice led at home to Moonraker through Andrew Barratt and Matt Willan but fell to a 4-2 defeat as the visitors scored three in the last 25 minutes. Moonraker's scorers were Tony Whittaker, Scott Mulcrow, Steve Anderton and Lee Ellis.

Fellow Division One strugglers Courts A, also with just one point from half a dozen outings, trail Villa with a slightly inferior goal difference after also being on the wrong end of a 4-2 scoreline.

Matt Disley got both Courts goals to double his current season tally but Leigh Sportsmen took all three points through a Gary James hat-trick after Jason Caldwell had got the opener on the 19 minute mark.

Two goals from Shaun Rigby and one from Mick Molyneux saw Union Arms to a 3-1 home win over Church Inn, Mark Spencer netting for the losers. A Greg Anderton hat-trick and two from Mark Tootill saw Three Crowns A to a 5-2 away win at Leigh Avenue. Steve Hewitt and Nick Pilling got the home side's goals.

Early season Division Two leaders Fir Tree Rangers dropped their first points of the season when held to a nailbiting 4-4 home draw by Courts B.

Graham Rigby netted a 10 minute hat-trick before the quarter hour mark for Rangers but unbeaten Courts have real character and battled back with goals from Shaun Priest, two from Mick Thorpe and one from Phil Rothwell to lead 4-3 with 20 minutes left. The leaders, having bagged two goals in the last 10 minutes on Thursday for a 2-0 away win at Asda Golborne, repeated the late, late show with Phil Buxton squaring the scores on 80 minutes for a 16 point total from six played.

Hag Fold took the derby honours on Thursday in a 2-0 away win at Sailors and Soldiers and on Saturday goals from Gavin Sergeant and Paul Hook upset another Atherton side, Royal, in a 2-0 home win to sit second in the table three points behind the leaders but with a game in hand.

Two goals from Carl Stout were little consolation for Mechanics Arms in a 9-2 drubbing at Atherton C&N. Mark Smith led the way for the home side with four goals, Mark Toker bagged two Steve Harris one and arguably the most notable name amongst the scorers was Martin Southern, who unfortunately is a Mechanics Arms player. He also scored twice - in his own net!

Goals from Dave Sizer, Andy Brown and Chris Radcliffe saw Howe Bridge Mills to a 3-2 away win at Horns Inn, Andy Tipping and Paul Walker on the mark for the losers.

With midweek fixtures now out of the way, the identities of the genuine contenders will begin to unfold. Tomorrow, Division One leaders Higher Fold face the rare experience of going into a game second favourites with a tough away assignment at unbeaten Moonraker.

In Division Two, Sir Charles Napier will look to build on Saturday's 9-1 away win with a home game against joint bottom club Horns Inn.