Top flight leaders Shaw pegged back by gutsy Vics

After a two-week festive break, the Lancashire & Cheshire Amateur Football League was aiming to get back on track for a busy second half to the season with a full programme of league and outside cup competitions.

Some heavy rain in the week before the football kicked off put many games in doubt, but some innovative work by clubs, backed by league committee support, enabled the bulk of the games to go ahead.

The Premier Division saw the enthralling title race hotting up with three top fixtures.

Current leaders Shaw Athletic were in a tricky game against a talented young Salford Vics side at the excellent facilities at Salford Sports Village.

They looked to be heading for a vital win when Clayton Palmer forced home a corner on 20 minutes.

But Vics showed great resolve and came back to equalise and earn a valuable point.

The two points dropped by Shaw gave the chasing pack to close the gap with games in hand, and North Walkden were in a tense local derby at Irlam Steel Rangers who have a massive backlog of games to catch up on.

Rangers showed their steel and intent with a 4-2 win which dropped North into third place in the table and boosted their own chance of joining the title race.

Moston Brook have been in the mix all season and they moved into second spot with a gritty 2-1 win over a resilient Milton.

They are three points behind Shaw with a crucial four games in hand.

In Division One, Chadderton Park are title favourites with an unbeaten record and four games in hand over non-playing leaders High Lane.

They put on a very efficient display in a comfortable 5-2 win over Elton Lib Hargreaves to close the gap on High Lane to a point with four games in hand.

Bedians kept in the promotion race with a gritty 2-1 win at Salford Albion.

Division Three leaders Dukinfield Athletic were in cup action and local rivals Staly Lions closed the gap at the top to four points with a 5-0 cruise at Old Strets reserves.

Heaton Mersey had one of their best results of the season as they kept a clean sheet at free-scoring Santos and netted three times.

Saddleworth 3D moved into the promotion hunt with a 6-1 win over Moston Brook thirds, with Cav Purtill (two) and Zack Barton providing the bulk of the goals.

There were goals galore at Badger Casuals as they won a 6-4 thriller hosting Bury Ams reserves.

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