TWO victories in seven days, 3-2 at home over fellow title contenders East Manchester last Saturday and 2-1 to Elton Fold on Tuesday, have moved Atherton Town moved to within one point of Premier Division leaders Wythenshawe Amateurs with a game in hand.

Town are now unbeaten in 15 games but it was a close run thing in both these latest wins.

Last Saturday the first 25 minutes saw Shaun Lynch's side demolish an East Manchester outfit which still has enough games in hand to be in with a realistic Championship shout. Phil Hornby produced the pass of the season to set up strike partner Daniel Christie for the first with the roles reversed just moments later for the second.

On the 20 minute mark influential midfielder Barry Atkins set Hornby away again but the quicksilver forward was scythed down as he bore down on goal. Not to be denied he made the visitors pay with a converted penalty for his second of the game. Town having conceded a goal right on the stroke of half time had to sweat out the last 10 minutes when East Manchester scored a second but in the end it was a well deserved victory. Two-goal Hornby was named as Leighton Packaging man of the match.

On Tuesday missed chances nearly cost Town dear but the two from Daniel Christie and Neil Lewis put paid to Elton Fold. Tomorrow Town are at home again to Failsworth Town while relegation threatened Pennington entertain Prestwich Heys.

Hindsford also did what they had to do in the Division One title chase with two wins in a week, 3-1 away win at Old Alts at the weekend and on Tuesday a Dan Toone header from a Darren Briggs corner on 87 minutes earned a 1-0 victory at Whalley Range.

Last Saturday Peter Barry's side was always in control of the game without ever hitting top gear. The opening goal came on the 20 minute mark when Stuart Lomax fired an inch-perfect left foot strike into the bottom corner from a free kick just outside the box.

The home side levelled on 35 minutes and Barry made a tactical switch to up the tempo for his side.

It worked, as 10 minutes into the second period Lomax repeated his spot kick party piece and Darren Briggs killed the game off with a quite sensational third goal. Picking the ball up some 45 yards out the midfielder ran at the Altrincham defence striding through challenges before smacking a beauty into the top corner. Two-goal team skipper Lomax was Barry's selection as man of the match.

The midweek game was another tough encounter as Barry explains: "The pitch was absolutely horrendous but we still managed to play some nice football at times. The three points was what we wanted and we got them."

It was a week of mixed fortunes for Leigh Athletic. Last Saturday they blew a place in the final of the Murray Shield with a 6-4 extra time home defeat last four by Division One form team of the moment New Mills.

Despite having the better of opening exchanges Andy Pickles' Latics side was two goals adrift by the quarter hour mark both conceded to set pieces. Ironically by the interval Leigh led 3-2 with the trio of goals all coming from corners, Gordon Walker netting twice and Danny Wilson once.

With the second period not 60 seconds old it was 4-2 as Brendan Smith scored but with 20 minutes to go the Derbyshire outfit got a goal back and levelled five minutes from the end of normal time. Two goals in the first period of extra time sealed the victory for New Mills.

Latics team boss Pickles said: "Having recovered to go 4-2 up we should certainly have gone on and won it. We let them back in and it was very disappointing to see that happen."

On Tuesday night however Pickles, side regained the Division One top spot with a 2-0 away win at Ashton Athletic. Tomorrow Latics travel to Whalley Range while Hindsford are at home to Breightmet United (ko 2.30pm).