FOLLOWING a Liverpool County FA ruling that the Combination under 18 side should travel to play their CFA Inter League semi-final on their opponents ground, West Derby JFL, after the initial fixture at Ruskin Drive was called off, the St Helens outfit saved their worst exhibition for several years for the second half of this game.

Although it was apparent from the kick-off that the Combination were playing at last 50 per cent below their usual form, they went in 3-1 up through a Matty Innes penalty and two fine goals from Graham Billinge.

After the interval though it turned out to be a total nightmare as commitment went haywire with only perhaps David Oakes and Martin Bromiley showing any signs of really wanting to win the game.

Goalkeeper Ian Nicholson had to make countless fine saves, including a needlessly given away penalty, and it was no wonder the home officials and spectators gave him an ovation at the end.

Admittedly, several top players were missing but the talent that saw off Wigan, Bolton and South Lancs should still have beaten this West Derby side, an under-17s outfit who were only in the competition on a legality after being eliminated in an early round.

There is now plenty of hard work to be done to get the squad back on track if they want to succeed against more formidable opposition in their Lancashire FA Final.

In Saturday's Hospital Cup semi-finals, Premier Division clubs came through without any problem. College St Helens had the harder task before gradually wearing down Pilkingtons A as goals from Tommy Brogan (2) and Jason Minnott saw the students through 3-0. Division One Earlestown, having one of their best seasons, went down to Shoe FC 5-1.

In a Rainford Potteries Cup semi-final, Billinge Reserves (Johnson, P. Farrell, Wiggins) just got the better of Cowley Hill Park Reserves (Smith, Slater) 3-2.

Meanwhile, in Premiership matches, a hat-trick from Guy Fairhurst, two from Keith Barker and the rest from Harris, Arnold and Hill gave Old Congs an 8-2 windfall over Rainford North End, but Junction again struggled as they were hammered down 9-2 at home by Sidac Social. Neil Whittle was the lone scorer for Penlake Juniors in their 2-1defeat at home to Gerard Arms, while Gavin Scott hit all three goals for Eccleston United in a 3-0 home beating of East Sutton.

In Division One, Carborundum went down 2-1 at home to Travellers Rest, Dave Caldwell again netting for Carbo, while Prescot Leisure Reserves were over-run 5-2 at home by Hardshaw Argyle. Broad Oak, slowly coming back to steadiness, scored through Dean Abbott (2), Gary Taylor and Ian Hunt, but they were overhauled and beaten 6-4 by Nogs Head, (Aidie Burton (2), Glen Howard, Peter Jackson (2) and Gary Ellis). Paul Norman (2), Steve Dearden and Martin Leigh got on the sheet for Sportsmans in their 4-2 home win over Hammer, but Rifle met their match at Clock Face Miners Welfare, losing 4-2 to goals from Brian King, Paul Eccleston, John Roly and Lee Hollinghurst.

Bull and Dog lost their chance of going top of Division Two with only a last-gasp equaliser giving them a 3-3 draw at Owls Nest. Bowling Green (McCullogh, Garvey (2) and Bingley) won 4-2 at Bold Miners who replied through Rich Hunter and John Ody. Grosvenor Park keep in touch with the leaders after a clear-cut 3-0 away success at North End Reserves, but Leach Lane, after good goals from Steve Campion and Steve Bennet, went under to a Mark Gavin hat-trick for Clock Face Miners Reserves.

The Sunday games that took place were a 3-2 away win for York at Penlake, Owens Corning's 12-0 win at Deaf Sports and Social Club and a 7-0 thrashing of Bobbies Lane at Sutton Heath Panthers.

Combination youngsters, Matty Innes, David McNabb and Danny Leyland were in the Liverpool CFA Youth side, managed for the game by the Combination's Eric Bond, that defeated Lancashire CFA in the final game in the Northern Counties Youth Championship last Thursday evening at the County Ground, Walton. RESULTS

Hospital Cup semi-finals: College St Helens 3 Pilks A 0, Earlestown 1 Shoe 5.

Rainford Potteries Cup semi-final: Cowley Hill Reserves 2 Billinge Reserves 3.

Premier Division: Old Congs (Haydock) 8 Rainford North End 2, Junction 2 Sidac Social 9, Penlake 1 Gerard Arms 2, Eccleston United 3 East Sutton 0.

Division One: Carborundum 1 Travellers Rest 2, Prescot Leisure Reserves 2 Hardshaw Argyle 5, Broad Oak 4 Nogs Head 6, Sportsmans 4 Hammer 2, Clock Face 4 Rifle 2.

Division Two: Owls Nest 3 Bull and Dog 3, Bold Miners 2 Bowling Green 4, Rainford North End Reserves 0 Grosvenor Park 3, Leach Lane 2 Clock Face Reserves 3.

Liverpool CFA Under 18 Inter League: St Helens Combination 3 West Derby JFL 5.

Sunday Division: Penlake 2 York 3, Deaf Sports and Social 0 Owens Corning 12, Sutton Heath Panthers 7 Bobbies Lane 0.

FIXTURES

Saturday, March 10

D H Griffiths Cup, 1st round: Shoe v Penlake (R. Deakin), College St Helens v Gerard Arms (J. Goodwin), Old Congs v Billinge (C. Tunstall), Nutgrove v Earlestown (W. Carlton), Carr Mill v East Sutton (S. Halligan), Clock Face v Rainford North End (M. Graham), Sidac Social v Junction (M. Hallwood), Eccleston v Rifle (H. Nulty).

Tom Worrall Cup, 1st round: Broad Oak v Travellers Rest (G. O'Brien), Owls Nest v Clock Face Reserves (P. Parr), Leach Lane v Pilkington A (M. Cammack), Prescot Leisure Reserves v Hardshaw Argyle (G. Parsonage), Bull and Dog v Ramford Rangers (L. Smith), Bold Miners v Billinge Reserves (N. Hanmer).

Division One: Nogs Head v Sportsmans (C. Hale), Gerard Arms Reserves v Hammer (D. Allen), Carborundum v Cowley Hill Park (D.Pilkington).

Sunday, March 11

Sunday Division: Owens Corning v Ex-Services United, Bleak Hill Rovers v Sutton Heath Panthers, Deaf Sports and Social v Bold Miners, Penlake v Rose and Crown.