DARWEN Subs scraped a narrow six chalk victory over local rivals East Lancs to maintain the pressure on their rivals for this season's championship.

Blackburn have shown some early form and ran the visitors close, not only in chalks but points as well, losing 8-6. Wilson's 21-13 for East Lancs wasn't quite enough and Bentley 21-11, and Oakland 21-9 for the Subs did enough to gain the two extra points.

Globe gained a useful win at in-form Turton 8-6 with John Mort and Alan Topham both recording 21-11 wins for the villagers.

Graham Wood 21-7 was the best for the Globe and yet again show that they are not going to give up their title easily.

R Utility got off the mark with a fine 10-4 win over Colne Legion. Cordey and Simpson both ran up 21-5 wins.

Colne's other club the Cricketers ran in yet another important victory over Greenhill 12-2. Cullen's 21-20 win for Greenhill saved the whitewash, but with another impressive performance from Graham Shuttleworth 21-5 the Colne outfit are in a constant vein of form which those similar title ambitions must be aware of.

Bar Lane suffered their first setback and the lead to Colne Cricket with a surprising 10-4 defeat at St Andrew's, Burnley. Mc Mclain's's 21-7 was the best for the Saints with Albert Starkie beating Peter Harrison 21-11, usually a home banker for the Bolton outfit.

Graham Shuttleworth of Colne Cricket heads the North West Fire Protection Merit League on 56 points with John Bentley of Darwen Subs second on 42.

Fixtures for weekend -- Lancashire Evening Telegraph Cup semi-finals: Colne British Legion v Darwen Subs; Colne Cricket v Turton. To be played at the Globe, Accrington, 11am start.

TABLE

P W L D Pts

Colne Crick... 5 4 1 0 50

Bar Lane... 5 4 1 0 46

Globe... 5 3 1 1 45

Darwen Subs... 5 4 1 0 44

E Lancs... 5 2 3 0 36

St Andrew's... 5 2 2 1 33

Turton... 5 2 3 0 32

Colne BL... 5 2 3 0 24

Greenhill... 5 1 4 0 20

R Utility... 5 1 4 0 20