THE much-delayed Hospital Cup 3rd round clash between Pilkington A and Hammer finally got underway on a heavy pitch at Ruskin, with Pilks winning 4-1 thanks to goals from Andy Smith, Barrie Devlin, Joe Hand and Dave Cottington.

At Premier Division level, three matches were unplayed, the sad note being the failure of the once-formidable Carr Mill outfit to turn up for their game at Old Congs (Haydock).

Among the surviving fixtures, Gerard Arms, (L. Murphy, Clancy, Ledger and Cregan) had a 4-1 home win over neighbours Eccleston United, Rainford North End went down 2-1 to Penlake Juniors, and College St Helens hammered East Sutton Labour 6-1 with Chris Jones getting the losers' consolation effort.

In Division One, Earlestown just edged out Billinge Reserves 4-3 with goals from Seba Doughty (2), Lee Marsden and Martin Edwards, the Billinge scorers being Dave Johnson, Gary Derbyshire and Barry Kenyon. Cowley Hill Park custodian Nicky Flack had a blinder but could not prevent Rifle winning 3-0. Wilde (2), Marsh, Dollard and Beesley grabbed the goals to give the Gerard Arms second string a 5-2 home win over struggling Broad Oak. Prescot Leisure Reserves were held 1-1 at home by Travellers Rest, Steve Booth saving the day for Prescot. League leaders Clock Face Miners Welfare went further ahead with a 6-1 win at Nogs Head (Jackson).

In Division Two Grosvenor Park kept up their championship drive with a 7-1 drubbing of Owls Nest, Mike Hoskyn, Tony Edge and Ben Walker all grabbing doubles with Micky Caine adding the other. Clock Face Miners Welfare Reserves came good with goals from Glover (3), Kris Eccleston and Rattigan giving them a 5-2 home win over Bold Miners.

In the Sunday Division, the Deaf Sports and Social club could not muster a side to fulfil their away game at Penlake. But the result of the day was undoubtedly the away 7-3 win for East Sutton Labour at Bleak Hill Rovers. East Sutton's goals were scored by Paul Houghton (2), Kevin Leyland, Colin Worrall, Ian Roach and Chris Jones (2). Bobbies Lane did well with a 2-1 home win over Sutton Heath Panthers.

Rose and Crown, at long last getting a game played, rose to the occasion to beat Ex Services United 4-2 away, while York just scraped home with a 4-3 beating of Bold Miners.

Ground difficulties are proving a stumbling block for the Combination's under-18 outfit as they await to sort out the Liverpool CFA Interleague semi-final against West Derby, while the open-age Inter League Alliance game at Warrington, is now scheduled to go ahead on Tuesday, February 27, again at Victoria Park, kick-off 7.45pm. No date or opponent has yet been decided for the under 18s Lancashire FA Inter League Final. RESULTS

Star Premier Division: Gerard Arms 4 Eccleston 1, Rainford North End 1 Penlake 2, East Sutton 1 College St Helens 6.

Division One: Nogs Head 1 Clock Face 6, Earlestown 4 Billinge Reserves 3, Cowley Hill Park 0 Rifle 3, Gerard Arms Reserves 5 Broad Oak 2, Prescot Leisure Reserves 1 Travellers Rest 1.

Division Two: Clock Face Reserves 5 Bold Miners 3, Owls Nest 1 Grosvenor Park 7.

Garswood Trophies Hospital Cup 3rd round: Pilkington A 4 Hammer 1.

Sunday Division: Bleak Hill Rovers 3 East Sutton Labour 7, Bobbies Lane 2 Sutton Heath Panthers 1, Ex Services United 2 Rose and Crown 4, York 4 Bold Miners 3.

FIXTURES

Saturday, February 17

Star Premier Division: Eccleston United v Junction (G. Barker), Penlake v East Sutton (J. Goodwin), Old Congs v Sidac Social (K. Shields), Carr Mill v Nutgrove (H. Ireland), College St Helens v Gerard Arms (D. Deluce), Shoe v Billinge (B. Dixon).

Division One: Clock Face v Carborundum (W. Carlton), Billinge Reserves v Hardshaw Argyle (H. Nulty), Sportsmans v Gerard Arms Reserves (G. Parsonage), Rifle v Hammer (G. O'Brien), Nogs Head v Cowley Hill Park (S. Halligan), Broad Oak v Prescot Leisure Reserves (M. Hallwood)

Division Two: Bowling Green v Clock Face Reserves (D. Harding), Pilkington A v Leach Lane (D. Pilkington), Grosvenor Park v Cowley Hill Reserves (L. Eaton), Owls Nest v Ramford Rangers (K. Quinn).

Hospital Cup 4th round, kick-off 2.15pm: Rainford North End v Earlestown (R. Deakin).

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