ST HELENS Star Premier Division outfit Rainford North End moved into the semi finals of the Hospital Cup due to a deserved 5-3 success at Sidac Social.

The Division One side, with goals from Carl Pilling (2) and Andy Eaton gave a great account of themselves, but, the heavier guns just prevailed.

Nigel Burke (2), Dave Brewer (2) and Mick Nelson hit the North End goals. They now face Shoe FC in the last four.

The Anchor jump to the top of the St Helens Star Premier Division because of a 2-4 home defeat for Rifle to Pilkington Reserves (Robbie Watson 2 and Kevin Guy 2). A 4-0 away win at Gerard Arms did the trick for The Anchor - Robbie Stroud (2), Mark Kelly and Steve Dearden the goal heroes. Shoe FC levelled points with Rifle following a 5-2 away caning of Prescot BICC Reserves, Paul Piest - a hat-trick, others by Steve Pinder and Gary Finch, Peter Dooley and Mick Yates replying for BICC.

Close behind, and several games in hand due to cup-ties, come Child FC, but, they were made to fight all the way before John Ruddick's two goals just bettered the goal by promising under 18 starlet, Nicky Zacharides.

In Division One, Penlake Juniors stay top but were made to suffer for a depleted team as Child Reserves whipped them 4-0. Alan Hughes and Frank Jeffers hit two goals apiece for Child. Old Congs (Haydock) are still following, neck and neck, both having good wins, Old Congs a narrow 3-2 win at College Street where goals came from Neil Hodgetts and Danny McCarthy. Billinge, with goals from Alan Cross, Andy Rowe and Paul Farrell, had a 3-1 home win over Clock Face Miners Welfare.

Hall Street Union slipped up at the top of Division Two by allowing Sportsmans Athletic further space. They could only manage a 3-3 stalemate at Glassblowers. The Union's goals came from Mark Westhead, Brian Langshaw and Shaun Highton while Alan Hull (2) and Darren Derbyshire scored for the Glassblowers.

All Saturday home clubs are asked to ring in their results this Saturday to Secretary David Watkins by 6pm. Eric Bond will not be available.

Last Sunday in the Premiership - Ex Services (Rainhill) and Owens Corning battled out a 2-2 deadlock and Rose and Crown just edged home 4-3 at Toll Bar.

Penlake Junior players, Anthony Winrow and Anthony Carmichael will be in the Liverpool County FA Youth squad that take on West Riding FA at Leeds in the Northern Counties FA Championship this week-end.

At representative level, the Combinations Open Age outfit, managed by Phil Duffy, travel to Atherton L.R. FC on Tuesday March 2 kick off 7.45 to face Bolton Combination in the last section game of the North West Intermediate League Alliance Championship. They must win this tie if they wish to progress further into the semi-finals. RESULTS

St Helens Star Premier Division: Gerard Arms 0 Anchor FC 4, East Sutton Labour 1 Child FC 2, Engine FC 0 Beeches Reserves 4, Rifle FC 2 Pilkington Reserves 4, Prescot BICC Reserves 2 Shoe FC 5.

Division One: Carborundum 4 Junction FC 0, Billinge 3 Clock Face Miners 1, Child Reserves 4 Penlake Juniors 0, College Street 2 Old Congs (Haydock), Chestnut Lodge 3 Haresfinch Social 2.

Division Two: Glassblowers 3 Hall Street Union 3, Pilkington A 6 Nutgrove FC 4, Trees FC 2 Sportsmans FC 4, Bull and Dog 0 Earlestown (Griffin) 1, Clock Face Miners Reserves 0 Eccleston United 1.

Division Three: Ritherhill 3 Grosvenor Park 1, Rainford North End Reserves 1 Billinge Reserves 4, Cowley Hill Park 2 Broad Oak 3.

Garswood Trophies Hospital Cup quarter-final: Sidac Social 3 Rainford North End 5.

Sunday Premier Division: Ex Services (Rainhill) 2 Owens Corning Ravenhead 2, Toll Bar 3 Rose and Crown 4.

Division One: Hammer 2 Penlake 11, Sutton Heath Panthers 0 Brown Edge 1. FIXTURES

St Helens Star Premier Division: Child FC v Shoe FC (R Mallett), Engine FC v Gerard Arms (R Murray), East Sutton Labour v Prescot BICC Reserves (K Taylor), Rifle FC v Rainford North End (P Sehton), Pilkington Reserves v Anchor (P Hughes).

Division One: Old Congs (Haydock) v Penlake Juniors (J Goodwin), College Street v Billinge (H Ireland), Haresfinch Social v Clock Face Miners (K Sarsfield), Wheatsheaf v Junction FC (R Deakin), Sidac Social v Child Reserves (A Barnes).

Division Two: Earlestown (Griffin) v Sportsmans Athletic (A Burrows), Clock Face Miners Reserves v Glass Blowers (E Johnson), Bull and Dog v Pilkington A (M Hurle), West Bank v Hall Street Union (M Graham), Agrevo v Trees FC (E Baines).

Division Three: Rainford North End v Leach Lane (E Eccles), Cowley Hill Park v Prescot BICC A, Rainford Red Star v East Sutton Labour Reserves R McClintock, Ritherhill V Gerard Arms Reserves (G O'Brien), Broad Oak v Grosvenor Park (T Swift), Billinge Reserves v Bewsey (M Cammack).

Sunday

Liverpool CFA Sunday Intermediate Cup: Gamble v Owens Corning Ravenhead.

Premier Division: East Sutton Labour v Ex Services (Rainhill), Rose and Crown v Oddfellows.

Division One: Athletico Nelson v Hammer, Brown Edge v Victoria (Rainhill), Penlake v Bispham Celtic, Racing Rovers v Sutton Heath Panthers.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.