PREMIER Division Cartmel, many times winners of the North Lancashire League's Adam and Gaskell Senior Challenge Cup, were booted out of the fourth round by Halton Rangers, from Division Two.

In this shock result of the day, Halton made a slow start but still took an early lead through a good goal by young Liam Jeffries.

Cartmel piled on pressure but could not break down Halton's solid defence.

As the game wore on it looked as though Halton Rangers would hang on, but Cartmel realised the game was slipping away and threw caution to the wind.

On the hour Tim Brookes finally eased Cartmel's worries when he forced home an equaliser.

In extra time both defences held firm, which brought the dreaded penalty shoot-out in which Halton triumphed 4-2.

Battling Division Four side Bolton-le-Sands gave their Division One Morecambe Royals Reserves a harder game than they expected in a Squires/Fisher/Howson Cup second-round match.

Royals found the net three times, while Dale Shinwell scored a consolation for Sands Reserves.

Swarthmoor Reserves also put up a good fight before losing 2-1 to Slyne-Hest Reserves. Slyne started better and took the lead after 15 minutes. Swarthmoor battled back to hold Slyne to a single goal at half time, but a two-goal cushion eventually came. Never giving up, Swarthmoor hopes rose when Jamie Donald scored a good goal, but it was too little, too late.

In a third-round game Cartmel Reserves, from Division One, had little trouble beating Division Three's Boys Club Reserves 4-0.

Man of the match was newcomer Richard Kiljn, who scored two impressive goals and had a hand in another.

Kiljn will be attending Lilleshall next week as a trialist for the England Learning Disabilities squad.

Paul Airey scored his usual goal, with strike partner Lee Tracy adding the fourth.

This win puts Cartmel into the semi-finals, where they will be at home to the winners of the Kirkby Lonsdale Rangers and Slyne-Hest Reserves game.

Premier Division...

EARLY season championship favourites Marsh United appear to be losing players each week to Lancaster City, one of their main strikers Lee Sparks the latest to depart to Giant Axe.

As a result Marsh are starting to struggle against the better teams. Against Morecambe Royals they had most of the play but missed Sparks, who always had an eye for goals. A goalless draw dropped them down one place to fourth as Storeys, their main rivals for the title, won again.

Ingleton and TIC Dynamos seemed uninspired with neither side capable of lighting up a dour game.

After 35 minutes Dynamos broke the deadlock when Paul Sawley beat Kellett in Ingleton's goal to give his side a 1-0 half time lead.

On the hour Ingleton got a stroke of luck when Chris Bibby's terrific shot hit the bar and dropped to Jack Bland, who struck the equaliser.

Ingleton at last showed some form and went all-out for the winner, but Dynamos held out for a point after some last-ditch defending.

Division One...

LEADERS Carnforth Rangers were surprised at the way Ingleton Reserves played in the first half, but an early second half goal saw the Ingleton heads drop.

Carnforth then showed why they are firm favourites for promotion as they turned on the style with goals from Andy Taylor, Gavin Darby, Alex Benson, Peter Chippendale and a last minute penalty from Ben Price. The easy win keeps them on top by four points from second- placed Swarthmoor Social Club.

The match of the day was between Swarthmoor and Bentham, who were in second place at the start of play. Bentham have a history of usually beating Swarthmoor, but on this occasion were completely outplayed Swarthmoor showed the will to win and goals from Graham Wilcox (2), John Bell (2) and Ricky Gallagher deservedly earned the points to move them into second and drop Bentham to fourth.

Grange worked hard against Community Sports but could not get the breaks.

Community Sports have not played much football of late, and looked rusty and slow.

Grange, who blow hot-and-cold, decided to blow cold and paid for it as Community scored twice before Grange got going and Craig Turner scored their only goal.

Vine and Millhead met in a typical derby with both sides creating good chances, goalmouth scrambles and scoring excellent goals. The first half was excellently contested although Vine edged it 4-3.

Millhead's goals came from Antony Leonard, Darren Mawdsley and Adam McCluskey.

The second half was not as hectic. James Rafferty added another to Millhead's score but it was Vine who triumphed 5-4.

Burton Thistle were bitterly disappointed to lose out to Storeys Reserves in the second round of the Division One Holden/Gibson Cup.

Thistle could not capitalise on their many chances and Storeys took a 2-0 first-half lead. Thistle could only score once when the excellent Sam Sandham put the result in doubt right up to the final whistle.

Division Two...

MORECAMBE Hoops are four points clear at the top after defeating Kirkby Lonsdale Rangers 7-0 Arnside, in third, had to work hard to beat improving Morecambe Cricket Club.

Goals by Mike Smith for Arnside and Andy Armistead for the Cricket Club left the game evenly poised at 1-1. Morecambe's Adam Cordingly then put through his own goal to give Arnside a win they hardly deserved.

Torrisholme Reserves turned the formbook upside down when they won only their second game of the season by easily beating disjointed Millhead Reserves by 6-0.

Two goals on the break earned Bolton-le-Sands a place in the semi-finals of the Whiteside Second Division Cup.

Middleton had fancied their chances of progressing in the cup but struggled on their soft home pitch and could not get a single shot on target. Sands' goals were snatched by Mark Smith and Daryl Hayton.

Division Three...

IT WAS hard to see how Furness Rovers in second place are so far clear of their pursuers as they succumbed 2-0 to Bowerham.

Bowerham went into the lead after three minutes then held Rovers with ease.

Furness would string six or seven good passes together and look impressive, but the attacks broke down on the edge of the penalty area.

The second half was no better with Bowerham in total control. A second-half goal was scant reward for Bowerham, who hit the post twice from corners and had shots kicked off the line.

Third-placed Central Pier benefited from the Furness Rovers defeat after their easy 5-0 win over struggling Burton Thistle Reserves.

Thistle threatened to bring off a surprise and forced Brendan Earle, Pier's goalkeeper, to make a stunning one-handed save, and Pier then took charge.

Gregson cruised into the semi-final of the Third Division Accrington/Parkinson/Collegian Cup with a 6-1 demolition of Arnside Reserves 6-1. Although outclassed, Arnside Reserves did score one good goal through Dean Lidiate.

Division Four ...

A 1-0 victory in group two over Carnforth Rangers Reserves earned Heysham a semi-final place in the Kelly/Flynn/Cunningham Cup.

Meanwhile, Bentham Reserves won their first league game of the season 3-2 and severely dented Overton's championship hopes.

Ingleton A had a better game on their hands than expected when they entertained bottom team Gregson Reserves.

Gregson Reserves belied their lowly league position but awful finishing and last-ditch defending stopped them scoring. Goals by Tom Earnshaw, Lee Marshall, John Connaughton and Will Smith (junior) brought Ingleton a 4-0 victory.