BURY Amateurs moved eight points clear at the top of the Manchester League Division One with a 3-0 win against Heywood St James.

Bury took the lead in the seventh minute when Tino Blake worked his way to the touchline and squared the ball across the area, where Pete Hickford was on hand to slot home.

Will Mayo netted the second when he rode a challenge on the right edge of the box to finish brilliantly from the acutest of angles.

And it was no surprise when Craig Hickford added a third with a sweetly struck low left foot shot from 18 yards.

Ammies meet nearest rivals Monton Amateurs, who have three games in hand on them, on Saturday at Granary Lane.

In the Premier Division, Walshaw threw away a two-goal lead in their 3-2 defeat at second-placed Avro.

Walshaw raced into a two goal lead in the second half through Lee Gaskell and Craig Duerden. But slack marking allowed Avro back in from a set-play before Mark Stewarts levelled things.

Then 10 minutes later, goalkeeper Simon Marsh made a rare error to literally gift Avro the victory. Walshaw travel to Leigh on Saturday.

Elton Vale had a free weekend and they visit Royton Town on Saturday.

In the Lancashire Amateur League Premier Division, a fourth clean sheet in five games helped Bury GSOB to a superb 3-0 victory at leaders Howe Bridge Mills.

The game looked to be heading for a goalless draw until the 65th minute when a Will Purser corner sent in a low angled ball which deceived everyone except Simon Curtis at the back post who side-footed home.

Man-of-the-match Adam Evans paved the way for the second goal soon after. He won the ball inside the Howe Bridge half and passed to Liam Donnelly who played a long ball to Steven Wood who made up for wasting a good chance earlier by hammering a low drive into the corner of the net from just inside the box.

Wood then turned provider, setting up substitute Spencer Woods to fire in the third.

On Saturday, Bury are at home to Rossendale Amateurs in the quarter-final of the Lancashire FA Cup.

Bottom club Radcliffe Town went down 2-0 at third-placed Old Mancunians. The Outwood Road side conceded in the 20th and 70th minutes but once again gave the opposition a tough game playing their customary good football.

Mike Wilkinson was a constant thorn in the side of the Old Mancs’ defence and Matt North went close at 1-0 when he fired his shot against the keeper’s legs.

Radcliffe keeper Dave Chant kept the score down to two late on when he pulled off an unbelievable one-handed save in the top corner.

Assistant manager Malcolm Tillson believes it is just a matter of time before his side turn it around.

“We know where our shortcomings are,” he said. “We keep saying we are giving everyone a decent game. We are not scoring enough although we have players who can score. The ball is not getting through to the strikers and we can’t keep hold of the ball for long enough.

“We were pushing forward all the time on Saturday and it was quite an open game, but we defended sloppily for both goals. A special mention has to go to Mike Wilkinson who worked his socks off and had a brilliant game.”

It does not get any easier for Radcliffe who are at home to Old Bolts in a top-v-bottom clash on Saturday.

In Division One, Ainsworth moved up four places after coming from behind to beat Tyldesley United 3-2.

Tyldesley went ahead after 20 minutes with a superb goal from Luke Barry before Andy Crook capitalised on a mix-up between the Tyldesley goalkeeper and a defender.

Mark Hustwit then stabbed in Ainsworth’s second in a goalmouth scramble and Joe Barnes struck 30-yard screamer before Lawrence Willis headed one back for Tyldesley from a Matthew Teece free kick 10 minutes from time and piled on the pressure which Ainsworth withstood to win the game.