Roach were the best side in the first half, but could not find their composure. Despite this, they came in 1-0 ahead courtesy of a goal from full back Mark Hughes.

Rochdale Borough, who had several players away in the Dutch Open, went down 3-2 to Blackpool in the first round, the score by which Littleborough lost to Lancaster after a first-round success against Aspull.

They returned home with some astonishing results with three of the girls crowned Overall Individual Champions in their respective Grades, seven qualifying for the Regional Finals as members of the Greater Manchester County Teams and one qualifying for the Regional Finals as an individual to represent the club. 

Nicholas turned 16 on Sunday, exactly a week after his victory in the CYP Championships against fellow England team-mate Patrick Miller.

First up for the club was Ryan Birch, who took on Liverpudlian Zach Hardacre from Kirkdale ABC.

But it’s off the course where Rachel has been making headlines as she represented the Tour at the prestigious PGA trade show in Orlando, as she explains.

The event starts in March at the Heywood venue, has its finals day on Sunday, April 11, and carries a first prize of £250.

The Heywood team went behind to an early goal but hit back through Carney and Weatherilt to take the lead.

Croydon were just one win off the top four in sixth at the turn of the year but consecutive defeats have left Pawson’s team-mates languishing in ninth place on the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association first eleven ladder.

But, instead of allowing himself the prospect of a winter of Sunday morning lie-ins the veteran midfield maestro sifted through the Reform ashes in an effort to form a new football club that would fill the void created by the demise of his former club.

Hooley’s manager Andy Rush was fully aware of the huge task that lay ahead but was confident his squad had enough quality to make a great impression in the disrupted 2009/10 campaign.

The pitch wasn’t fantastic, and the lads hadn’t played for over a month, but Roach did everything to play their football and had the lion’s share of possession.

They trailed 3-2 but won five sets in a row as Neil Martindale (77.81), Steve Jackson, Steve Cookson, Kenny Brierley, who hit two 180s, and Mark Ashworth, who also struck a maximum, entered the winners’ enclosure. Earlier victories had come through Ben Kelso and Anthony Moss.

He successfully bid for a limited edition Bury shirt, which the team wore in the 2-0 home victory over Barnet on 5 December and subsequently sold on Ebay.

The Heywood ace earned a unaminous decision over McIntyre at Altrincham Arena, the 28-year-old finishing strongly as he felled his opponent in the last round.

The Central Lancashire League (CLL) teenager is flourishing in the colours of Melbourne club side Crodyon in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association competition.

Dean, of Darnhill & Heywood ABC, had received an unexpected phone call the night before the final of the Championships was due to take place.

On paper, Costigan was up against it in only his fourth bout, which took place at Cedar Mount High School Sports Hall, Matthews Lane, Gorton.

The Duke of Wellington beat the Bay Horse 4-3, the score by which the Starkey got the better of The Heywood. They were joined in the last eight by the Pig and Whistle, Grapes, Crown, Brown’s Wine Bar, Engineers and St James FC.

The Lancashire academy member has set his sights on becoming a full county professional and playing Test cricket for England but is the first to admit he has a lot to learn before he can turn his dreams into reality.

That spells good news for Heywood ace Mark Thompson ahead of his British Welterweight title eliminator against Kevin McIntyre in Altrincham on Friday.

Golf Guru Karl Morris will be presenting ‘The Mind Factor’ on Tuesday, January 26 at the Success to the Plough pub in Bolton Road.

Chisnall, who lives in St Helens, picked up £30,000, easily the biggest haul of his career. Borough’s match last Sunday against Little Hulton was postponed due to the snow, as were the games involving most of the local teams.

They were given a perfect start by Mark Ashworth, Neil Martindale and Ben Kelsall but had to wait until the final set of the match before Kenny Brierley joined them in the winners’ enclosure.

Bethany Fisher collected the Best Newcomer prize, Hannah Casey was Level 2-5 Group 1 Gymnast of the Year, Kirsty Armitage was Level 2-5 Most Improved Junior on Beam while Chloe Meade was Level 3 Most Improved Gymnast of the Year.

On Sunday they play away to Oldham champions Chaddy End in the first leg of the Manchester Champions Shield at Mable Road, Failsworth (2pm kick off) and two weeks later they play the return leg at North Manchester High School, 10.30am kick off.

He had winning support from Andy Gourlay, Warren Maloney, Ian Locke, John Downs, Steve Bateson and Dave Skelton.

The MDLGA is now well past its Centenary year and with nearly 90 clubs involved in its activities, including all of our local clubs, is probably the biggest of its kind for lady club golfers in the world.

She has been invited to take part in the annual Future Stars Foundation pro-am at Errol Estate Country Club, Florida in February.

After a slow start, when by his own admission he took a few weeks to adjust to his new surroundings as well as the heat, promising wicket-keeper batsman Pawson has shown a steady improvement in two-day cricket-played over consecutive Saturdays with both his batting and glove work earning new admirers amongst his Croydon cricket club teammates.

And, while Manchester Golf Club’s Rachel Connor intends to have a nice, family Christmas at home, she also knows she has to stay fit and focused before returning to the United States on 2 January to compete on the Duramed Futures Tour her first as a professional – as she explained:

And the former Yorkshire player believes the £32m scheme is the "only way forward" and says he "can’t wait" to see Ashes cricket back at the famous ground.

Stuart Watson, Mike Ahearn, Billy Brooks, Chris Jacques, Matt Langley, Darren Latham and Peter Skerritt were the winners.