The Lancashire and Cheshire AFL premier division title race hotted up as leaders Mellor were held to a rare goalless draw at Newton.

Rochdalians, with a huge number of games in hand, still have the retention of the title firmly in their own hands and they began their huge backlog of games with a 4-2 win over Moston Brook to cut the gap to five points with five games in hand.

Whalley Range also have plenty of games in hand but their title hopes looked to be fading fast as they trailed high-flying Abacus Media after sloppy defending saw them concede two early goals.

But just before the break they hit back with two goals in a minute from David Hayes and Tim Kinsella.

The second half was all Range as they added five more without reply from midfield dynamo Luke Bennion (three), Connon Downes and an own goal.

South Manchester kept up their great run with a comfortable 6-3 win at basement team Bury Ams with the goals going in from Kane Berkeley (four), Cassius Murray and Azuka Otutu.

A mid-table derby at Parrs Wood Celtic saw the home team share eight goals with Bedians who had Julian Patterson, Michael Sparks and Jamie Burton netting.

The other game saw Old Ashtonians keep Chorltonians in trouble with a 2-1 win as Chorlts consolation came from Dean Gibson.

There are new leaders in division one as High Lane let a 2-1 lead slip against Burnage Metro and a 3-2 defeat allowed Tintwistle Athletic to hit the top after destroying Newton Heath 10-3.

Moorside Rangers kept in touch with the top two with an emphatic 4-1 win at Hooley Bridge Celtic but Salford Vics slipped off the pace as they were held 1-1 by Govan Athletic.

Signol Athletic ended their recent poor run of form with a 2-1 win at Milton and Old Stretfordians kept an immaculate clean sheet as they hit five without reply at Eagle FC.

The top two played each other in division two and Whalley Range seconds moved above Stoconians after a convincing 6-2 win.

Stocs had an early lead through a fortunate Hayden Mills goal but Range shrugged this aside to gain control leading 4-1 at the break.

They maintained their momentum to increase their lead before Stocs got a deserved second from Luke Cotton at the death.

The hot strikers for Range were Owen Traynor, Paul Smethurst and John Murphy with doubles.

Parrs Wood Celtic seconds stay in touch with the top two after a hard-earned 4-3 win at Mellor seconds as did Chorltonians seconds with a 4-2 win over Staly Lions with the goals flowing from Danile McKeever (two), Phil Woodbridge and Maison Dinsdale.

Plenty of goals in the other two games with Old Strets seconds cruising to a 5-2 win at AFC Oldham and Urmston SC won their basement battle with Rochdalians seconds by the odd goal in seven.

Chorltonians Town continue to burn their way to the division three title with their latest win being a 10-2 demolition of Newton Heath seconds.

Town had hat-tricks from Daryl Garwood and Aaron Rodger supplemented by strikes from Jamie Fountain, David Grantham, Seth Wyatt and Bee Davies.

Trafford United stay five points behind the leaders after scoring the only goal of their game against Newton seconds.

Oldham Vics crushed Eagle seconds 10-1 to stay in third spot and they are level on points with Swinton FC who cruised to a 4-1 win over Moston Brook seconds.

The other two games were close affairs as Heaton Mersey edged out Hooley Bridge Celtic seconds 4-3 and the local derby at AFC Stockport went in favour of Cheadle Hulme Athletic by 3-2.

The top game in division A saw leaders Salford Vics seconds go down 2-1 at Chorltonians Athletic who had a brace from Pete Atkins seeing them close the gap to eight points with two games in hand over Vics.

High Lane seconds stay in third spot after a 2-0 win at Old Strets seconds and the other games saw Burnage Metro seconds beat Santos 2-0  and Bury Ams beat AFC Oldham seconds 2-1.

It’s looking like a two-horse race for the title in division B as the top two both posted resounding victories.

Leaders Mellor thirds won 5-1 at Govan Athletic seconds and Signol Athletic seconds also went nap in a 5-2 victory at Abacus Media seconds.

The other three games all ended with 2-1 score-lines as Whalley Range thirds had Adam Remeh and Ahmed Ramadan netting against Milton seconds while Bedians seconds kept up their good run against Bury Ams thirds and Stoconians seconds accounted for Old Trafford and Gorse Hill seconds.

No change in division C as the top three teams were all convincing winners.

Chorltonians Rovers stay three points clear as goals from legend Pat Davin, Dom McLaughlin, Hanley Moore and Callum Wild saw off Staly Lions seconds 4-1.

Tintwistle Athletic thirds were 4-1 winners over Deans and Old Strets fourths beat AFC Oldham thirds 3-1.

The other two games were nail-biters as Hooley Bridge Celtic thirds won 5-4 at Moorside Rangers seconds and Spurley Hey seconds scored the only goal of their game at Burnage Metro thirds.

Hillgate continue to dominate division D and their high back-line strategy paid big dividends as they walloped Staly Lions thirds 7-1.

They are ten points clear of Stoconians thirds who won 3-1 at Abacus Media thirds with Stocs having three games in hand.

Chorltonians Villa had Kurtis and Courtney Wallace netting in a 2-2 deadlock at Moston Brook fourths.

At last a full programme in division E and Bury Ams fourths missed a chance to take over the lead from non-playing Oldham Vics seconds as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Droylsden JFC seconds.

Burnage Metro fourths enjoyed a 4-3 win at AFC Oldham fourths and Whalley Range fourths were celebrating long and hard after a 3-2 derby win at Bedians thirds which came via goals from Danny Williams (two) and Ryan Lyall.