GREG MITCHELL pounced to earn a point at Diggle which keeps Lepton Highlanders second in the District League Division I.

With only 20 minutes remaining, Mitchell scored with a great diving header from a free-kick whipped in to the near post.

It levelled the scores at 1-1 after Chris Moore had given Diggle the lead with a slick finish on 26 minutes, turning neatly 12 yards out before finding the net.

In a full-blooded battle and with Lepton trying to preserve their 100% record, chances were few and far between, but Bevan Mayall spurned a great opportunity to double Diggle’s lead when he blasted a near-post shot wide.

It proved costly when Mitchell equalised and then Lepton almost snatched the points with a shot from a substitute which rattled the bar from 25 yards.

Slaithwaite chalked their first win of the season in Division II, toppling bottom club Mount 3-0 and in really convincing fashion.

Straight from the kick-off Slaithwaite took control and dominated the first 45 minutes, but despite all their possession only a Richard Turner goal separated the teams at the break.

The second half continued in much the same vein as the first, although Mount did have a few attacks only to let themselves down with the final ball.

Slaithwaite increased their lead on the hour when Kieran Howe’s shot slipped through Mike Firth’s hands in the Mount goal and, seven minutes later, Slaithwaite wrapped up the points when Ashley Scott latched onto a through ball.

Netherton Reserves remain second to Uppermill in Division I after a 3-0 win at Berry Brow Lib.

Berry Brow made the brighter start to the game and forced some smart early saves from Netherton keeper Konyck, who had to be alert.

As the game progressed Netherton began to apply pressure which resulted in a penatly, but the Brow keeper saved Nelson’s spot-kick.

It was only a matter of time, however, before Netherton took the lead through Blackburn, who finished off a sweeping move.

In the second half, Netherton continued to put pressure on the home side but couldn’t manage to add to the scoreline until substitute McCullie showed how it should be done with a delightful effort from 30 yards which flew into the top left hand corner.

Berry Brow tried hard to push forward but failed to penetrate a resolute Netherton defence that was well marshalled by man-of-the-match Rhodes.

Not surprisingly, Netherton sewed it up when McCullie got his second near the end.

In Division IV, Lindley Reserves posted their second win of the season with a 6-2 success against Hade Edge – helped by a hat trick from Andrew Brierley.

Lindley dominated the first half, however poor finishing by Phil Smith, poor final passes and a couple of top saves by the Edge keeper kept it level until the Holme Valley visitors went ahead on the break with a fine chip.

Just before the break, Lindley drew level when a clever pass from Nigel Gray was latched onto by, who beat the defenders for pace and calmly slotted home.

Brierley put Lindley ahead for the first time as they upped the tempo at the start of the second half, making the most of a defence-splitting pass from substitute Neil Alletson.

Edge equalised almost straight away, but that was to be their last joy.

Lindley kept pressing and were rewarded when a fine flowing move down the right ended with Ben Quinn’s cross-cum-shot nestling in the back of the net.

This time Lindley did not allow Edge back into the game and Brierley completed his hat trick with a low drive from 20 yards.

Four wasn’t enough for goal-hungry Lindley, however, and against a tiring Edge side they made it 5-2 when, from the right, a ball across the six-yard box was tapped in at the back post by substitute Dan Gray.

Lindley completed the scoring 15 minutes from the end when interplay between Brierley, Quinn and Sean Woodhouse ended with Brierley providing a pass for Woodhouse to lash in from eight yards out.