ARNSIDE look firm favourites for Premier Division promotion after defeating a strong Marsh United Reserves side 2-0.

Beaten only once this season, Arnside never looked like losing at Marsh, who had a lot of possession but could not break down a solid defence.

Goals by Marco Thompson and James Smith were enough to move Arnside up to third place just six points behind the leaders Caton United with four games in hand.

Also in Division 1 Cartmel Reserves played better than for a long time but still ended up losing 2-1, Steve McMinn scored both of Royals goals with Will Anderson netting for a Cartmel side that is sinking towards the relegation area.

Bolton-le-Sands deserved better than a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Division 1 leaders Caton United, but their one-touch football was not matched by their finishing and they went 2-0 down.

An Antony Lewis goal early in the second half lifted Sands, but they conceded again to trail 3-1 before Tom Armer scored the visitors’ second and went close to equalising. It was the turning-point as Caton scored twice to seal a good win.

Kirkby Lonsdale led 1-0 thanks to a Chris Lee strike against Trimpell but spurned good chances to make the game safe in the first half.

It cost them when Paul Dewhirst equalised for Trimpell from the penalty spot.

Premier Division action was low key with leaders Slyne-with-Hest finding Cartmel stubborn opponents before a Jamie Durnan 30-yard strike settled the issue for a 1-0 win.

Division 3 outfit Burton Thistle thrashed bottom side Trimpell Reserves 8-4. Martin Looker and Peter Baxendale led the way to goal with hat-tricks with other goals from Chris Plevey and Dan Nicholls.

On the cup front Swarthmoor progressed with a 3-0 win on penalties at Freehold in the second round of the Sam Price Memnorial Cup.

It finished 2-2 at the end of extra time with goals from Ryan and Joel Lackey keeping Swarthmoor in the hunt before a one-sided finish from the spot-kicks.

Division 2 side Carnforth Rangers Reserves beat Division 3 leaders Boys Club Reserves 2-0 in the Fisher/Howson Remembrance Cup’s second round courtesy of goals from Adam Iley and Anthony Crabtree.

There was a ding-dong second-round tie in the Division 1 Holdens Solicitors/Gibson Challenge Cup with ended 5-4 after extra time in Millhead’s favour. It was 4-4 after 90 minutes with Ingleton’s goals coming from Tommy Murray (2) and Ben O’Hagen (2), but the visitors scored one more to edge victory.

Bentham Reserves bowed out of the Whiteside Challenge Cup, losing 3-1 to Heysham on penalties. It was locked at 3-3 before the shootout with Wayne Halford, Darren Thompson and Chris Hodgkinson netting for Bentham.