SATURDAY'S extreme weather proved a major factor in the day's Warrington League fixtures.

Worst hit was the Warrington derby match between Beeches and Penlake which had to be abandoned after 10 minutes when an uprooted tree damaged parked cars.

Faced with such dangerous conditions, the referee took the sensible option and called a halt to proceedings.

Most games were ruined by the gale-force conditions which pinned almost all of the play into one penalty area.

The Drinkwater Cup quarter-finals were played in diabolical conditions but produced some stirring football. Premier Division basement boys Greenalls were outbattled by Second Division high-fliers Beechwood.

Runcorn's Beechwood exacted some revenge for last sea -son's Drinkwater Cup defeat to the same opponents, winning 7-5 in an end-to-end epic.

Goals by Bobby Hughes and Ian Walsh put Beechwood 2-1 up at half-time.

Greenall hit back to level, only for Keith Danson and Walsh to restore a two-goal lead. The Premier side responded again to tie up the game at four each.

In added time, goals by Kevin Morris, Andy Tipton and an own goal secured Beech-wood's passage.

Division Three champions Mill Brow took full advantage of Grappenhall Sports' indifferent form with a 2-0 win in at Morley Common.

Strikes by Lee Faulkner and Ian Bason propelled Mill Brow into their first Drinkwater Cup semi and a possible date with Premier Division pacesetters St Michael's.

Saints wrapped up their semi-final berth with a comfortable 4-0 win over Widnes R&S - perfect preparation for this weekend's Guardian Cup semi-final showdown with Fearnhead.

In the remaining quarter-final, Premier side Haydock prolonged their season with a 3-1 win at Division Two's Grange Safeway.

Only one Frontrunner Premier Division game was completed with Eagle Sports seeing off the spirited challenge of a youthful Halebank.

They came from a goal down for a vital 2-1 victory.

Full-back Kelly gave Hale-bank an early lead, pouncing on poor defending to give his side hope of another upset over the Thornton Road men.

But with 10 minutes remaining, Neil Marsh swooped to fire home the equaliser.

Inevitably with all their ensuing pressure, Eagle found a second and decisive goal - Ian Berry finishing after good approach work from McAllister.

The result opens a three-point gap at the top of the pile - and while St Michael's have games in hand, the outcome remains too close to call.

The Division One title race heated up once again, following second-placed Downall Green United's five-goal demolition of Monks Sports.

With three matches still to play, United could still over-haul leaders Moorfield, who have just two games left.

Vulcan remain in the picture too, with games in hand on both the leading sides.

Vicars battled the conditions for a 3-3 draw at Avon Athletic. Widnes' Avon led 3-2 until late on but Vics skipper Kevin Liston earned his side a share of the spoils. Adam Jones and Ian Senior were also on target for Vics.

Halton Borough preserved their advantage at the top of Division Two, winning by a solitary goal in their home derby against Parklands.

With Beechwood engaged in the Drinkwater Cup, Runcorn Albion moved closer in third spot with a 2-0 win over Penketh United thanks to Kevin Towey and Peter Bazley. The late-season surge of form by General Chemicals continued with a 6-0 mauling of Burtonwood Albion.

The deluge was started by Peter Dogan before Daryl Evans added a brace. Kevin Hammond and Ben Stubbs compounded Albion's agony.

But the rout was completed by an amazing goal from Chems keeper Ian Rockliffe, who fired a clearance from his own area!

Division Three's second-placed Appleton Arms recovered some form with a 2-1 win over Greenall Vets. Elsewhere, Village Social recorded another win by beating The Grapes by the same score.

In Reserve Division Two, Vicars Reserves' fine end-of-term form continued with a 3-0 win over Daten 4th.