MIDDLEWICH rattled up their best win of the season but manager Terry Murphy confessed to not being sure how poor the opposition was in the Mid Cheshire League First Division.

To score seven away, Middlewich had to be impressive, although the game was over as a contest within the first three minutes.

Graham Kay scored from a corner and, in the next attack, Gary Bryning was wrestled to the ground and Lee Murphy scored from the penalty spot.

The goals also took the sting out of Middlewich's play and they did not score again until after the break when Adam Morris' bottom-corner left-foot strike started a rout. Joey Roberts and Martin Faulkner scored next and Mike Brandon marked his superb debut with a brace.

Crewe 0 Barnton 7: Anything Middlewich can do so can Barnton, and they were clinical against the bottom club.

Kevin Towey was especially the man in form. He was irresistible and involved in nearly all the goals.

Barnton had to make changes having lost two of the players who had played a big part in the club's domination of the MCL - right-back Marciek Starchevski and left winger Aidan Brodigan - who have both joined Knutsford.

It still took Barnton 21 minutes to break the deadlock. Dave Murray's free kick was headed across the box by Neil Boardman and in by Gerry Coll.

Towey curled the ball into the net's top corner in the 29th minute and on 39, Neil Larkin converted a penalty after Towey had been fouled.

A parried Towey shot enabled Murray to fire the fourth goal on the follow-up.

Larkin's clever footwork and cool finishing made it 5-0 in the 63rd minute and he completed his hat-trick from the spot after Towey had tempted the de-fence into another clumsy tackle.

Towey completed the scoring after a powerful run down the right flank.

'The team is full of confidence again,' said manager Nick Armitage. Middlewich also won in the Reserves Division, 3-0 at home to Garswood.

Tomorrow: Two - Witton Res v Lostock; Saturday: One - Barnton v Garswood; Two - Cheadle v Witton Res, Lostock v Glossop Res; Division One Cup - Middlewich v Styal.

Vauxhall Ladies 1 Winsford Ladies 4: Winsford blazed their way into the Cheshire & Manchester League Cup quarter-finals when, as 100% Division Two leaders, they walloped their Division One counterparts on Sunday.

The previous week, Winsford beat Longhey 19-0 in front of BBC North West documentary cameras for a programme to be transmitted in the New Year.

Winsford host Great Sutton on Sunday.

WINNINGTON AVENUE stayed third in the Crewe & District League with a comfortable 3-1 win at lowly Sandbach Town, Chris O'Malley, Chris Waites and Andy Mellor scoring their goals.

Alsager Faculty kept their 100% record with their 10th win in a row but had to fight hard to come through 4-2 at Winnington Avenue Reserves. Robert Bond and Dave Tasker were on the mark.

Winsford IPC registered an impressive 4-1 win at Bentley, their marksmen being Craig Almond, Gareth Langley, Craig Nixon and Dave Teece.

Saturday: IPC v Bunbury; Crewe Cup - Avenue v Crewe.

WITTON Albion Youth won 3-2 at Hanley Town after being put in a strong position by Matthew Clarke's hat-trick.