PELTON Fell inflicted only the second defeat of the season on leaders Stanley FC to boost their title hopes.

Because of several cup exploits, the Fell are way in arrears as far as their league programme is concerned and this was only their fifth domestic start of the season.

Even so, they made it 13 points from a possible 15 to make their title aspirations quite clear.

Yet they had to chalk up this latest success the hard way by coming back from a goal down inside the first five minutes on the rock hard pitch when Mark Drake scored for Stanley. Within five minutes it was all-square after a defensive slip allowed Daniel Bankhead in to equalise.

Stanley then missed a couple of good chances before Fell took the lead with a goal from Michael Barton to lead 2-1 at half time.

In the second half Stanley continued to press but could not convert their chances and an own goal increased the Fell lead to 3-1 before Bankhead's second of the match settled the issue.

There was a 4-2 verdict at nearby Grange Villa WMC who took on Stanley Masons Arms SC in the second round of the Bev Haggett Cup and ran out winners.

Marc Ward was the star of the show with a hat-trick and John Haley bagged the other for the Villa with the Masons replying through Mark Elliott and Anthony Burgess.