MANAGER Rob Rostron hopes Castle Hill have turned a corner in their troubled season following a resounding 3-0 victory over North Walkden on Saturday.

Their best performance of the season saw them close to within two points of second-bottom Little Lever in the Premier Division.

And Rostron has set a points target from the next four games which could see the Tonge Moor men, hampered by a four-point deduction for an administrative error, pull clear of the danger zone.

“It was our best performance by a million miles,” said Rostron.

“We’re away to Prestwich this week then Old Mancunians then at home to Mostonians and Little Lever and I want us to take between six and nine points from those games.

“The spirit is fantastic, I don’t have to make a single phone call to check if they’re coming to training. There’s lots of motivation. We’re playing for survival and if we survive the champagne will be cracked open because it would be as if we’ve won the league.”

Mark Gordon scored the opener with a header from a corner on 20 minutes and the right winger hit the bar with another header before Sam Brooks latched on to a long clearing header from Marcus Lilley, ran half the length of the field and beat the keeper on 40 minutes.

Castle Hill weathered some second-half pressure before Neil Holmes chipped the keeper for the third goal five minutes from time.

Four goals conceded in the last 25 minutes gave Horwich Victoria’s 5-0 defeat at Failsworth Dynamos a misleading scoreline.

Fifth-bottom Vics were well in the game at 1-0 down in the second half against the fourth-placed side.

Matty Hancock and Luke Skelly were denied the chance to pull their side level by excellent saves by the home goalkeeper before the Horwich men were sunk by a deflected goal.

“A free kick was deflected and fell to one of their players who put it away,” said Vics manager Danny Holmes.

“They were the better team in the first half, they got a goal and missed a penalty. We were playing well in the second half and were right in it up to the second goal but just fell to pieces.

“They were one of the best sides we’ve played and were well worth the win even though the score flattered them.”

Old Boltonians and Howe Bridge Mills progressed to the last eight of the Lancashire FA Cup with home victories over Moston Brook and Marsh United, respectively.

High-scoring Premier Division leaders Old Bolts had an untypical 1-0 win against Lancashire and Cheshire Premier Division Moston.

And it was an unusual circumstance which led to the goal.

“Matt McLellan was through on goal and just as he was about to shoot their centre half shouted ‘bang’ really loud and the referee gave a free kick,” said Old Bolts manager Steve Eccleshare.

“I’ve never seen that before. It surprised everyone but Lee Worswick took the free kick which hit the shoulder of someone in the wall and went in just under the bar.

“Lee scored two goals last season and that’s six or seven for this season. I set him a target of 15 so he’s well on the way.”

Alex Luby scored one and set up the other two in Howe Bridge Mills’ 3-1 victory over Marsh.

The first two were carbon copy goals with Luby breaking through the defence and electing to square the ball for unmarked team-mates to tap in rather than shoot.

Elliott Beaver and Harry Brock were the beneficiaries of his work, their strikes separated by an equaliser just before half time by the North Lancashire League Premier Division visitors.

Brock’s goal was particularly welcome as it made up for his mistake which led to Marsh’s goal.

Mills, for whom centre half David Hogan was man of the match, sealed the victory late on when striker Luby ran half the length of the field on a counter attack before beating the keeper.