ASTLEY VIP Boxing Club opened their season with 13 amateur bouts at the former Sky Bar on Railway Road.

Astley’s Callum Edwards and Bailey Dalton opened the show with two skills bouts, followed by victories for 15-year-olds Patrick Harris and Ethan Greenhalgh.

Senior boxers Paul Fleming, Kristian Hackett, Dalton Brennan and Brett Hackett all then suffered close points defeats in competitive contests – with Brennan looking particularly unlucky.

The experienced pair of Lewis Broad and Andrew Fleming got Astley back to winning ways and former National Champion Kyle Lomotey enjoyed his victory over Macclesfield's Jake Haigh.

The only disappointment for the Astley club was a dislocated shoulder suffered by Sindiso Hlongwane, 30 seconds into his contest.

The boxer of the night award went to Jonny Brown for his victory over Stockport's Dale Arrowsmith.

Brown has only recently returned from a year in Australia but was desperate to box in his home town and worked exceptionally hard to get back to his fighting weight and increase his fitness.

He was presented with his prize by unbeaten professional Jack Catterall, who was the club’s guest of honour for the evening.