With 29 goals so far this season, including three hat-tricks, this season's Premier Division hot-shot is Queensbury's Mick Naylor.

It is the 26-year-old striker's best

season so far, but at the start of the campaign Naylor had been moved from his customary central striker role out to the wing.

The club wanted to make the most of a partnership featuring Ryan Senior and Martin Pattinson.

Senior was returning to the club he had found fame at as a teenager before moving on to even greater success with East Bowling Unity and Guiseley, before a new job in the police force curtailed his career at the top level of Saturday football.

Queensbury's hopes took a knock when Senior broke his leg in the opening match of the season, but with Naylor moving back to his favourite position, renewing his partnership with former City utility player Pattinson, Queensbury have enjoyed their best ever season.

Naylor joined Queensbury when he was 18, but after only half a season with the club's second team his goal output was enough to earn him a first-team call-up.

"I'd started off with Wyke Wanderers. The under-18 side looked set to move on to under-21 level, but it didn't happen and I followed my pal Rob Ellis to Queensbury.

"I got a few goals in the reserve side and with the club on a roll, completing the journey from bottom division to top, I got the chance to partner Gary Shaw in the side that clinched promotion to the Premier Division."

The Shaw experience served him well and he quickly adapted to Premier Division football.

Pattinson, who had joined Andy Shanks as joint manager of Eccleshill United after a period running Eccleshill reserves, saw enough potential in Naylor to bring him to Plumpton Park.

He had a run in the first team but it wasn't a happy time. "It didn't work out. I found the step up to that level difficult and the goals didn't come.

"My confidence went and when it started affecting my Sunday game as well I stopped playing for Eccleshill."

On reflection Naylor wishes he had stuck it out and at 26 he is certainly young enough to give it a second shot at a higher level.

Saturday-wise, Naylor is currently helping out at Dudley Hill Athletic in Division Two of the West Riding County Amateur League.

Long-time Bradford League cricket fans will remember Naylor's late father, Malcolm, who was a fast

bowler with Bowling Old Lane for some time.

Malcolm was a handy footballer and was on City's books at one period. He also turned out with Bradford Rovers at County Amateur level.

Naylor played in the cricket side as his dad at Bankfoot when he was a teenager, but while his dad decided to eventually concentrate on cricket, Naylor junior dropped it for football.

Ever since their arrival in the top flight six seasons ago, with their steady improvement, Queensbury have looked potential trophy-winners. It's not happened yet but in Naylor's opinion, the club are having their best season since he first turned out with them eight years ago.

"We reached the District Cup semi-final again last Sunday, we took Albion Sports to extra-time in the League Cup and we are still not out of the championship.

"Crown beating Albion did us a good turn and we've got to play Albion again in the league.

"Fairweather Green broke the mould a couple of years ago when they ended the trophy domination by the same few clubs and I think we've proved we can now give any side in the league a good game on our day."