A Round One re-match of last season's Slater Marchant Craven FA Cup final might not have excited district officials when it was pulled out of the hat, but no-one could dispute that when the tie took place last weekend, it yielded an outstanding encounter with the work of two fine sides being complemented by an excellent refereeing exhibition from Ray Akrigg.
The difference between Settle and Skipton LMS on the day was the home side's ability to finish off their chances, a 2-0- win taking them through after a contest between two well-matched sides.
LMS had more of the possession in the first-half, but though they engineered openings, they were unable to supply the finishing touch.
A scoreless first-half was followed by more LMS pressure immediately after the interval, but Settle were gradually wresting the initiative from the visitors and 10 minutes into the second period they took the lead with a goal from Jamie Wright.
This was the signal for LMS to redouble their efforts and press forward even more strongly, but the Settle defence absorbed all that was thrown at them and hit back on the break, Kevin Newhouse breaking free and rounding the goal-keeper to clinch a Settle win.
Two other first round ties went to extra time, with 15 goals being scored in an extraordinary game at Waddington, where the home side pipped Ingleton 8-7.
Waddington went ahead on 20 minutes with a goal from Mark Harrison and although Ingleton equalised, goals from Robert Lloyd and Wayne Boothman were followed by an Ingleton goal on half-time to make the score 3-2 going into the second-half.
Waddington then moved into a 5-2 lead with scores from Martin Coin and Lloyd, but then Ingleton produced their best football of the game to get back on level terms again with three smart goals and take the match into extra time.
Another brace of goals from Lloyd was followed by a sixth Ingleton success and even though full-back Wayne Bootham made it 8-6 in the home side's favour, there was still time for Ingleton to have the last word and set up a tense finale.
Another evenly-matched tie unfolded at Earby FC, where neighbours Pendle Athletic got home 2-1 with a goal four minutes from the end of the second period of extra time.
Earby went ahead after only three minutes when Jess Parker ran onto a pass and fired in a shot that the Pendle goal-keeper could not hold on to, but Pendle were quickly on level terms when Neil Petty made ground down the flank before cutting inside and beating the advancing goal-keeper with an accurate, low shot.
Both sides had their chances to score, but some good goal-keeping and goal-line clearances prevented any further concessions until the deadlock was broken in extra time, when Petty again advanced on the left and scored after his first shot was blocked.
An excellent local derby played in the right spirit with a lot of good football ended with Barnoldswick Town Seconds progressing with a 3-1 win at Earby Town.
The home side started well, without being able to deliver the killer ball required to penetrate the Barnoldswick defence. After weathering the early pressure the visitors began to apply their own and after having the ball cleared twice off the Earby line they finally broke the deadlock on 25 mins when Barry Rawlinson tapped home after Matt Harrison's corner had been headed on by Damon Clark.
Barnoldswick looked to be in command, but Earby levelled before the break when a well-flighted free-kick found the target.
The second-half again saw both teams going all out for the victory, but it was the away side who again went in front when Clark scored after good work by James Oldroyd had put him clear.
Barlick again looked in the ascendancy, but tried to let Earby back into the match by conceding a penalty, only for keeper Chapman to pull off a superb save.
This proved the turning point of the match and after Oldroyd made it 3-1 to the visitors with 15 mins left, Earby did not trouble Barnoldswick's defence again.
Coppull United are visitors to West Close tomorrow in the league (3pm).
Embsay emerged as party-poopers when they emerged 2-1 winners at Bentham, where a hefty crowd had assembled for a players' re-union.
The visitors controlled the first 30 minutes and went ahead when Matt Appleton scored, but Bentham got back on terms with a Stuart Ralph goal
The home side then produced their best football of the game, but the Embsay defence held and the visitors came back to snatch the winner from Appleton after good work by Dave Greenwood.
Bentham battled to the death, but Embsay's back four was well marshalled by stand-in centre-back Stephen Speak and held firm.
Barnoldswick Barons were left to regret two shots which hit the woodwork when they went down 2-1 at home to Bradley.
The visitors were soon ahead thanks to a goal from Richard Leslie Robinson, but it was downhill from that point as the home side worked hard to get into the match and twice hit the post.
They were eventually rewarded in the second-half with a goal from Dean Wilson, but Bradley refused to concede and a goal from Chris Hogg following a weak clearance settled the tie.
Gargrave were also denied a couple of times by the thickness of the woodwork when they went down 2-1 at home to Rimington. The home side went close when a header from Tom Varey struck the cross-bar and a shot from Liam Jameson hit the upright and then another chance slipped by when Mark Webb had a penalty kick saved.
Webb made amends with Gargrave's goal when the keeper mis-kicked to leave him a simple tap-in, a 1-0 interval lead reflecting Gargrave's superior first-half effort with the wind at their backs.
Rimington then re-shuffled their resources and took control of affairs, levelling with a goal from Andrew King after a Matthew Coulter knock-down and Tom O'Neill sealing the win with a 25-yard spectacular which deserved to win any game.
One positive aspect of the day's knockout action was that registered referees were available to staff all the matches. Not only that, the men in the middle were given a very favourable response across the board, with some clubs especially flattering of the way their game was handled.
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