Baildon Trinity Ath 5

Kirk Deighton 0

This was an important West Yorkshire League game for both clubs. Kirk Deighton needed to win to climb above Baildon, while the latter wanted the points to stay in the top three. In the end it was a one-horse race.

After a slow start, Baildon gradually found their feet on a sticky and uneven pitch where the wind did its best to spoil constructive football.

Home goalkeeper Craig Edwards, who had a very sound game, made a couple of important and brave saves early on before Baildon got the all-important first goal.

Skipper Mark Spilsbury sent through a wonderfully weighted ball and midfielder Darren Lamiot timed his run to perfection to beat the offside trap. He kept his cool in a one-to-one situation with the goalkeeper to fire the ball home.

Baildon had to make a substitution in the first-half when right-back Steve Hiley injured knee ligaments and was replaced by Danny Steele.

There was only one goal in it at the interval but in the second-half Baildon had the wind at their backs and put severe pressure on the visitors. A mistake by their overworked defence left Paul Clarke with the easy task of walking the ball into the net for Baildon's second goal.

Then a Danny Jowett free-kick struck the post and Darren Thornton netted the rebound. The fourth goal was the best of the bunch. A clearance was latched onto by Jowett who magnificently chipped the 'keeper from fully 35 yards.

Baildon completed a nap hand when Thornton worked the ball down the left and crossed for leading scorer Nick James to net.

This was a solid all-round performance by Baildon, for whom Lamiot shaded the Man-of-the-Match award.