Cross Hills thump LMS

In the Premier Division Cup Cross Hills cruised into the semis with a resounding 7-0 win over Skipton LMS and bottom of the table Cononley almost caused the upset of the competition, holding Embsay until midway through the second half before finally succumbing 1-0 to a late goal.

The Division Two Cup saw leaders Bronte Wanderers keep on course for a league and cup double by defeating Embsay at home 3-0.

And Horton travelled to Keighley and had a narrow 2-1 victory after extra time to reach their first semi-final.

In the Silentnight Premier Division Keighley looking to close the gap on leaders Cross Hills could only manage a point at Colne Cricket Club in a 2-2 draw.

Skipton Bulldogs had a 5-1 victory to move fourth while their opponents Gargrave stay rooted at the bottom end of the table.

Grassington won their relega-tion match with Rimington 2-0 and are now moving towards safety.

In Division One leaders Addingham went down 3-2 at Grindleton while St Pauls moved into second place with a 3-2 victory over Hellifield.

Bradley and Sutton produced a nine-goal thriller with Bradley just shading it 5-4 while Carleton and Cowling drew 1-1.

And Oxenhope collected only their second point of the season so far in a 2-2 draw with Skipton Town.

With the leading teams in Division Two involved in cup matches Lothersdale took advantage to close the gap at the top slightly with a 4-2 home victory over Grindleton.

But favourites for the title Silsden moved into fourth place following a 3-2 away victory over Skipton LMS and with matches in hand on the leaders are now in a challenging position.

The highest score of the day was at Silsden Athletic where the home side found the net five times, but unfortunately for them visitors Barrowford found it seven times.

There was a classic match at Ilkley where Division Three leaders Ilkley Juniors Youth entertained third-placed Bronte Wanderers who won 4-2, Ilkley squandering too many chances.

The match was a credit to everyone and was helped by the excellent refereeing of Glynn Butterworth.

Grassington's promotion hopes took a tumble when they visited Intake who continued their improved form with a 4-2 victory.

Earby defeated Settle 2-1 to stay on the fringe of promotion, Skipton Town lost at home to Bradley 2-1 and Addingham beat Cononley 2-1.

So long as the weather does not deteriorate prospects for this weekend look reasonable. And among the matches Skipton Bulldogs are scheduled to take on Grassington at home in a Premier Division League Cup quarter-final match. Premier League Cup Quarter-Finals

Cross Hills 7

Skipton LMS 0

Alan Robertson with his customary free kick scored first for Cross Hills with a rocket into the top corner after three minutes. LMS struggled to get any rhythm into their game and after 25 minutes had to reorganise due to injury and having a player sent off. A fitter Cross Hills side got a second goal before the break with a superb finish from Steve Holden. Ten minutes into the second half Damien Whiteoak scored and then netted again with a chip soon after. The Skiptoners broke occasionally but did not take advantage of unusually sloppy defending by Cross Hills although keeper Nathan Barratt was called on to make two good saves. Subs Neil Gilchrist and Ian Craven then took the LMS defence apart. Craven scored from a Gilchrist cross and then Gilchrist stabbed home after a scramble in the box. Gilchrist then hit a crisp 20 yarder to end the scoring. Gavin Baluk had an outstanding game for the winners and is another promising youngster.

Cononley 0 Embsay 1

The homesters say that they were fortunate to be level at half-time as Embsay had created chances that they should have finished. The visitors hit the woodwork three times but it remained goalless at the break. In the second half Embsay report that the heavy pitch began to take its toll on all 22 players and it was not until the hour mark that a kick by the Cononley keeper went straight to Stephen Speak who confidently chipped the advancing keeper. With 10 minutes left Embsay were reduced to 10 men due to injuries but they hung on for a workmanlike victory.

Division Two League Cup

Quarter-Finals

Bronte Wanderers 3 Embsay 0

According to Wanderers they put Embsay under constant pressure from the outset and should probably have been 4-0 up within 20 minutes while Embsay say both teams found the heavy ground hard to deal with early on and few chances were created. Wanderers went ahead with a decisive break and fine finish by the impressive Chris Smith. Before the break Embsay had their best chance to level but poor passing and lack of communication let them down. In the second half Bronte say Embsay rarely got the ball into the last third of the pitch while Embsay report that they started the half well but once again bad passing and heavy legs saw them create little. Bronte took control and scored twice to complete a well-earned win, sub Niall Walls getting the second and Smith the third.

Keighley 1 Horton 2

after extra time

The homesters report that they created numerous chances in the first half but were thwarted by very poor finishing and superb keeping by Chris Alder. However they did score through Bob Morrisroe. The second half saw both sides creating chances and Gavin White took it to extra time by sliding the ball under the keeper. And it was White who got the winner from a defence-splitting pass by Barry Thomas.

League

Premier Division

Colne Cricket Club 2 Keighley 2

This was a very hard-fought physical match with Colne a greatly improved side. Joynal Ali scored first for Keighley only to see Colne level before the break. The second half was again hotly contested and Colne took the lead. Keighley continued to work hard and a late corner from sub Steve Duff was headed home by Paul Storton to make it a fair draw. The names of the Colne scorers are not to hand. There was an excellent refereeing performance.

Gargrave 1

Skipton Bulldogs 5

This was a rather one-sided game say Bulldogs with them camped inside the Gargrave half throughout the match. But it was also a case of too many missed chances. The first goal for the Skiptoners came on nine minutes when the Gargrave keeper failed to hold on to a cross and Chris Simpson was on hand to stab the ball home. The second score soon followed with a combination of Billy Parker's boot and Mark Critchlow's head. Gargrave then had a rare breakaway and won themselves a penalty which they converted. However this did not stop Dogs who got two more goals from Andy Bate and Jimmy McConville. In the second half McConville got his side's fifth when he beat two men and smashed a left foot drive into the roof of the net. Ian Hunter, who was again outstanding at the heart of the Dogs' defence, hit a rasping long-range drive that hit the bar. The name of the Gargrave scorer is not to hand.

Grassington 2

Rimington 0

The Dalesmen playing with flair and determination dominated with their keeper never having to make a save. Their first goal came from a Richard Osadzenko free kick which was neatly tucked away by man of the match Christian Akrigg, whose endless running up front paid dividends. In the second half Grassington hit the bar three times before Dale Berry sealed the points.

Division One

Grindleton 3

Addingham 2

The homesters got off to an excellent start with plenty of good movement and passing creating some very good chances. Eventually after a number of near misses they scored through Jason Ingham after a goalmouth scramble on the stroke of half-time. In the second half Addingham looked livelier and within 10 minutes had levelled through Brian Wild. Grindleton then took the lead again when a cross was headed on by Peter Dakin for the homesters' man of the match Darren Barrow to tap home. And they soon added a third from Ingham with a superb left foot rocket. After home keeper Shaun Lloyd had made a superb save Addingham got a last gasp second goal through Graham Dickinson. Full marks go to superb referee Melvyn Parker.

St Pauls 3 Hellifield 2

Hellifield were soon on top and the Saints were grateful to reach the interval only 2-0 down after a lack-lustre first half performance. The visitors' goals came from Chris Lord with a header and Chris Woods with an excellent finish. A reorganised Saints emerged for the second half and Dameian Haslam reduced the deficit and then Hellifield conceded an own goal and Haslam went on to get the winner.

Bradley 5 Sutton 4

With both sides having no regular keeper Bradley scored first with a Neil Henderson header. And they increased their lead with a powerful strike by Henderson. Before the interval Daniel Newton netted for Sutton to make it 2-1. Early in the second half Newton struck again to level. However Bradley battled back and Richard Robinson outpaced the defence to score and then Colin Lawrence-Sykes was first to react to a keeping fumble to prod the ball home. Henderson had the ball in the net again but it was ruled out. Sutton fought on and scored with a free kick through Andrew Clark and then levelled through sub Dave Eastbury after a defensive error. But Bradley were not to be denied and Darren Spencer secured both points with a super strike from 18 yards.

Carleton 1 Cowling 1

The home side report that this was a very good game to watch with both teams giving everything for 90 minutes and a special mention must go to referee Martin Hillary for the way he controlled the game. Carleton scored after 15 minutes when Pete Wrathmell fired in a low shot which Jonathan Chapman deflected into the net. But just before the break Cowling levelled through Robert Walker from a cross by Steve Spellman. In the second half both teams went for the winner with both having chances, with Martin Brown and Glenn McQuillan putting in exquisite tackles for the visitors.

Oxenhope 2

Skipton Town 2

Playing down the slope Oxenhope forced the pace but went 1-0 down to a Craig Albone free kick. Then Oxenhope equalised before half-time with a good shot by Michael Butterfield. The second half saw Town, who say that the Oxenhope side were riddled with first team players, go 2-1 up through a James Monkhouse penalty. However Oxenhope drew with a good shot from David Collier.

Division Two

Lothersdale 4

Grindleton 2

In the first half Dale scored at will, notching up all four of their goals. After the break a reorganised Grindleton fought back and a well-taken goal by Khurram Zulfi inspired them. They got a second when sub Ian Hopcroft forced the ball over the line and were getting back into the game but time ran out. The names of the Lothersdale scorers are not to hand.

Skipton LMS 2 Silsden 3

Silsden say they played very poorly but still came away with the points. Martin McClennon opened the scoring for them and then added a second goal. The second half was much the same with Silsden increasing their lead after about an hour through Ryan Hook with an excellent strike. However LMS did not give in and were awarded a penalty which was coolly converted by Jimmy Potts and with five minutes left Mark Fleming let fly from 25 yards to get their second. LMS report that the late kick-off due to Silsden's late arrival could have affected the result.

Silsden Athletic 5 Barrowford 7

This was a game with many defensive mistakes. Barrowford scored first and Silsden levelled before a bad injury to a Barrowford player interrupted play for half an hour. When the game restarted further goals made it 3-2 at the break to Barrowford. Silsden then levelled from the penalty spot and went in front twice before Barrowford rallied to take all the points. One plus point for Silsden was a hat trick from in-form Simon Lilley. Their other scorers were Jamie Cunningham and Neil Pepper and on target for the winners were Graham Parker, David Balmforth and Bryon Jones, all two, and Kevin Fallows.

Division Three

Ilkley Juniors Youth 2 Bronte Wanderers 4

Bronte went in front when Munzar Nazir followed up an Edward Waterhouse shot that had struck the bar. Ilkley levelled immediately with a fast break by Joseph Horne resulting in Andrew Bedford sidefooting home. However Bronte went in front 10 minutes later with an almost identical goal by Nazir after a shot by Michael Thompson and Lee Bilbrough made it 3-1 at the break. The second half saw Ilkley get their second goal through Bedford and then put the Bronte defence under real strain, visiting keeper Shawn Binns being heroic say Ilkley. However a superb through ball from Tim Frear was brilliantly finished off by Thompson to wrap it up.

Intake 4 Grassington 2

For the second week running Intake came back from two goals down at the break to record a stunning victory. They say they are now looking a decent side since the return of Nigel Turpin and with Brian Pringle staying injury free and the outstanding Ian Fraser they are now a threat to anyone. A brilliant goal by Miles Holt was all they needed to start their comeback and a penalty from Fraser made it level. The Grassington keeper then decided to pick the ball up after just putting it down and Intake were awarded an indirect free kick which was smashed in by Pringle from Fraser's lay-off. A fourth goal by Simon Kitchen completed the comeback. Grassington scorers were Clive Carroll and Daniel Waterfield.

Skipton Town 1 Bradley 2

Bradley report that they dominated the first half and virtually camped in the Town half while the Skiptoners say both sides had chances. However there was no score before the break. Then two excellent finishes from Richard Robinson put Bradley in the driving seat. Town got a goal back through Johnathon Allport but could not get the equaliser. The game was ably handled by stand-in referee Nigel Robinson.

Addingham 2 Cononley 1

The homesters went ahead in the first half after some fine play by Scott Walder, their man of the match Darren Bates, Steve Mitchel, Graham Johnson and Graham Campbell who fired home from six yards. After the break Johnson added a second and Cononley cut the deficit with a goal by David Mason. Thanks go the referee.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.