The Craven Football League resumed after the Christmas break with weather conditions good for once in this wet season, two matches being postponed because clubs could not raise teams.

In their Northern Plant Hire Challenge Trophy Second Round match Carleton beat Haworth 5-4 and now have a home match against Barrowford in the next round, and in their Division One League Cup First Round replay Skipton LMS beat Grassington 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals where they will meet Haworth or Intake at home.

In the Skipton Building Society Premier Division leaders Embsay had a comfortable 4-0 victory over Colne Cricket Club despite a below par performance, while Oxenhope slowly climbing the table had little difficulty in defeating bottom club Cowling 5-0.

Cononley and Rimington found the pitch at Cononley getting heavier as the match went on but both provided an entertaining game which ended at 1-1.

Skipton Bulldogs beginning their chase to overhaul the leaders had a 4-2 victory over Addingham to move up the table slightly, and Cross Hills beat Keighley 4-1.

Division One leaders Bradley lost at home to Skipton Town, who are now starting to string results together, 4-1 but stay at the top as Hellifield's opponents Gargrave could not raise a team.

Oxenhope had a 1-1 draw with Grindleton in the only other match in the division.

Division Two leaders Bronte Wanderers travelled to Barnoldswick United and after an excellent match were 2-0 winners.

Sutton stayed second with a 2-0 defeat of Keighley, the match being played thanks to Craven FA member David Town who went to watch and finished up refereeing when the appointed official failed to show.

Clitheroe had a fairly easy 3-1 victory over Horton and stay third and Silsden with just enough players travelled to Skipton LMS and snatched a 1-0 victory on a very heavy pitch.

Skipton Bulldogs had few problems with bottom club Addingham winning 3-0 and Barrowford came from 3-0 down to win 6-3 against Cowling.

Division Three leaders Grassington could only manage a 1-1 draw when they visited Colne Cricket Club and Hellifield went level on points when they struggled to a 2-1 victory over a lively Earby side.

Grindleton are still in the title chase, defeating Carleton 3-1, and Ilkley Juniors Youth finally found their scoring touch to beat Cononley 8-0. Waddington lost ground in the title race losing to Intake 3-2 and Skipton Town had their biggest win for seasons, defeating Bradley 6-0. Lothersdale overwhelmed Settle 12-2.

Northern Plant Hire Challenge Trophy

Round Two

Carleton 5 Haworth 4

Haworth must have gone into this game as favourites as Carleton struggled again to field 11 players.

But the visitors had a shock after three minutes when 16-year-old Andy Strickland chipped the keeper only to see the ball scrape the bar.

However Haworth took the lead after 15 minutes through Craig Labbett only for Carleton to get a penalty - which Haworth say was dubious - after good play by Bart Vaughan and Max Brear and Vaughan converted it.

But Haworth went ahead again through Stewart Jones and Mark Labbett chipped the keeper from near the halfway line.

Straight from the second half kick-off Haworth squandered a great chance and Carleton struck twice through Strickland and then their man of the match Vaughan put them ahead for the first time.

Haworth levelled through Mark Labbett but Carleton won with an own goal eight minutes from the end when an unstoppable inswinging corner was headed in by a Haworth player.

Division One League Cup Round One replay

Grassington 2 Skipton LMS 6

The Dalesmen say that within 10 minutes they had all three subs on and from then on nothing went right for them.

LMS went ahead with an excellent shot by Mark Osadzenko and a fierce shot by Jason Titorenko after he had shown tremendous pace down the right wing got an own goal.

Grassington then scored through Scott Eggleston but LMS added two more goals in the half through Steve Morphet, with an excellent turn and shot, and their man of the match Paul Arnold, with an exquisite strike from 25 yards.

Before the break Grassington got their second goal through Mark Anderson.

In the second half LMS scored when a shot from Richard Osadzenko was deflected in. But then the Dalesmen rallied and LMS keeper Damian Peyton had to make two tremendous saves before Rob Nelson rounded off another solid performance with LMS's sixth.

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