A change in conditions from last week brought drier grounds and almost a full League programme as the battle for titles reaches boiling point.

In the Skipton Building Society Premier Division Keighley kept up their pressure on the leaders by defeating one of the relegation threatened clubs Skipton LMS by 5-1. Keighley completely controlled the first half with some excellent football and by half-time were 4-0 up with goals from Colin Buckley (2), Stewart Kinnear and Sean Rowley, LMS offering little resistance.

The second half was a different story with Keighley relaxing and LMS getting their act together. The home side pulled a goal back only to see Joynal Ali restore the four goal difference. Keighley rode out the rest of the game but may live to regret the wasted chances if the title goes to goal difference.

A relegation battle at the bottom end saw Cowling go down at home to Cononley Sports by 3-2. Cowling took an early lead through Damien Whiteoak with a simple tap in, but Cononley soon hit back with a two goal burst to secure an interval lead with Cowling creating chances but failing to convert.

The second half saw Cowling open well and a quick goal from Jon Murray put them on level terms. End to end football saw both teams looking for the extra point and in the closing stages it was Cononley who managed to get the ball home to take maximum points to ease their problems leaving Cowling on the brink of trouble.

Cross Hills defeated Addingham by 4-2 to secure a mid table place. They attacked from the start going into a three goal lead before Addingham hit back with a goal, only to see a fine move involving Richard Booth and Andrew Holland split the Addingham defence with Booth heading home the fourth. The excitement faded in the second half when Addingham scored a second but never posed a threat to Cross Hills.

In Division One the first meeting of the season between the two top teams Rimington and Silsden ended all square at 2-2 after a good match. Rimington, the hosts, settled first and went into a two goal lead early in the match with Silsden a little rusty after a two week lay off but as the match wore on Silsden began to put the ball about as they can with Andy Geary reducing the arrears in the second half. Rimington defended stoutly and looked to have held out for both points until the last few minutes when Andy Geary got the deserved equaliser to share the points, leaving Silsden with the advantage of the home ground in the return match and still favourites for the double.

Keighley Reserves entertained strugglers Grassington United and started well, playing with purpose but suddenly against the run of play conceded a soft goal, then proceeded to dominate the rest of the half without being able to turn advantage into goals. The second half saw Keighley still in the ascendancy and Andrew Haddington equalised only to see Grassington score straight from the restart. Keighley continued on top, were denied a blatant penalty and from then on heads went down, allowing Grassington to increase their lead by a further two goals to take the points.

Oxenhope Recreation Reserves gifted a goal to their visitors Gargrave in the opening minutes when the keeper let a harmless looking shot go. A second was conceded minutes later from a stupid back pass. Oxenhope, with a mountain to climb, pulled a goal back through Patrick Higgins then gifted Gargrave another but managed to pull one back before half-time through Duncan Bairstow. Going level on the restart of the second half through David Bleasby but the defensive nightmare continued with a further two goals being gifted to Gargrave and the final generous gift of two points.

In Division Two top met bottom when Haworth Reserves visited bottom club Wharfedale Gate and won by 9-1. As the score suggests a one sided contest with Haworth in control from the start, goals coming at regular intervals. Graeme Byrne notched four and Malcolm Haworth, Scott Turkington, Stephen Lawton, Carl Hartras one each, the seventh goal being an own goal. A victory that keeps Haworth top of Division Two.

In Division Three Cowling Reserves took runners up spot in the League by defeating Cononley Sports Reserves 4-1. Both sides needed to win the match to finish runners up and it was Cowling who started the better but Cononley scored first through a penalty. Cowling pressed hard and prolonged pressure brought the equaliser when a Cononley player put through his own goal. Cononley were reduced to ten men in the second half and the extra man allowed Cowling a little more freedom which they exploited to take the lead and once in front they never let go with a Martin Rishton hat trick bringing them a 4-1 victory and runners up spot.

Silsden Reserves kept up among the leaders in Division Four with a 2-0 victory over Bradley Reserves. A reshuffled team through injuries and holidays was still strong enough to defeat a Bradley side who tried hard throughout but lacked punch up front. The goals both being scored by Ian Feather who again came out of retirement to help the side.

In the Premier League Cup Haworth entertained Skipton Bulldogs and in the last seconds lost a high scoring match. As it says in the report Haworth managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Haworth, well on top, enjoyed a 3-1 lead with goals from Simon Thompson, Matthew Gilmartin and Neil Rollins and time was fast running out for Bulldogs who had never really threatened. Then in an amazing turn round Haworth conceded two soft goals to level it up. Simon Waddington then restored the tie in Haworth's favour but pressure from Bulldogs produced an own goal to level again, with the match well into injury time Dogs forced a corner, scored and that was that, a place in the quarter final snatched away.

Sutton progressed to the Division Four League Cup Final with a resounding victory over a weakened St Paul's Reserve side. A slow start to the match with neither side settling until the vital first goal was scored through Gary Hanson. From then on Sutton had the confidence to go forward leaving St Paul's defending and a second goal was added before half-time through Daniel Newton. St Paul's had to chase the game now and they left gaps at the back which Sutton exploited, Newton going on to complete his hat trick and Hanson adding another. They will now meet Grassington United Reserves in the final on April 15.

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