West Bowling just got the better of Buttershaw White Star after a thrilling battle throughout a highly-competitive Bradford Sunday Alliance League season.

The crunch in the great rivals’ pursuit of the Premier Division title came on April 21 when a solitary Joe Jagger goal gave the edge to Bowling.

From then on it was their title to lose and they were not found wanting during the run-in before eventually finishing just two points clear.

That match had also ended White Star’s unbeaten league record stretching back two seasons after going through the whole of the 2011-12 campaign unbeaten.

Bowling also had the edge in the League Cup semi-finals, beating White Star 3-1 to knock out the defending champions.

But Buttershaw gained revenge in the District Sunday Senior Cup semi-finals when they beat the holders by the same score.

In fact, out of the four matches between the two sides, Bowling scored just one goal more than White Star to emphasise how evenly they are matched.

Bowling had their annual trip to Woodlesford for the West Riding County Sunday Cup finale but it proved a match too many for the Bradford team as they lost 2-0 to Leeds outfit HT Sports.

The top flight will be enhanced next season with the addition of Stanningley Albion, who won the Division One title by three points from George Hotel.

Stanningley, who beat their title rivals by the odd goal in a decisive encounter on March 17, have won promotion every season since joining the league in Division Four.

The showed they should also be able to cope with the demands of Premier football by pushing double winners West Bowling all the way in the League Cup final before missing out by a single goal.

Allerton won Division 1A by six points, with runners-up Thornbury Celtic having the consolation of lifting the Intermediate Cup after beating Pudsey Amateurs 1-0.

Ancient Forrester had been in a strong position but were pipped to the runners-up spot by a late charge from Thornbury.

The Division 1B title was won at a canter by White Hart – beating Lane Ends by 17 points, although the runners-up had a District Cup semi-final appearance to celebrate.