THE West Riding County Amateur League, which has dominated the West Riding County FA Challenge Cup for the last couple of decades, have only one team – Premier Division outfit Salts – in the last 16 of this season's competition.
Four of the league's teams – Gildersome Spurs Old Boys, Golcar United Reserves, Honley and Salts Reserves – are through to the fourth round of the West Riding County FA Challenge Trophy for lower-ranked clubs.
Meanwhile, Campion, Field and Bradford Horton Sports have qualified for the semi-finals of the Bradford & District FA Challenge Cup and will be joined by either Wibsey or Salts, who play on Saturday, January 17.
With 2014 ending with an icy blast that meant last weekend's league games were all postponed, there is virtually a full fixture list for this coming Saturday, apart from five West Riding County FA Challenge Cup or Trophy matches.
Three teams – Golcar United, Ventus-Yeadon Celtic and newcomers Gildersome Spurs OB – have reached the turn of the year without being beaten in the league.
Golcar, who last lifted the Premier Division title in 2004-05, are well on their way to a second championship, having won all 13 of their league games. They also have the tightest defence, having only conceded eight goals.
Defending champions Ovenden West Riding have played two games fewer but are a massive 14 points adrift in third place.
At the foot of the table, Tyersal have picked up just five points from 12 games but have played fewer fixtures than Huddersfield YMCA, Hunsworth and Kirkburton, who are locked together on ten points.
In Division One, Ventus-Yeadon lead the way with nine victories and two draws, with promotion challengers Overthorpe Sports Club seven points adrift in second.
At the other end of the section, Campion Reserves – with just three points from a 3-1 victory at home to Storthes Hall Reserves – prop up the table, with Steeton Reserves and promoted DRAM Community just two points better off.
Gildersome Spurs OB, who switched at the start of this season from the Yorkshire Amateur League, are, as expected, setting the pace in Division Two with seven victories and a draw.
The other two newcomers – Huddersfield-based Honley and Hunslet Club & Parkside, from the now defunct Leeds Red Triangle Invitation League – have shown that the step up has not daunted them and both are comfortable in mid-table.
Leading goal-scorers (all competitions, including county and district cups) – Premier Division: 23 J Booth (Ovenden WR); 19 G Armitage (Storthes Hall), S Hollingworth (Campion); 18 L Reilly (Steeton); 17 C Meade (Golcar Utd, 16 for Halifax Irish); 15 O Habeeb (Campion).
Division One: 23 R Bloomfield (Wakefield City); 19 B Long (Thornes); 18 A Hurst (Wakefield City), K Shah (Ventus-Yeadon Celtic);
17 L Smith (Bradford Horton Sports); 16 A Turner (Ventus-Yeadon Celtic).
Division Two: 31 B Keedy (Gildersome Spurs OB); 18 S Carney (Ovenden WR Res); 17 S Wales (Gildersome Spurs OB); 13 M Hall (Gildersome Spurs OB); 12 L Thrush (Gildersome Spurs OB); 11 J Clapham (Honley ).
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