The first of the West Riding County Trophy semi-finals takes place at Woodlesford on Friday night and the Bradford Sunday Alliance League are well represented, with three of their lower division teams competing.

Bradford Phoenix clash with fellow Alliance club Stanningley Albion.

Phoenix are in their third season together.

Their first season was a real a baptism of fire, losing their first seven matches.

A change in fortune saw them go the rest of the season unbeaten to clinch second place in the league.

Last season they thought they had won the Division 3A trophy after having an unsurmountable lead on the last day of the season. But the team in second place – who had failed to beat the bottom club – were awarded additional points after appealing against the result.

Seven days after they had won the league, they were stripped of the title.

They are currently in top form, reaching the County semi-final and District Cup quarters.

Star player is centre forward Ryan Hudson, who has scored 40 goals and had 32 assists in his 40 games for the club.

Stanningley is a development of the team that present coach Mick Sanderson started in 1998.

They began life as Stanningley Albion Juniors from under-eights to under-17s.

The team finished their first season in ‘open-age’ football (2008/09) by winning the Bradford Sunday Alliance Division Four title with an unbeaten record of 22 wins and two draws.

Stanningley also reached the final of the BSAL Amateur Cup, where they lost 2-1 to Bradford & District Cup winners Mailcoach FC.

The Club is based at the Parkfield (formerly Pudsey Sports & Social Club), off Richardshaw Lane, Stanningley and play their home games at Woodhall Park.

This is manager Barry Watson’s first season in the role and the team are currently top of Division 3B.

As juniors they won titles and cups in both the Garforth and Craven, Aire and Wharfe Junior Lleagues, were runners-up in the County Junior Cup and won the Leeds FA Minor Cup at Elland Road.