Junior Football: Battling City Boys pass toughest test of season

Early Harrogate pressure led to a dubious penalty that was converted off the post. They had started quicker and sharper than Leeds and doubled the lead soon after with a cool finish.

Although 2-0 down Leeds missed two good chances with their keeper saving from Kian Linley and Lewis Branton. Leeds seemed stunned and only strong defending from Harry Sykes and Sam Bolter kept them out.

The Leeds midfield then seemed to get more into the game and this paid off when an Owen Hindley corner was headed home by Linley.

As Leeds pressed again Harrogate broke away to make it 3-1. Fortunately Leeds fought back and scored with a cross-shot from Branton just before half-time. Leeds suffered an injury blow early when Matty Kyle had to go off.

They had improved from the first half and although Harrogate were dangerous on the break, Leeds had more of the play. From a terrific long throw Liam Ormsby scored at the far post to equalise.

As the game wore on both teams had chances but eventually pressure paid off when Linley got his second with another header from a corner. Harry Dalziel in the Leeds goal dealt with what Harrogate could manage and Leeds saw the game out for a fine victory. To come back twice from two goals down showed character and determination which ran through the whole side.

Brighouse Under-11s girls’ fixture this weekend saw the Blues and Yellows pitted against each other for the first time under the new division system. From the outset it was always going to be the Blues day.

After early sustained pressure, which saw good saves by Georgina Newcombe, Abi Conway finally broke through the Yellow’s defence and put the Blues 1-0 up.

This was followed shortly by another, this time from Freya Kikuts. At this point it was all Blues, with Newcombe making a number of crucial saves and Conway hitting the crossbar, before a lovely move finishing with a great cross by Conway that had Emily Kilroy knocking the ball sweetly in to the net. The Yellows made a come back and had a couple of breaks into the Blues’ half, but it was not long before Kilroy and Kikuts had scored a further one apiece with the first half finishing at 5-0.

The Yellows came out to the second half for better fortune but it wasn’t to be and a further two goals from Kilroy and one from Sophie Dallagher meant that the Blues took the spoils from the game with an emphatic 8-0 victory.

Despite the score line, both teams played well with man of the match for the Blues being Abi Conway and for the Yellows Georgina Newcombe.

Next season the girls move up to playing nine-a-side and are looking to recruit further players. Any current year 5 or 6 girls who would be interested, please contact 07917774673

Kirkstall Crusaders under-10s won both games at Pannal after a long winter break. Scorers were Mally Clark, Harrison Galdas-Smith and Rayn Yahiaoui. Man of the match was James Schoon.

A brilliant dislay from Kirkstall Crusaders under-17s secured a semi-final berth with a 5-1 over visitors Kippax.

Scorers were captain Connor Flanagan, Aaron Chapman, Faisal Sheik and Paddy McGill (2). Goalkeeper Kamen Greaves, Ethan Mahmoudi and Jack Walker, were exceptional.