Leeds Combination League: High-flying Hope Inn halted in Cup semi-final

Rovers’ win sets up a final clash with second-placed Jubilee Premier side HT Sports. There were three more cup games over the weekend and FC Armley booked a place in the Mawson Cup final by beating New Moorside 2-1 in a tight encounter.

There was another tight affair in the Combination Trophy, where a brace from Hunslet Club’s Killian Mabey sealed a 2-1 victory for his team against Sporting Pudsey.

In the same competition Kippax Sundays had no appetite for a tight game as six goals from Tom Charles helped them on their way to a 7-0 win over Chapel Allerton.

In jubilee Premier League action there was an entertaining 4-4 draw between first-placed Hope Inn Whites and third-placed Whitkirk Wanderers on Tuesday night with Scott Jones (2), Ryan Robinson and Fidel Mhlolo bagging the goals for the Wanderers.

Leeds City Rovers made it a perfect week by hammering Chapeltown Fforde Grene 6-1 with goals from Nick Clarke (2), Daniel Redfearn (2), Simon Holliday and Rob Holliday.

It was another heavy defeat for Chapeltown on Sunday when they travelled to HT Sports and lost 5-2 with Jason Davis (3), Ash Crooks and Lee Turner notching for the home side. Daniel Sheriffe was the only bright spark for Chapeltown, getting on the score sheet for the second successive game.

New Pudsey sealed the Premier title last week with two emphatic victories, the first of which came away at Colton where goals from John Mallinson, Joe Thorp and Greg Sargeant secured a 3-2 win. They followed that result up with an 8-1 rout of fifth-placed East Leeds Celtic. Greg Sargeant and John Mallinson were both on the score sheet again with Dave Thornton (3), Dec Forber, Rick Simpson and Patrick Sutton also hitting the back of the net.

Colton were involved in another close encounter when they played out a thrilling 4-4 draw with second-bottom Swillington Welfare who had Witcher (3) and Foster to thank for their goals.

In Division One, South Seacroft sealed the championship with a 3-2 victory over rivals Halfway House Bramley last Tuesday.

Danny Thorpe (2) and Stuart Tetley scored for Seacroft and Ryan Sharpe (2) grabbed the goals for Halfway House.

The Seacroft players and management could be excused for celebrating their title success, but perhaps the partying went too far as they suffered their first defeat of the season a few days later.

Bramley Town trounced the newly crowned-champions 4-2 with goals from Brian Edwards (2), Mitch Dixon and Shane Hanson bringing Seacroft back down to earth with a bump.

Elsewhere, goals from Bradley Proctor (2) and Ricky Smith brought bottom club Harehills to within two points of Horsforth Saints (who they beat 3-2) and Oulton Athletic, who fell to a 3-2 defeat away at New Armley Blues after gaining a creditable 2-2 draw with East End Park earlier in the week thanks to Mark Shann and Shaun Stead goals.

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Hunslet Club continued their Division Two title procession as they beat Crown & Anchor 4-3 at home last week before their cup victory against Sporting Pudsey, writes JOHN McNAMARA.

Lee Robinson’s hat-trick wasn’t enough for Crown & Anchor with Hunslet scoring through Matty Bowes (2), Leon Daniels and Richard Wheelhouse.

Also in Division Two, second-placed Beechwood Sundays kept up their impressive form with a 5-0 away win at Acorn (Bramley). Joe Phillips, Barry Edwards, Lincon Mabunu and Brandon Stansfield (2) were the scorers for Beechwood.

The race for the title in Division 3A is hotting up with leaders AFC Travellers falling to a 2-0 away defeat to New Moorside, who had Dan Gale and Jamie Halsall to thank for the goals. That result gave Bardsey the chance to narrow the gap at the top to nine points with 15 left to play for, and they duly delivered.

Goals from Jordan Deacey (3), Roman Neal (2), Joel Deacey and an own goal sent them on their way to a 7-4 win away at joint-bottom West Leeds, who remain on 11 points with Republica Internationale.

In Division 3A’s other Sunday fixture, Conner Ewart shone brightly for Northern Star as his brace helped his side to a 5-1 win against Original Oak. That result made up for Northern’s 4-2 loss away at Pudsey Athletic earlier in the week.

It was a week of mixed results for second-placed Temple in Division 3B, as they ran out 7-3 winners against Sporting Pudsey in their first game of the week before losing to Armley Reserves 3-2 and then drawing 1-1 with champions in-waiting Kirstall Crusaders.

West Leeds Reserves look in as much trouble as their first team, after a 7-1 defeat by Bramley Lions left them within two points of bottom-club Bramley Amatuers, who they have to play in the coming weeks. Goals from Chris Flethcer, Danny Robinson (2), Alan Atkinson and Robert Lewis-Brookes roared the Lions to victory.

Amaranth Athletic cruised to a 4-1 win over Elford with Milsted, Packer, Wright and Hanson goals keeping Amaranth in sixth place.