Leeds Combination League: HT eke out win to keep four-point advantage

A solitary strike from Steve Palfrey was enough to condemn Rovers to their fourth defeat of the season as they ended the weekend in third place.

Elsewhere in the Jubilee Premier, a John Mallinson hat-trick helped JB Celtic wreak havoc at fifth-placed Chapeltown Fforde Grene.

Goals from Richie Banks, Matty Dalton and Jack McMurrough completed the 6-0 rout as Celtic leapfrogged Chapeltown into fourth.

Hope Inn Whites jumped a place to second after a comfortable 3-0 victory away at second-bottom Seacroft WMC.

In the Premier, a brace from James Hochstrasser and a strike from James Burges were in vain as Kirkstall Crusaders succumbed to a shock 5-3 defeat away at fourth-placed Colton.

Crusaders stay second but are nine points behind leaders Kippax Sundays, who narrowly avoided slipping on a banana skin themselves as they triumphed 4-3 at home to bottom club Garforth Sports & Social.

Other matches taking place in the Premier included FC Broadway, despite being assisted by two own goals, succumb to a 3-2 defeat at home to Harehills WMC.

Ninth-placed Harehills now lay just two points and one position below FC Broadway.

Finally, a mid-table clash between fifth-placed Hunslet Parnaby and sixth-placed Chapeltown Fforde Grene Reserves saw Hunslet victorious in a 6-1 thrashing.

In Division One, fifth-placed Hare & Hounds dropped out of the top four after being on the wrong end of a 5-1 scoreline at home to Millshaw Park Rangers.

The three points saw Millshaw claim fourth position.

East Leeds, seventh in the league, obliged 4-2 at Moortown Albion, with goals from Paul Cuthbertson, Craig Cuthbertson, Luke Campey and Kieran Deller enough to take the points despite strikes from Danny Bell and Andy Houlding for the home side – who remain 10th.

A James Allam double helped third-placed New Pudsey overcome eight-placed Halton 2-1 at home, and Chapel Allerton maintained second spot by cruising to a 6-1 demolition of second-bottom Oulton Athletic. Dave Martyn (2), Chris Curran, Ben Schofield, Alex Carns and Ada Murray ensured a comprehensive victory for the away side despite Mark Shann’s consolation for the hosts.

Division Two saw West Leeds Armley stay second in the table, triumphing 7-4 at sixth-placed Corpus Christi

Jordan Tate scored four for the away side, along with a brace from Mark Ferguson and a goal from Shane Collins. Corpus goal scorers Liam Attwood (2), Joe Farrell and Roman Kerr could not prevent West Leeds Armley taking the points.

Elsewhere, South Seacroft saw off FC Horsforth Saints 5-0 away from home, Sporting Pudsey scored eight without reply at West Yorkshire Falcons, a Luke Clifford double helped Pudsey Athletic overcome FC West Leeds 4-2, and two braces from Ali and Pervaiz couldn’t stop AFC Elford falling to an 8-5 defeat away at Halfway.

Division 3A saw league leaders Wortley Knights extend their lead at the top with a 5-2 win over Old Hall Town, Sharp and Gerota with braces.

In Division 3B, Black Lion scored four without reply against FC Armley, Bramley Town Reserves obliged 5-3 at Northern Star, a Kyle Walker double helped Woodcock overcome Temple 3-1, and West Leeds Bramley gained a 3-0 victory at home to game but ultimately out-scored visitors Moortown Albion Reserves.