Leeds Combination League: Rovers are driven to the limit by Horsforth

Leeds City Rovers’ goals came from Alhassane Keita (2), Scott Carter (2), Danny Redfearn and Mark Donnelly and, while Horsforth Fairweather’s star man James Thorp bagged two for himself, it wasn’t enough to help them through to the next round.

Last weekend proved to be a good one for the Thorps/Thorpes as James’ namesake Danny struck for South Seacroft in their comprehensive 3-0 win over lowly Harehills in the third round of the LUTY Cup. Sporting Pudsey also experienced a successful cup outing, easing past Pudsey Athletic, 3-0, to move into the fourth round of the Mawson Cup.

Whitkirk Wanderers, at least temporarily, replaced long-time leaders Hope Inn Whites at the top of Jubilee Premier, thanks to a hard-fought 3-2 win away at Main Line Social. Ryan Robinson, Ryan Harwood and Chris Baldwin all found the net for Whitkirk, while goals from Brad White and Adam Fowler almost earned struggling Main Line Social a precious point. Main Line Social are one point ahead of bottom-of-the-league Chapeltown Fforde Grene but have played four more games so far this campaign.

The result moved Whitkirk on to 15 points – two ahead of Hope Inn Whites – but having three games more than their title rivals. The two teams will meet next weekend in what could prove to be a pivotal match in the race to be champions. Main Line Social, meanwhile, face a trip to Leeds City Rovers, as they look to close the gap between themselves and mid-table.

The division’s only other game saw Kippax Sundays’ clash with Chapeltown Fforde Grene postponed.

Chapel Allerton earned just their third point of the season in Premier after holding East Leeds Celtic to an uninspiring 0-0 draw. Chapel Allerton closed the gap between themselves and sixth-placed Swillington Welfare to six points but will need an upturn in form if they are to avoid finishing bottom of the division.

Swillington Welfare were also in action over the weekend but lost convincingly to ten-man AFC Leodis by a 4-1 scoreline. Martin Dixon, Reece Kay, Tom Lenaghan and Ash Thompson were on the scoresheet for AFC Leodis before captain Oliver Mallinson was shown a straight red card.

Swillington Welfare’s only consolation came through an own goal – meaning that their players have scored fewer goals in the league than any other team this season.

Halfway House Bramley took advantage of South Seacroft’s cup commitments in Division 1 by closing the gap to the leaders to six points. Their opponents, Commercial HQ, suffered a humbling 8-3 home defeat, where Halfway House Bramley’s Brad Longhorn stole the headlines with a hat-trick. Kurtis Heyes added another two for Halfway House Bramley before Alex Waters, James Penman and Bailey Wright all joined the party to make it eight, eclipsing the three scored by Ryan McGee, Ziggy Fabian and Michael Hartley for the hosts.

Elsewhere, Oulton Athletic and Horsforth Saints met for the second time in three weeks, with the latter taking all three points this time around – edging a five-goal thriller, 3-2.

When they met in January, the spoils were shared but this result moves Horsforth Saints above Oulton Athletic and sees Harehills drop to the foot of the table. A Mark Ferguson treble helped New Armley Blues to a 4-3 win in a testing trip to The Woodcock and Brian Edwards matched Ferguson’s feat, earning Bramley Town one point in their 3-3 draw with FC Sporting Pudsey.

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Crown & Anchor squandered their chance to move top of Division 2, falling to a 3-2 home defeat to struggling West Yorkshire Falcons, writes JACK BRAIN.

The result saw West Yorkshire Falcons win their first match since October and move six points clear of Western Juniors at the foot of the table. Crown & Anchor, meanwhile, remain level on points with Hunslet Club Sundays having now played three more games than the league leaders.

Crown & Anchor also allowed the likes of Moortown Albion and FC Corpus Christi to make up significant ground on them. Moortown Town beat Acorn, 3-0, courtesy of goals from Peter Hill, Geoff Clarkson and Stuart Talbot, while FC Corpus Christi edged past Western Juniors 3-2.

Both teams are now within a point of the top with all but two teams within three points of leaders Hunslet Club Sundays.

AFC Travellers’ seven-match winning run in Division 3A almost came to a halt as Original Oak pushed them right to the limit, with the former requiring a late goal to win 3-2.

Paul Barrett, Daniel Hurley and Daniel Flesher all contributed goals to AFC Travellers’ cause as they maintained their seven-point lead at the top of league and extended their run of form to eight consecutive league wins, stretching back to September.

Bardsey ensured that AFC Travellers did not extend their lead at the top by beating Northern Star 2-1 away from home, despite Kieron Dieghan’s finish for the home side.

Elsewhere, FC Armley squeezed past New Moorside 4-3 and Churwell Blues and Headingley Rovers shared the points in a 2-2 draw.

The last 100 per cent record in the Leeds Combination League came to an end as Division 3B’s Kirkstall Crusaders Academy were held in a 1-1 draw away at FC West Leeds Reserves.

Athletico Bramley missed the chance to overtake league leaders Sporting Pudsey in the race for the title after falling to a 3-2 defeat against FC Crossgates, with Danny Harvey hitting a double for the hosts.

FC Armley Reserves closed the gap between themselves and Bramley Amateurs to three points by beating them 3-2 in a dramatic bottom-of-the-table clash.

Leeds Amateurs eased past FC Elford by a 3-1 scoreline, and Amaranth Athletic and Bramley Lions both took a point each away from their clash.