Leeds Combination League: Seacroft crack resilent Acorn win with late clincher

In the LUTY Cup semi-final, Acorn (Bramley) of Division Two more than held their own against Division One leaders South Seacroft. Both goalkeepers were on top form throughout, but Seacroft’s Matthew Reed finally got the better of Acorn keeper Thomas Hall with two minutes left to play. The timing of the goal meant there was no time for Acorn to grab an equaliser and South Seacroft will now turn their attentions to the final, where they will face Beechwood Sundays.

Jubilee Premier side Whitkirk Wanderers showed the gulf in class between themselves and the Premier’s bottom club Chapel Allerton in the Combination Trophy. Two goals from Joe Stuart and efforts from Emilio Bozzo and Macca McBurney sealed a comfortable 4-1 win for the Wanderers.

There was a top-of-the-table clash in the Jubilee Premier as second-placed HT Sports travelled to Hope Inn Whites looking to leapfrog them in the league. Despite a goal from Barry Frankland, the Whites reaffirmed their title ambitions by running out 3-1 winners with goals from Mar, McClean and Stimpson.

There were three games in the Premier last week, two of which featured league leaders New Pudsey. In their first clash they travelled to bottom club Chapel Allerton and recorded a comfortable 5-0 victory with goals from Jack Kitson, Rick Simpson, Joe Thorp (2) and Chris McCarthy.

Pudsey followed this up with another resounding victory on Sunday as they dispatched second-bottom Swillington Welfare. Joe Thorp was in on the action again, bagging another brace while Dave Thornton and Levi Forber completed a 5-1 rout for the home side.

That result saw New Pudsey go three points clear of second-placed Horsforth Fairweather who were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw with East Leeds Celtic. Tom Wilson provided the only bright spark for Fairweather as they rued their inability to overcome a lowly opponent. In Divison One, East End Park secured an important 3-1 victory away to Sporting Pudsey on Tuesday. A brace from Damien Curtis and a goal from Nat Welsh powered East End to three points.

Those two were in on the action again on Sunday as they both scored a goal apiece in a thrilling 3-3 draw with New Armley Blues. James Cowlam grabbed the other for East End with Mark Ferguson and Dion Robinson (2) netting for the Blues. Bramley Town and Oulton Athletic showed their disdain for defending in an incredible 5-5 draw. Phil Negelein bagged a hat-trick for Oulton with Liam Atkinson and Ricky White adding the other two goals. Not to be outdone, Brian Edwards (2), Lewis Mawson (2) and Danny MacMahon netted for Bramley. Halfway House Bramley haven’t given up on slim hopes of catching South Seacroft at the top of the table just yet, and they continued their impressive recent form with a 4-2 home win over Harehills. Two goals from the ever prolific Jordan Heyes and another two from James Penman condemned Harehills to defeat.

Sporting Pudsey recovered from their midweek defeat, fighting to a hard-fought draw away to The Woodcock with Faz Emara scoring the goal.

****

Division 3A leaders AFC Travellers slipped to only their third defeat of the season as they were beaten 2-1 at home by fifth-placed Churwell Blues, writes JOHN McNAMARA.

Goals from Kieran Williams and Benjamin Bedford sealed the shock win for the Blues.

If goals were guaranteed anywhere it was in the game between fourth-placed New Moorside and bottom club Pudsey Athletic.

The Moorsiders recorded a routine 3-0 win with the goals coming from Dan Adjibona (2) and Marcus Liburd. A brace from Kieran Dieghan helped Northern Star on their way to a 4-3 home win against plucky Headingley Rovers. A Lewis Pratt double and a Jordan Parkinson goal were not enough for the away side to avoid defeat.

Armley faced West Leeds and ran out 7-1 winners with a hat-trick from Jack Barker and goals from Hayden Bowler, Chris McCarthy, Caine Laidlow and Kieran Foster. The goals also rained in for Bardsey who demolished Original Oak 7-0 with striker Yates scoring five of the home sides goals.

In Division 3B, Temple ran up a score that the current England ODI team would be proud of as they romped to a 14-3 victory over West Leeds Reserves. That result left Temple nine points behind league leaders Kirkstall Crusaders who suffered a rare home defeat at the hands of second-placed Sporting Pudsey II, Jordan Wright grabbing the only goal of the game in a 1-0 victory for the visitors.

There were no more 17 -goal thrillers elsewhere in the league, but there was another shock. Armley Reserves, who find themselves rock-bottom of the league with a miserable tally of 14 points, beat seventh-placed Crossgates 3-1 with a consolation from Karl Johnson.

Fifth entertained sixth when Amaranth Athletic visited Bramley Lions, who won the encounter 1-0 courtesy of a goal from Lev Macsay.

With Kirkstall Crusaders running away with the league, the best upcoming Division 3B action will be seen at the other end of the table with the bottom four separated by just two points. Second-bottom Bramley Amateurs face Kirkstall Crusaders next weekend.