Leeds Combination League: Why champions elect Western Juniors have a nervous wait

Table toppers Western Juniors OB have a nervous wait to see if they’ll be crowned Leeds Combination League Division 2 champions after this coming Sunday’s fixtures.
By Steve Heptinstall
Published 2nd Mar 2022, 06:04 BST
Updated 2nd Mar 2022, 08:29 BST
Michael Evans whose penalty won the Leeds Combination game for Headingley Rovers. A win for Western Juniors would have given them the title and now they wait for Harehills WMC- the only team that can overtake them - to drop points. Picture: Steve RidingMichael Evans whose penalty won the Leeds Combination game for Headingley Rovers. A win for Western Juniors would have given them the title and now they wait for Harehills WMC- the only team that can overtake them - to drop points. Picture: Steve Riding
Michael Evans whose penalty won the Leeds Combination game for Headingley Rovers. A win for Western Juniors would have given them the title and now they wait for Harehills WMC- the only team that can overtake them - to drop points. Picture: Steve Riding

Western completed their 14-match campaign with a surprise 1-0 home defeat by Headingley Rovers, Michael Evans the hero of the hour - literally - with a penalty goal on 60 minutes.

Rovers sit second in the standings with 27 points after their 14 games so their win shouldn’t have been that surprising - but Western went into the fixture on the back of a 100 per cent win record.

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It now leaves mid-table Harehills WMC with an outside chance of pinching the titles - but they’ll have to win all their six games in hand to achieve the steal, or five and a draw provided they make up their six-goal goals-difference deficit.

Paul Cuthbertson shoots wide for Western Juniors OB past Headingley Rovers defender Mark Elgar. Picture: Steve Riding.Paul Cuthbertson shoots wide for Western Juniors OB past Headingley Rovers defender Mark Elgar. Picture: Steve Riding.
Paul Cuthbertson shoots wide for Western Juniors OB past Headingley Rovers defender Mark Elgar. Picture: Steve Riding.

The Clubmen can make their first in-roads into Western’s points total on Sunday when they visit bottom club Bramley Lions who have lost all 13 of their games to date.

Harehills will, therefore, be wary of a Bramley side eager to end their campaign by breaking their season-long duck.

In the Jubilee Premier, fourth-placed Chapeltown edged out mid-table hosts Colton Firsts with a second-half winner after the sides had turned around goalless. Title-chasing second-placed HT Sports, meanwhile, were given a fright at Seacroft Community SSC who sit bottom of the pile. It finished 3-2 after HT had led 2-0 at half-time.

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Old Crooked Clock went second in Division 1, level on points with leaders Daisy Whites and with two games in hand, after a 4-1 home win over fifth-placed Garden Gate.

After losing 6-5 the previous weekend, Sporting Pudsey I recorded the same result but in victory last Sunday over previously unbeaten Leeds Combination Division 3 high flyers Oakley thanks to goals from Merlyn Andrews, Matthew Lofthouse.(3), Matthew Durrans and Ciolos Sebastian. Picture: Steve Riding.After losing 6-5 the previous weekend, Sporting Pudsey I recorded the same result but in victory last Sunday over previously unbeaten Leeds Combination Division 3 high flyers Oakley thanks to goals from Merlyn Andrews, Matthew Lofthouse.(3), Matthew Durrans and Ciolos Sebastian. Picture: Steve Riding.
After losing 6-5 the previous weekend, Sporting Pudsey I recorded the same result but in victory last Sunday over previously unbeaten Leeds Combination Division 3 high flyers Oakley thanks to goals from Merlyn Andrews, Matthew Lofthouse.(3), Matthew Durrans and Ciolos Sebastian. Picture: Steve Riding.

In Division 3, Sporting Pudsey I, having lost 6-5 last time out, repeated the scoreline but in their favour to inflict a first defeat of the season on second-placed Oakley.

VYT FC turned a 3-0 half-time advantage over bottom club Crown & Anchor AFC into a 6-3 victory with Harry Carney netting four of the goals.

In Division 4, Athletico Bramley bagged the derby bragging rights with a 2-1 home win over Bramley Amateurs FC, while Whitkirk Wanderers Blues saw off hosts Headingley Rovers FC Reserves, 3-1.

Neville Hill AFC triumphed 4-1 at Bird In Hand in the only Division 5 encounter of the weekend.

Churwell FC progressed in the Luty Cup with a 3-2 home win over Kippax OB.

Related topics:Western

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