Local football: How title tension is rising in the Yorkshire Amateur League

tension is building across several divisions as the Yorkshire Amateur League draws to a close.
Yusef Tashani, of Leeds Independent, shoots at Athletico Reserves, who won this Yorkshire Amateur Division 1 contest, 3-2. Picture: Steve Riding.Yusef Tashani, of Leeds Independent, shoots at Athletico Reserves, who won this Yorkshire Amateur Division 1 contest, 3-2. Picture: Steve Riding.
Yusef Tashani, of Leeds Independent, shoots at Athletico Reserves, who won this Yorkshire Amateur Division 1 contest, 3-2. Picture: Steve Riding.

All local league fixtures, including the Yorkshire Amateur, will be finalised on June 26, leaving little time and games for teams to, almost literally, turn the tables.

There are still games to be played in the Supreme division, but leaders - and champions - Horsforth St Margarets wrapped up their season in sixsational style, after beating Lower Hopton 6-3 last Saturday.

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Saints piled on the points throughout the campaign to finish with 72. Runners up, Farsley Celtic Juniors, as an indicator, amassed ‘just’ 59.

Ed Golder, of Leeds Independent, has his shot saved by Athletico Reserves' goalkeeper Hussein Norman. Picture: Steve Riding.Ed Golder, of Leeds Independent, has his shot saved by Athletico Reserves' goalkeeper Hussein Norman. Picture: Steve Riding.
Ed Golder, of Leeds Independent, has his shot saved by Athletico Reserves' goalkeeper Hussein Norman. Picture: Steve Riding.

Steeton contested no games this season so, technically, Drighlington, who lost 4-2 to Farsley at the weekend, will finish bottom of the pile.

Middleton will be crowned Premier champions with Mount St Marys second and Stanningley Old Boys on the lowest rung of the ladder.

TVR United will finish top of the Championshp with their unassailable 10-point advantage.

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However, there are fixtures yet to be fufilled which could well effect change, particularly at the foot of the table.

Leeds Independent's 
Yusef Tashani tries to get an attack going at Athletico Reserves. Picture: Steve Riding.Leeds Independent's 
Yusef Tashani tries to get an attack going at Athletico Reserves. Picture: Steve Riding.
Leeds Independent's Yusef Tashani tries to get an attack going at Athletico Reserves. Picture: Steve Riding.

In Division 1, matters are very much in the air.

Leaders Leeds Independent lost 3-0 to Leeds City Reserves in midweek last weekend and were beaten 3-2 by hosts Athletico Reserves on Saturday.

The title is now firmly in the hands of second-placed Leeds City Reserves who will secure the crown if they defeat Horsforth St Margarets III this coming Saturday and follow that up with victory over Beeston St Anthony on the final day of all competitions (June 26).

Wortley Reserves are the Division 2 champions with Leeds City FC III second while North Leeds will finish bottom of the playing pile since Bradford Olympic and Gildersome Spurs OldBoys Reserves opted out of this year’s competition.

Max Saunders, right of Leeds Independent, heads wide under pressure from the Athletico Reserves' defence. Picture: Steve Riding.Max Saunders, right of Leeds Independent, heads wide under pressure from the Athletico Reserves' defence. Picture: Steve Riding.
Max Saunders, right of Leeds Independent, heads wide under pressure from the Athletico Reserves' defence. Picture: Steve Riding.
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Norristhorpe United Reserves ended their season 11 points clear of second-placed Morley Town AFC U21s with a nice, neat half-century, with Ealandians left holding the wooden spoon.

In Division 4, Calverley United Reserves hold top spot but second-placed Mount St Marys Reserves are only three points off the lead and have ample games remaining with which to turn the tables.

Mount St Mary’s and Calverley United are scheduled to meet next Wednesday, making for a tasty finale to this year’s competition.

And it’s a similar story in Division 5 where Farnley Sports Reserves lead the way with 55 points and Crofton Sports Reserves sit second on 52 points - with two games in hand.

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Beeston St Anthony have recorded a West Yorkshire League divisional title double.

Beeston St Anthony completed the West Yorkshire League eight-game 2020/21 Premier programme unbeaten to be crowned champions. And Beeston dropped points only once in amassing 21 points, five clear of Boroughbridge. Hunslet finished bottom of the nine teams who took up the challenge (the division normally operates with 14 teams).

Beeston St Anthony Reserves, meanwhile, topped the table in Alliance Division 1, going once better than the first team with a 100 per cent record. Hall Green United were runners up and Huddersfield Amateur Reserves were bottom.

In Division 1, Kirk deighton Rangers were runners up to champions Rawdon Old Boys with Hunslet bottom of the truncated 10-team line-up.

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Kyle Fox struck twice and Gareth Barber also netted for the hosts as Ripon City and visitors Old Centralians brought the Division 2 season to a close with a 3-3 draw.

The point was enough to secure third place for Old Centralians who trailed second-placed Swillington Saints Welfare by goals difference alone. Brighouse Sports, however, went through the season unbeaten to take the title in some style.

Unbeaten Leeds Modernians Reserves are Alliance Division 2 champions.

Kirk Deighton Rangers Reserves finished runners up and Overthorpe Sports Club Reserves bottom after Saturday’s final outing, a 2-0 defeat at mid-table Rothwell Juniors.

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The known became official when the final standings were confirmed in the Leeds Combination League Jubilee Premier on Sunday.

In truth, Main Line Social have had the upper hand throughout the campaign and had the top-tier title in the bag some weeks ago with only one draw and one defeat the minor blips over 16 games.

Social’s 43-point total was enough to keep second-placed HT Sports (38) at bay while Leeds Met FC signed off with a 6-4 win at bottom club Kippax Sundays to confirm a third-place finish - 12 points clear of Kirkstall Crusaders, in fourth.

Kippax Sundays will play in Division 1 next year after finishing bottom of the pile with Seacroft WMC second bottom and Colton FC third from the lowest rung on the ladder.

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Wykebeck Arms FC finished top of the tree in Division 1 after amassing 28 points from 12 games. Hunslet Club Sundays First are runners up, just two points off the title takers with Original Oak First facing relegation as the lowest team in the standings having netted just the one win and a mere four points in total.

FC Scholes have been on course for the second division crown for some time, and finished their 16-game campaign with 39 points - eight ahead of Churwell FC in second. Fourth-placed East Leeds Celtic FC ended their season a further three points off the title-winning pace.

Second-bottom West Yorkshire Falcons and Republica Internationale found the going tough, but it was Republica who eventually finished with the wooden spoon.

Little London FC - scheduled to meet Leeds Alpha tonight in their final outing - are the Division 3 champions, having finished three points clear of second-placed Old Crooked Clock with two games in hand.

Northern Star First will be relegated.

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North Leodis were the runaway winners of Division 4, finishing 15 points in front of Kippax Old Boys who pipped Sporting Pudsey for the runners-up berth - by a point.

Oulton Athletic Reserves and Bramley Amateurs FC Reserves ended their campaigns bottom and second-bottom respectively but only a point separated when it came to the final count-up.

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