Local Football: Real signal of intent delivered by magnificent Moor

Elsewhere, Leeds Medics & Dentists pulled out all the stops to keep St Nicholas on the back foot and eventually the result went Medics’ way, 2-0.

And one of last season’s form teams in the Yorkshire Amateur League, Stanley United, found the going tough in the cup when neighbours Robin Hood Athletic came a-calling.

It finished 5-0 to the visitors.

Meanwhile, in the West Yorkshire League, Beeston St Anthony’s hold a five-point advantage at the top of the Premier Division table over Ilkley Town after a 4-0 win at Horbury Town at the weekend.

Second-placed Ilkley maintained their interest in top spot following their 5-1 triumph over visitors Headingley, who are 10th on the league ladder with 10 points.

Ilkley moved into second above third-placed Leeds City on points difference. Both have 19 points, but City slipped up in the chase to keep Beeston St Anthony’s within grasping distance after being held 1-1 at Knaresborough Town.

One of the pre-season favourites, Carlton Athletic, started their push for the top-four places with a comfortable 4-0 home victory over struggling Huddersfield Amateur.

Athletic are now fifth with 16 points while Huddersfield are third-bottom and still in single figures.

That said, bottom club Hall Green United are finding life in the top flight extremely tough going so far this season. They fell 3-0 at home to mid-table Field on Saturday and ‘boast’ just one point from nine outings to date.

Fourth-placed Shelley survived a bit of a scare at Pool, edging the contest 3-2 in the end.

Salts lead the way in the West Riding County Amateur League with 19 points and a 19-strong goals difference from their eight outings so far this season.

Golcar United are breathing down their necks just three points off the pace – and with two games in hand on the front runners. Third-placed Littletown have also played just six games this rain-affected campaign, and are a further three points down on Golcar.

Steeton and Route One Rovers, also have 13 points on the league ladder, propped up by lowly Honley with one points.

In the Yorkshire Amateur League top flight Alwoodley maintained their 100 per cent start to the campaign – three out of three – with a 6-0 win over visitors Morley Town.

Drighlington came out on top of a high-scoring encounter at top-four rivals Farsley Celtic Junior 5-4

In the Leeds Combination League, Hope Inn Whites lead the way with two wins from two, and took that form into the Sunday Cup, returning with a 7-1 win at New Pudsey.

There were also Sunday Cupwins for Kirkstall Crusaders, JB Celtic, Chapeltown Fforde Grene, AFC Leodis and HT Sports.

WOMEN’S FOOTBALL

The return of the West Riding women’s divisions brought thrills, drama and goals galore, with Yorkshire Amateur sitting top of Division One after thumping Wetherby Athletic 19-1, writes CONNOR CRAIG-JACKSON.

Lindsey Hopton scored 12 goals with Nadine Bates and Abigail Whitehead bagging braces while Joely Ruse, Rhiannon Kelly and Rachel Eastwood also got on the scoresheet.

Amateur sit just above Hepwoth United who saw off last year’s champions Leeds Medics and Dentists 3-0 through Abigail Iggleden (2) and Jolene Forest, with Tingley Athletic also gaining a winning start with a 4-2 win over Brayton Belles.

Elsewhere, Bradford Park Avenue held on for a point in their 3-3 draw at Brighouse Athletic after goalkeeper Sonia Penney was given a straight red for a foul in the box, which allowed Athletic to bag a late equaliser.

A dramatic draw also unfolded in Guiseley Vixens’ encounter with Stoke City, as captain Alarna Fuller headed in Emily Scott’s late free-kick to earn her side their first point of the season in a 3-3 stalemate. Chantelle O’Hara’s double put Guiseley 2-1 up at half-time but they needed their captain on hand in the dying seconds to rescue the point and bring them out of the Northern Premier League drop zone.

There were narrow defeats in the Northern Premier Division One for Brighouse Town and Leeds United in their respective Yorkshire derbies as Town surrendered top spot to Hull City who edged them 1-0, while Leeds, despite taking the lead three times through Carey Huegett, Rebecca Hunt and Liuli Dyson, lost out 4-3 to Barnsley.

West Riding Division One meanwhile saw a storming second half earn Ossett Town a 7-1 win at Dewsbury Rangers through Caryl Doyle, Sharny Firth, Heather Butler, Jo Barraclough, Emma Smith and Hayley Clarkson.

Clifton Rangers edged Silsden Reserves 1-0 through Jodie Berry’s goal while Republica Internationale beat Hemsworth Miners Walfare 4-2 and Farsley Celtic saw off newly promoted Leeds City 4-1.

Huge wins in the Second Division saw Boroughbridge cruise past Ossett Town Development 11-1 with five goals from Siobhan Peplow along with Rachel Dorkings (3), Bethany Bancroft and Lauren Rawding (1).

Newly promoted Middleton meanwhile dismantled Farsley Celtic Development 7-1 whilst Lower Hopton won 6-0 at Skipton Town.

Division Three, however, saw no winners as Tyersal took a point away from Thackley through Abbie Tate’s strike while Kirkstall Crusaders and Durkar Devils shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw.