West Yorkshire League: Hunslet Club target top six ... but haven't ruled out a tilt at the top three

Three wins in their last four league games has seen the Leeds-based side move into fourth in the table, as they look to build on last season’s disappointing 11th-place finish.

Manager Wayne Hudson said: “From a league performance perspective things are going well. We’ve had a tough time in the cups, but we’re over the moon with our league showings.

“We’re tough to beat and we’re picking points up.

“Top six this season is our goal, we will be happy with that. We want to, of course, push as far into that top six as we possibly can.

“We certainly have aspirations to chase after the top three (Leeds City, Carlton Athletic and Beeston St Anthony’s), but that’s probably beyond us this season.

“That won’t stop us trying, but our sights are on next season for the point where we want to be up there mounting a challenge. There are so many fantastic people at the club giving us the facilities we have and the opportunities, so we want to put a squad together to win this league for them.”

Hunslet have a run of three league games coming up against sides all below them in the table, hosting Salts and Huddersfield Amateur before travelling to Rawdon Old Boys.

“On paper they are three winnable games,” said Hudson, “but it’s a tough league, a very competitive one, and you cannot take anything for granted as one or two strange results have shown. We wouldn’t change that, it shows how competitive the Premier is this season, with teams all capable of beating each other despite their league position. We went to Salts earlier in the season and dropped two points against a team now bottom of the league.

“On their day anyone can beat anybody so every team has to be at their best to get points which is a good thing.”

With Ilkley Town in successful cup action as they beat East End Park 8-1, Hunslet moved fourth with their 3-1 win over Sherburn White Rose.

Top scorer Kyle Swithenbank came up with the goods again netting twice, while Kieran Corley also scored.

Carlton remain top on goal difference after their 3-0 win at Wyke Wanderers thanks to a Joe O’Neil hat-trick. Leeds City are the side tied for points at the top as they overcame Rawdon to record a 2-1 victory.

Craig Nicholls was on target for Rawdon, but the heroics of Barry Frankland and Joe Tasker secured the win. Beeston claimed maximum points with their 4-1 defeat of Knaresborough Town.

Josh Garbutt netted a 13th-minute opener to put Town ahead, but Beeston roared back with a Stephen Crawford double and goals from Sean Jeavons and Jordan Lee Mullins.

Whitkirk Wanderers picked up their first league win since September against the side who their last league victory came against in the form of Salts, winning 2-1 at the Salts Sports Ground.

Derick Ngwana and Akeel Miller found the net for Whitkirk.

Robin Hood Athletic suffered their third straight league defeat at the hands of Huddersfield Amateur, going down 2-0, while Headingley made it back-to-back league wins with a 3-2 home triumph over Field.

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Aberford Albion remain top of Division One after their narrow 1-0 win over struggling Howden Clough, writes JAMIE WOODHOUSE.

That goal from Liam Thompson proved deadly for Clough who now drop to the foot of the table after Wetherby Athletic ran out 3-2 winners against Pool. More fine margins saw Boroughbridge jump Hall Green United into second place after their 1-0 victory over them at Crigglestone Sports Club. Luke Fletcher popped up with the vital goal for Boroughbridge.

With Hartshead suffering a 6-2 West Yorkshire League Cup defeat to Horbury Town, Newsome had the chance to move into third with victory over Kirk Deighton Rangers. A high-scoring affair, which ended 3-3, meant there was no movement in the table, with Newsome and Kirk Deighton remaining fourth and fifth respectively.

Rothwell ended a run of three league defeats with a 3-0 win over Leeds Modernians while Oxenhope Recreation drew 3-3 with Kippax.

Featherstone Colliery’s wait for that first league win since August goes on as they managed only a 2-2 draw against Otley Town.

Division Two leaders Campion Reserves progressed in the West Yorkshire League Cup with a 5-0 win over Tingley Athletic, but that offered the opportunity for others to close the gap at the top.

Swillington Saints needed no second invitation as they followed up on last weekend’s 12-0 victory with another demolition, this time running out 5-0 winners over Ripon City.

Glasshoughton Rock also closed in on top spot in equally impressive fashion, trouncing Hunsworth 9-2. Shelley Reserves ran out 3-1 winners at Altofts to complete Campion’s nightmare scenario.

One result which did go in their favour was Huddersfield YM’s surprise 2-0 loss to Kellingley Welfare. That was YM’s first league defeat since August.

Knaresborough Celtic re-emerged from their Swillington experience re-invigorated, as they put seven past Baildon Trinity Athletic in a 7-3 win. Old Centralians were on hand to complete the Division Two goal-fest, beating Brighouse Old Boys 8-3.

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Golcar United sent out a clear statement of intent to their title rivals in the West Riding County Amateur League as they demolished fellow frontrunners Lower Hopton 6-0, writes THOMAS RITCHIE.

Golcar went into the interval only 1-0 up before running riot in the second half as Doran Jordan hit a brace, with Buddy Cox, Jonathan Newiss, Alex Hallam and Ryan John all finding the target. Golcar have now moved nine points clear ahead of second-placed Lower Hopton, having lost just one game all season.

Lepton Highlanders won their first game of the season at the 12th time of asking as they defeated PFC 2-1. Lepton led 1-0 at the break and hung on for a crucial three points as James Keenan and Mat Lingard both found the back of the net, with Mohammed Zubair Khan’s goal for PFC in vain. Lepton remain bottom with four points from their 12 games, whilst PFC are in ninth with seven points from their 11 games.

Bradford Olympic won a midtable clash to move ahead of Steeton Reserves as they defeated their opponents 5-2. Bradford led 3-1 at the break and never relinquished their advantage, with Kieron Batey and James Chadwick hitting braces, whilst Zain Mushtaq was also on target. Goals from Brannan Lawn and Will Knight were not enough for Steeton who slipped down to eighth with 13 points from their nine games, whilst Bradford lie in seventh with 14 points in 12 games.

In the Premier Division Cup quarter-finals, Ryburn United defeated Ovenden West Riding 3-0 thanks to a George Turner brace and further strike from Christian Silkstone. Route One Rovers booked their place in the semi-final as they defeated TVR United in a penalty shoot-out, after the game finished 0-0.

Littletown eased past Toller 5-1 with Joe Jagger hitting a brace and Jack Smith, Pat Sykes and Michael Halessellasle all finding the back of the net. Brendan Maltby registered for Toller.