Saturday Cups: Robin Hood steal the show with six of best against county champs

Yorkshire Amateur League champions Farsley trailed 4-0 at the break before a strike from Danny Lyons and an own goal twice put Celtic on the scoresheet. Robin Hood will now tackle Beeston at Bracken Edge on Thursday, March 23.

West Yorkshire League champions Beeston obliged 3-1 in an all West Yorkshire League affair at Whitkirk Wanderers to book their place in the last four.

New Wakefield League sensations Real Moor booked their place in the other semi by hammering Yorkshire Amateur League side Alwoodley 6-0 with Dave Stead, Robert Dickinson, Johnny Walker, Glenn Wood and Paul Graham all among the scorers.

In the District Cup, Leeds City AFC Reserves edged a Leeds derby at Leeds Medics & Dentists Reserves 2-1 in a clash of two of the competition’s former winners. City will now host Headingley AFC Reserves who were 2-1 victors against visiting Hunslet Club Reserves.

Beeston St Anthony’s Reserves beat visiting Middleton Park 5-0 and will now welcome Selby League high flyers Cricketers who obliged 3-1 against YAL side Rothwell.

Yorkshire Amateur League outfit Woodkirk Valley exited the Heavy Woollen Cup but with their heads held high after a 6-2 loss at powerful County Amateur League Littletown.

Woodkirk were 4-0 down at the break but netted after the interval through Josh Lynn and a Scott Love penalty.

Joe Jagger’s brace was supported by goals from Callum Wheatley, George White, Andy Brewitt and Admilo De Castro for Littletown.

In the same competition, a Karl Fawcett double gave Wyke Wanderers a 2-0 win at Lower Hopton.

In the Wakefield and District Cup, YAL Championship side Thornesians were no match for Horbury Town who won 8-1 on the 3G surface at Kettlethorpe School.

West Yorkshire League

Leeds City and the rest of the chasing pack can play out the season with a smile on their faces whilst Carlton continue their dash towards the Premier Division title, so says their manager Tom Liddell.

The league leaders overcame relegation candidates Brighouse Old Boys on Saturday to continue their incredible 100 per cent record into the 16th game and stretch their lead at the top to 14 points, but Liddell sees the run as a positive for his third-placed side.

“What Carlton are doing is very impressive, obviously,” he said, “but what it does do is give us the opportunity to just go out and enjoy our football.

“Everyone starts the season playing with a smile on their faces, but as the season wears on pressure builds. We’ve got very little pressure on us and we’re finding that we are playing better football because of it.

“I’m sure some of the other sides are thinking the same.”

His Leeds City side swaggered to a 5-0 win at Oxenhope Recreation to put a three-point buffer between themselves and reigning champions Beeston St Anthony’s, who were out of action. First-half goals for Barrie Frankland and Sean Fitzpatrick put Leeds into a 2-0 lead at the break, before a James Hochstrasser double inside two minutes and a late cherry topping from substitute Mitchell Cameron finished off the rout.

The match had been moved to Marley Stadium in Keighley after flooding washed out hopes of playing at their regular home ground, and despite their domination, conditions were difficult for Liddell’s footballing side.

On whether any side has any chance of catching Carlton, Liddell admitted that whilst it was highly unlikely, you can never say never in football.

“You can never rule it out,” he said.

“From here it’d obviously take a massive effort for anyone to catch them, but we’ve been there when you’re in the cups firing on all cylinders, and it’s difficult.

“It’s especially tough once you lose a game when you’ve been on a run like they have. A few years ago we went on a run of 25 games on the bounce and found it tough when we lost one.

“It’s a horrible cliche, but it’s true; we’re just taking it one game at a time.”

With Beeston not playing, second-placed Sherburn White Rose joined Leeds City in victory to remain a point above them. They saw off Horbury Town 2-1 to secure their eighth win in nine.

Carlton’s 100 per cent record will carry into the second half of the season after they dispatched the likely-to-be-relegated Brighouse Old Boys 3-1.

Scott Burns and James Kirson scored for the leaders alongside the red-hot Reece Fennell, whilst Matthew Richardson netted the away side’s consolation.

In Division One, there was no shock at Otley Town, where the basement-dwelling hosts went down 3-0 to pace-setting Hall Green United. Daniel Empsall, Wayne Hall and Jamie Miller did the damage for United.

Hall Green sit a point behind leaders Hartshead with no fewer than four games in hand going into the second half of the season. Leeds Modernians, in fourth, kept their promotion hunt on the straight and narrow with a 2-1 win at Old Centralians, whilst East End Park produced a shock win at Howden Clough.

In Division Two, Rawdon Old Boys overcame the loss of their 100 per cent start to thrash Ossett Albion 4-1 thanks to goals for Paul Butler, Craig Nicholls, Chris Softley and Ben Whitfield.

Second-placed Rothwell put six unanswered goals past Great Preston, Kellingley Welfare overcame Great Preston 3-2 and Nostell Miners Welfare drew 2-2 with AFC Horsforth.