West Yorkshire League: How Beeston St Anthony’s took over at the top from Horbury Town

Beeston St Anthony took over at the top, making the most of Horbury Town’s West Riding County Cup involvement at Shelf (where they won, 1-0).

Saints edged out hosts Rawdon Old Boys 1-0 to go two clear of Town in the standings.

Beeston are scheduled for a big game on Saturday when they take on third-placed Horsforth St Margarets.

Carlton Athletic, meanwhile, cemented their top-five credentials thanks, largely, to Adam Simpson who scored all the goals - in the first half - in a 5-3 win at bottom club Boroughbridge who should be credited for their three-goal performance.

Staying with the ‘wrong end of the table’ and third-bottom Whitkirk Wanderers played out a see-saw 3-3 draw with visitors Gomersal and Cleckheaton who are second-bottom.

Moussa Diallo (2) and Ayrton Stewart-Savery scored for Whitkirk with Stuart Kiltie (2) and Benjamin Smith on target for the visitors. The two relegation rivals are locked on 10 points each on the league ladder with Wanderers holding sway via goals difference alone.

And both will have fourth-bottom Robin Hood Athletic fixed firmly in their sights as the fourth-bottom team has just 12 points.

Kirk Deighton Rangers, who sit ninth in the standings and entertain title-chasing Horbury Town on Saturday, overran 12th-placed - and nine-man - Field 3-0 with goals from Jacob Little, Roman Neal and Ashley Tatler.

Field lost Cameron Day to a straight red while Michael O’Brien also left the visitors shorthanded after picking up two yellow cards.

Elsewhere in the County Cup, hosts Otley Town First were out-gunned 3-0 by Huddersfield Amateur.

In Division 1, four of the scheduled seven fixtures were postponed.

Of the three that went ahead, low-mid-table Wetherby Athletic First gave second-placed Shelley a second-half scare before the title hopefuls edged the contest, 2-1.

Joe Whiteley pulled a goal back for Wetherby after the hosts had trailed 1-0 at half-time.

Top dogs Silsden AFC WY maintained their two-point advantage over Shelley with a thumping 5-1 win at mid-table Brighouse Sports. Hot shot Ben Clarkson scored four of Silsden’s goals with Mark Hoban also getting on the scoresheet.

Fourth-placed Ilkley Town AFC Mens Second XI proved no match for visiting Pool AFC First who ran out 2-0 winners and are now tucked in right behind their hosts on the ladder.

The sole scheduled Division 1 fixture between Old Centralians First and Overthorpe SC First was postponed as were the Alliance Division 1 games between Huddersfield Amateur 2nd and Altofts Reserves, and Robin Hood Athletic Reserves and Headingley AFC Reserves.

Three games did run to completion, however.

Aberford Albion edged out Oxenhope Recreation Reserves 3-2, Field Reserves pipped Otley Town Reserves 2-1 and Boroughbridge Reserves scored one more than hosts Hall Green Reserves in a nine-goal thriller.

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