West Yorkshire League: Saints boss Moss banking on hard work paying off

Saturday’s victory was achieved in remarkable fashion with Saints 3-0 down at the interval to strikes from Robert Anderson, Bradley Hennessey and Kristopher Sleight. Yet James Appleton, Jamie Claughton, Matthew Marshall, Kieran Turnbull and Samuel Dobson all netted to turn the game on its head.

Victory from their seven games in hand would send Swillington into the automatic promotion places – behind only third-placed Huddersfield Amateur who have also played only 13 games, but Moss is determined to take matters one step at a time.

“We’re not getting carried away, there’s still a long way to go,” said the Saints boss. “All we need now is to keep putting the effort and commitment in and see if our hard work can pay off.

“We had a very poor first 45 minutes on Saturday. We came in at the break and reflected on it. We spoke about the run of games that we had put together and how we didn’t want to throw it all away with one abysmal first-half performance. We have had a lengthy lay-off with weather and it’s meant that we have a lot of games in hand and a good chance to do something now.”

Hall Green United remain the team to catch and they moved three points clear with a 3-1 success at second-placed Altofts.

Bottom of the table Garforth Rangers picked up their second point with a 3-3 draw at ninth-placed Middleton Park for whom a Daniel Pennington double and Jordan Tate strike was not enough for victory.

Second-bottom Barwick obliged 4-2 at third-bottom Mount St Mary’s with Patrick Gibbons and Jordan Talbot netting for the hosts.

In the Premier, second-bottom Robin Hood Athletic were shock 4-3 winners at title-chasing Leeds City. Joe Dixon scored a brace for City along with Barrie Frankland’s opener but a Scott Murgatroyd double plus goals from Christopher Brown and Daniel Claridge sealed the deal. Champions Field moved second with a 2-1 triumph at sixth-placed Shelley with a Nicholas Doherty brace in the face of a home Israel Johnson strike. Hunslet Club rose to seventh as a Liam Moore double inspired a 3-1 win at home to fifth-bottom Otley Town whose Daniel Chadwick struck.

In Division One, second-placed Sherburn White Rose went in 5-3 at fourth-placed East End Park with Robert Foreman and Aaron Hodgson both netting to accompany Danny Middleton’s hat-trick. Liam Clark struck twice and Craig Nicholson once for the hosts. Third-placed Whitkirk Wanderers edged a 1-0 win at home to third-bottom Baildon Trinity Athletic while fifth-placed Boroughbridge were held to a 1-1 draw at sixth-placed Headingley with Duncan Terry’s ’Bridge opener cancelled out by Merlyn Andrews. Bottom club Ripon City lost 2-1 at Leeds Modernians as a Liam Spencer strike was outweighed by Leeds efforts from Declan Keaney and Ben Turner. Second-bottom Thornhill drew 1-1 at home to Old Centralians with Anees Younis and Jamie Halsall the scorers respectively.

In the League Cup, Carlton Athletic eventually squeezed past Division Two visitors Ossett Albion 3-2 in the last 16. Strikes from Reece Fennell, Tom Griffiths and Luke Oldroyd outweighed an away Ashley Smith brace.

Pool were taken to extra time by Division One hosts Aberford Albion before winning 2-1 after a 1-1 draw in the last 32.

Goals from Grant Bligh and Steven Preston sent Pool through.