West Yorkshire League: Silverware still major objective for Ilkley

Ilkley faced the other title chaser at the weekend in the form or Carlton Athletic but, like their clash with Beeston St Anthony’s on the previous weekend, it ended in defeat.

Anees Younis claimed a hat-trick for Carlton, with Liam Moore and Daniel Chadwick also on target.

Nicc Hewitt grabbed a consolation for the visitors but, ultimately, it was a routine 5-1 win for the league leaders.

However, while downbeat with the results, Ilkley manager Simon Armstrong is keen for the team to bounce back and compete on all fronts as the season heads towards its climax.

“We are disappointed with the Carlton loss but, to be fair to them, they were excellent on the day,” said Armstrong.

“The week before when we played Beeston, they were also fantastic at our place.

“Both teams had strong line-ups like us but were the better side in both cases.

“It’s nice to get those two matches out of the way, and it shows that we have work to do in regard to the top two.

“The message to the players was we now have seven league games, a district cup final and a league cup quarter-final, so that’s a lot to still play for.”

With Leeds City’s title challenge becoming somewhat unstuck in recent times, third place has become a more realistic target for teams like Ilkley, but Armstrong believes a solid run is needed to catch them.

“I think to finish third is dependent on us and Hunslet having a very strong run,” he said.

“We need Leeds to take their eye off the ball too, but it is very much in their hands if they finish third or not.”

Hunslet missed the opportunity to put real daylight between themselves and Ilkley on Saturday after they were held to a 3-3 draw by Knaresborough Town.

The gap between the sides therefore remains at two points.

Those results also allowed third-placed Leeds to relieve some of the pressure facing them, with their 2-0 win at Field giving them a five-point gap back to Hunslet.

Charles Lumley and top scorer Adam Fowler netted the vital goals.

Beeston remain six points clear of Leeds though after they earned a 3-2 win over Rawdon Old Boys with strikes from Sean Jeavons, Stephen Crawford and Daniel Daly. Tom McMillan and James Nightingale struck for Rawdon.

Whitkirk Wanderers were hoping to make it three-straight league wins, but improving Robin Hood Athletic had other ideas, running out 2-1 winners through a James Finlayson brace.

Huddersfield Amateur are another side in red-hot form, and they stretched their run of consecutive league wins to six with a 4-1 victory over Headingley.

Salts picked up a vital win in their bid to escape the drop, inflicting a 4-1 defeat on a struggling Horbury Town.

Ross Barraclough, Harry Naylor, Joseph Storey and Ryan Whitfield were all on target for the victorious Bradford-based side.

Things show little sign of improving for their neighbours however, as Wyke Wanderers fell to a 3-0 defeat at Sherburn White Rose, courtesy of goals from James Davies, Abdul Kamara and Kyle Macdonald.

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DIVISION ONE leaders Hall Green United suffered a surprising setback as they went down 2-1 at Featherstone Colliery, writes JAMIE WOODHOUSE.

Matty Ashton had put the pace-setters ahead after only 23 minutes, but a 46th-minute Lee McGrath red card and goals from Colliery duo Kyle Pearson and Andrew Burton turned the game into a nightmare for Hall Green. To make matters worse, the sides chasing Hall Green were not in a forgiving mood.

Second-place Boroughbridge narrowed the gap to two points after their 2-1 win over promotion rivals Newsome. Christopher Simpson struck twice to give Boroughbridge the important three points.

Aberford Albion were also in ruthless form at Bunkers Hill, dispatching Oxenhope Recreation 4-0.

Kirk Deighton Rangers are still very much in the promotion fight, occupying fifth after their 2-1 win over Hartshead.

Wetherby Athletic made it back-to-back league wins, as Chris Travena struck in the 58th minute against East End Park to earn them a 1-0 victory.

Leeds Modernians picked up a vital point at Kippax in their battle against the drop, with Matthew Allsop’s 34th-minute goal securing a 1-1 draw.

Rothwell are in a similarly precarious position in 13th, but Aaron Fell and Barry Rothera made the scoresheet to earn them a 2-2 draw at Otley Town

Howden Clough look doomed to life in Division Two next season, after they fell to a 3-0 defeat at relegation-threatened Pool.

Division Two leaders Campion Reserves continued their relentless form with a 4-3 win over Ripon City.

Lewis Goldsbrough struck twice, with Jordan Hagyard and Ross Kelly also netting. Campion are now six points clear of Glasshoughton Rock in second, after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Huddersfield YM.

Richard Kingsbury netted in the first half for Rock, before Jack Bennett equalised in the 70th minute to earn a point for YM.

Shelley Reserves brought themselves right back into the promotion mix with a 1-0 win over Swillington Saints, who remain one point ahead of them in third despite the loss.

Adam Daffern provided the winner in that affair.

Tingley Athletic followed up their shock win over Shelley with another victory this week against Altofts – Aaron Batley’s double enough for the three points.

Baildon Trinity Athletic tasted victory for the first time since October, as they ran out 3-2 winners over Kellingley Welfare.

And it was a weekend to forget for Knaresborough Celtic who were dismantled 8-1 at home to Old Centralians.