Womne's Football: Brighouse Town hit form at right time

Cara Mahoney, Charlotte Proud and top scorer Jodie Redgrave netted for Brighouse as they came back from an early 1-0 deficit to go five points clear of relegation with three games in hand.

Town’s neighbours Brighouse Athletic, however, fell victim to another relegation rejuvenation in the West Riding Premier Division, being edged out 1-0 at rock-bottom Battyeford Firsts.

Despite the win, Battyeford still sit four points behind second-from-bottom Ossett Town after they won 2-1 at mid-table Brayton Belles with goals from Leanne Barraclough and Chloe Holt’s goals.

Hemsworth Miners Welfare also lost 1-0 to visitors Silsden Firsts – their sixth successive league loss, which may threaten to drag them into the relegation battle.

The First Division action was hit by severe weather conditions which puts an exciting title race on hold for one weekend, with just five point separating a top three who will have to play each other before the end of the season.

By contrast the Second Division title race almost looks to be over, with Leeds City sitting level on points at the top with Clifton Rangers, but having no games left to play compared to Clifton’s three.

They still went out on a high, however, thrashing the basement side, Amaranth, 6-0.

Dewsbury Rangers could still be in with a title shot after beating Borougbridge 3-0, but they will need to win all their final four games and a big dip in form from Clifton Rangers.

Elsewhere, Farsley Celtic Development made it six successive league wins with a 4-1 win at Crossley, while Skipton Town ended their five-game winless streak with a hard-fought 3-1 win over Silsden Development.

Despite the lack of action in the Third Division there was still a real cracker of a game in the first match of the Supplementary Cup group stages between Durkar Devils and Lower Hopton.

A true captain’s performance from Lower Hopton’s Dani Anthony saw her bag a brace as her side saw off Durkar Devils’ fightback to win 4-2 after being 3-0 up at half-time.

Laura Holdsworth and Abi Anthony scored Lower Hopton’s other goals to get them off the mark in the cup.