Yorkshire Amateur League/Terry Marflitt Trophy: Morley given a good run for their money by third-tier Alwoodley Reserves

Alwoodley have lost all five of their games in the third tier this season and newly-promoted Morley have made a decent fist of adapting to the Premier Division.

But it was an even contest at the Avenue that was locked at 1-1 at half-time, after the home side’s early lead was cancelled out by a Ryan Hartley strike.

Town surged into a 3-1 lead with Hartley grabbing a second in the 58th minute and Matthew Agar on target just after the hour mark.

Both sides exited the competition at the second-round stage last year and Alwoodley looked determined to avoid the same result, with Dan Walker and John Willmoth pulling it back to 3-3.

A late penalty from Jovan Kioseff saw Morley advance in a competition they treat with utmost importance.

“We’re hoping that a decent cup run will kick-start our first season in the top flight,” club secretary Noel Bullock said.

“Hopefully we can go on from our recent win over Alwoodley Reserves, who gave us a good game might I add.

“We have home advantage in cup competitions coming up, the Wheatley Cup and the Old Boys’ Shield, so hopefully we can cash in.”

The first round of the Marflitt, the league cup competition for the top three tiers, threw up no particular shocks.

Stanley United got an early scare from resurgent Championship side Calverley United but went on to win 6-2 at Rothwell Sports Club.

Josh Debenham gave Calverley, who struggled in the league last season, an early lead against the run of play.

Stanley replied quickly through Josh Wright and representative side star Josh Whiteley, who got his second from a free-kick after the visiting keeper was stretchered off.

Clinical Whiteley completed his hat-trick after slotting home a penalty and Stuart Davies made it five, but the away side got a consolation back through Ben Binns.

Three all-Premier Division ties were headlined by Leeds Medics’ 4-1 defeat of Stanningley Old Boys at Hough Top.

Medics held a slender lead at the break with a fine Brad Chambers strike putting them 1-0 up.

Further goals came in a prolific spell after the interval, with James Melia, John Makela and a Chambers second sealing safe passage for Steve Ledger’s side.

Reigning Premier Division champions Farsley Celtic Juniors ended up comfortable 5-2 winners over Ealandians at Bradford Academy.

Early red cards for Carlton Balmer and Dene Heppenstall put the away side down to nine but, remarkably, they took the lead through Colin Schofield. Fit-again league top scorer Danny Lyons, Said Osman and Louis Surtees took command, however, to go into the break at 3-1.

Osman and Lyons, on the hour, completed their braces and took last year’s finalists to the second round. At Cardinal Square, a single Callum Armstrong goal took Alwoodley past Beeston Juniors in the other all top-flight tie.

The nearest to a Marflitt Trophy shock came as Division One’s Leeds Medics III beat Championship outfit Mount St Mary’s 4-3 on penalties after they drew 1-1 after extra time.

Mount should have been out of sight by the interval but Dan Briscoe’s first-half strike drew the Medics level and their stout defence held out for well over an hour. St Bede’s triumphed 3-2 in another entertaining cup tie against fellow second-tier side Collingham Juniors.

Both sides have won twice this season so far and the first half was an even contest before Ian Horrocks put Bede’s in front with a low left-footed strike.

Tawheed Ahmed doubled the lead and Horrocks looked to have wrapped things up with a spot-kick, only for Richard Metcalfe’s free-kick and sub Steve Trueman to give them late nerves.

Grangefield pushed past Collegians 4-1 at New College, with an impudent chip from Brandon Baldwin and a memorable Rhys O’Hare finish illuminating the tie.

A competitive meeting between second-tier sides Leeds Medics Reserves and Leeds Independent ended 5-3 to the home side at Weetwood.

A potential upset didn’t materialise as struggling Thornesians beat in-form Division One Rothwell 5-3, with Shire Academics and Leeds City Old Boys also getting into the hat for the next round.

Back in league action, Championship table-toppers Horsforth St Margaret’s lost for the first time this season – going down 3-2 to a strong Beeston St Anthony’s.

Garforth Rangers and Farsley Celtic Juniors shared a 4-4 thriller in Division One, with Idle also victorious.