The District League have a finalist in the West Riding County FA Challenge Trophy after Division Two side Honley won through by beating Halifax League outfit Springhall Celtic 3-0 in their semi final clash.
In the first half, both sides concentrated on using the big field by playing possession football and during this time the defences were on top with Honley’s back four of James Cotterrill, Richard Cooper, Matt Durrans and Terry Howe coping well with the lively Springhall forwards.
Honley came close to opening the scoring in the first 45 minutes when, after a strong run and cross from Dylan Brett, skipper Danny Knutton was narrowly off target. Springhall also had a chance and in the final minute of the first half, Honley keeper Ben Scotcher made a fine reaction save low to his right.
The sporting manner of the tie can be best illustrated by the fact that the referee only blew for one free kick in this first period.
The second half started at a faster pace with forays from Brett down the right and Oliver Willetts down the left stretching Springhall’s defence. From one of these, Willetts brought a fine save from the opposition’s keeper.
Striker Jamie Taylor chased down Springhall’s defence at every opportunity and he gained his reward on the hour mark when he pounced on a weak back pass and stabbed the ball home. A Springhall effort bounced to safety off the crossbar following a mix up in the Honley defence but from then on, Honley’s midfield of Knutton, Danny Goodwin and Kyle Silkstone took control. The score was 2-0 after 75 minutes when Taylor ran on to a ball out wide on the right and his cross was volleyed home by Brett. Springall were now a beaten team and Taylor capped a fine second half performance by reacting quickest in the box and scoring Honley’s third from close range.
Honley will now face either Settle F or Morley Town in the final at Woodlesford on Wednesday 2rd April 7.30pm kick off.
In another cup competition, the last semi-finalist for the Barlow Cup is now known as Scholes beat Heyside 4-3.
Scholes elected to give youth a chance with three teenagers in Sam Bellas, George Richardson and Jordan Kellett in the starting line up. They played uphill in the first half and if they were surprised to go one down after 5 minutes, they were shocked to be three down after just twenty. Heyside’s first team have yet to win at Scholes but even their most pessimistic supporters must have thought that they were about to break their hoodoo especially as they could have been more than three goals to the good at the break.
A lambasting by Scholes coach Bullas ignited some spirit in the home side. This, plus a couple of substitutes and some other positional changes, seemed to have the desired effect. A header from Wheeler narrowed the deficit and another header, this time from Will Kilner made the score 3-2. Kellet and Richardson linked well down the right and Richardson’s cross found Wheeler for a third headed goal for Scholes. Extra time loomed but in the final minute, there was a melee in the Heyside box with nobody being able to control the ball but Waterhouse finally made contact and fired home.
The semi-finals of the Barlow Cup are Britannia Sports v Scholes and Shelley v Holmfirth Town. This season the District League are trying something new. They are holding both semi-finals on the same complex, one after the other but the League are keeping with tradition in that both are taking place on Easter Monday, 21st April The venue is at Shelley’s ground at Storthes Hall with the first kicking off at 10.30am followed by the other at 2.30pm. This will mean that supporters will get two semi-finals for the price of one with a £2 entrance fee. This has only been possible by the fact that Holmfirth Town were willing to play at the complex despite it being the home of their opponents. Their thinking being that they are happy to play on probably the best field in the town.
Upperthong lost a cup game last week after four successive cup victories. The side to beat them are Brook Motors who themselves have been in good form of late drawing their last three games and if it hadn’t been for extra time, they would have drawn again.
Brooks were never behind in this match. Firstly, they led when Robbie Bailey cut in from the right and scored from 20 yards but this was cancelled out late in the first half in which Upperthong had held the slight advantage in possession. Ritchie Eales gave Brooks the lead for the second when he found the top corner of the net but on the 75 minute mark, Upperthong equalised from the penalty spot. It was now all Upperthong and it was only stern defending from the Brooks defence that took the match in extra time.
Upperthong were now probably strong favourites but fitness became a major player as hail and rain made playing football difficult. It could well have been Brooks were a slightly fitter team as they scored twice more. James pollard scored in the first period of extra time to give Brooks the lead for the third time and in the second period, Jonathan Charlesworth completed the scoring for a 4-2 win.
There were two other cup ties played. Royal Oak beat AFC Waterloo after penalties in the Groom Cup and Skelmanthorpe Reserves overcame AFC Lindley Reserves by 2-1 in the Gee Cup.
The semi-finals of the Groom Cup are Brook Motors v Aimbry on 10th April at Warrenside and Scissett v Royal Oak at Lepton n 15th April.
The Richardson Cup semis are Meltham Ath A v Berry Brow Res at Warrenside on 8thApril and Upperthong Res or Netherton Res v Heyside Res at YMCA on 15th April.
The Gee Cup semis are Scissett Res v Cumberworth Res at Storthes Hall on 8th April and Berry Brow A v Skelmanthorpe Res at Grange Moor on 10th April.
All semi-final kick offs are 5.30pm
In League action, Hepworth United Res beat Kirkheaton Rovers A by 2-1 and are the first team to win League silverware as they claimed the Reserve Division Two title.
But the performance of the day must go to Slaithwaite United, a team near the bottom of Division Two, who beat League leaders Shelley by 4-1. This gives renewed hope to heyside and Skelmanthorpe who are chasing for a promotion spot.
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