Linthwaite and Northowram got the new RCD Junior League season off to a flying start when they shared 11 goals in an exciting game at Linthwaite’s Royds Hall School Ground.
And it was Northowram who took home the points, winning 7-4.
The home side found themselves on the back foot in the opening minutes as Northowram immediately went in search of goals and the visitors’ pressure paid off when, from a throw in, Harris Reid fired in a shot from the edge of the area.
The goal sparked Linthwaite into action and they almost drew level straight from the re-start, but Keelan Gorski was unable to keep his snapshot on target when keeper Sam Battye parried Tom Fletcher’s shot.
Gorski, however, made up for his near miss after 10 minutes when he found space on the right to fire home the equaliser from 12 yards to make it 1-1.
Sam Gee pulled off a terrific save to deny Tom Conlon as the visitors sought to restore their lead and the Linthwaite keeper was in action again, moments later, when he tipped a fierce Kaius Turner shot onto the bar, but Gee was unable to stop Turner heading home at the near post from a Lewis Halamshaw corner to put the visitors back in the driving seat.
Northowram almost increased their lead within minutes but a superb goalline clearance from Harry Mayor once again denied Turner.
Although the home side struggled to get out of their own half, they continually posed a threat when they did get chance to go forward and some strong Bradley Smith work on the left gave Gorski the chance to chip the keeper for a second Linthwaite equaliser after 20 minutes.
But Linthwaite’s fightback was shortlived as Jake Forthrop’s right-wing cross found Tom Conlon at the far post who side footed the ball into an empty net to put Northowram back in front and, on the stroke of half time, Turner picked up a Halamshaw pass to turn the ball past keeper Gee to give the visitors a 4-2 two-goal cushion at the break.
Harry Mayor almost pulled one back for the home side just after the break but his ambitious overhead kick flew just over the bar.
But Northowram were in no mood to let their lead slip and, although Harry Beaumont, Lewis Plumbly, Ronnie Davies and Sam Walsh worked hard to get Linthwaite back in the game, defenders Halamshaw, Ewan McCann, Fynn McDaid and Harris Reid were equal to the task.
The game finally began to drift away from Linthwaite when Forthrop extended Northowram’s lead with a looping shot over the defence and into the top corner.
And as Linthwaite were still trying to pick up the pieces, Forthrop was in the action again when his right-wing cross found Jack Allwood who made no mistake from six yards for a 6-2 scoreline.
Forthrop capped a fine personal display when he powered his way through the middle to slide the ball past a helpless keeper to increase Northowram’s lead to five at 7-2.
But, despite the score, Linthwaite were not finished yet. Another strong run from Bradley Smith on the left finished with a cross from which Josh Taylor was happy to dispatch into the net.
Within minutes, an excellent run from Smith was ended only by the onrushing keeper as the home side refused to be beaten and, even the visiting supporters began to doubt the victory when Tom Fletcher picked up on a defensive mistake to reduce the Linthwaite deficit by scoring a fourth for the home side.
Linthwaite’s last chance of the game fell to Gorski but, on this occasion, the tricky forward’s shot flew just over the bar.
A deserved win for Northowram but Linthwaite will left wondering how they allowed the game to run away from them.
