CUP kings Kirkburton backed up their knock-out successes with an impressive 3-2 home win over WRCA League Premier Division leaders Bay Athletic.
Kirkburton had to make changes from their victory in the semi-final of the Sheffield Cup with manager Dean Calcutt lacking both regular centre backs.
The Burton boss played Adam Wilson and Ben Dunne in central defence and brought in youngster Josh Ingham, moving veteran Tim Capewell into midfield.
Kirkburton made a great start scoring after 10 minutes with a tap-in from Chris Parker, who was set up by Ingham.
Jordan Tindle then made it two, sliding in on a superb cross from Steve Chandler.
Burton almost made it three but for the heroics of the Bay keeper, tipping a volley over the bar from Parker.
Bay nearly pulled a goal back before half time from a corner, Jordan Robinson in the Burton goal coming to punch the ball but missing, and it hit the Bay’s centre forward on the knee before shooting over the bar.
Bay stepped up a gear in the second period and came close to scoring when the left winger’s shot was cleared off the line by captain Robert Barnes.
Bay steadily eased their way back into the game and scored from a corner in the 72nd minute, the ball being met by the right full-back at the back post who finished with a bullet header.
Ashley Flynn should have restored Burton’s two-goal lead had he done better with an effort in the 75th minute when the Bay keeper had to head the ball clear – Flynn’s snap shot looping over the bar.
Kirkburton then made their second substitution with former Bay Athletic player Ryan Buckley replacing the hard working Parker.
Buckley could have punished his old club straight away after being put through by Tindle, but his shot went agonisingly past a post.
Bay then spurned a chance to level the scores when a penalty was conceded for handball, but the spot kick was hammered against the bar.
Let off the hook, Burton took a 3-1 lead when the hard work of Tindle, playing a solitary role up front, hounded the full back and won the ball to cross for Chandler, who lobbed the keeper and Flynn was on hand to put the ball in the net from an acute angle.
Bay replied from the kick off when a long ball was pumped into the Burton area, and Brighton Mugadza was on hand to put it past Robinson.
Bay pressed for a share of the points and again saw the ball come back off the woodwork in injury time – keeper Robinson reacting first to gather the ball from the feet of the Bay centre forward.
The last time Kirkburton beat Bay Athletic was in the Barlow Cup in 1995 when two of the current players fathers – Robert Wilson the father of Adam Wilson and David Ingham the father of Josh Ingham – were playing.
Robert scored that day and Paddy Carmody scored the other.
