MELTHAM and Bay Athletic kept the Huddersfield flag flying in the West Riding County Amateur League Premier Division Cup.
Meltham, who are second in the Premier Division and five points behind leaders Bay, beat lowly Keighley Shamrocks 3-0, while Bay beat Huddersfield rivals Storthes Hall 3-1.
Making up the Huddersfield top-flight quartet, Golcar United, were beaten 2-0 at Lower Hopton.
Despite Meltham not playing near their best, they were still too strong for Shamrocks.
Chris Brammall and the Mathews brothers, Tom and Adam, spurned early chances but it was only a matter of time before they scored.
On 25 minutes Tom Mathews skipped through the Keighley defence to fire past Spencer Harrison and score a stunning goal and give his side a 1-0 half-time lead.
Meltham continued to dominate with midfield pair Kirk Jacobs and Ben Traynor dictating the action.
Superb wing play by George Dawson ended with a pin-point curling cross met by Traynor, who headed home to give them a 2-0 lead on 73 minutes.
Reliable Brammall added a third on 85 minutes to give his team a safe passage to the next round.
Storthes Hall started well against Bay and dominated the first half and deservedly went 1-0 up through Chris Margis on 25 minutes with a well-worked goal from 20 yards.
But in the second half the game switched in Bay’s favour and good work from Ryan Buckley gave Brighton Mugadza an easy chance to level on 55 minutes.
Freddie McGillivary fired Bay into the lead when the ball rolled kindly for him in the penalty area and he tucked it into the bottom corner.
Bay were now the better team and Mugadza finished the game off with his second of the game after going on a mazy run from the half-way line.
Quarter-finals: Campion v Halifax Irish Club, Hall Green United v Meltham Athletic, Tyersal v Lower Hopton, Bay Athletic v Hemsworth MW.
(Ties to be played on Saturday, December 29).
In the Division I Cup, Marsden went through after demolishing Dudley Hill Rangers 5-1 and they were joined by Kirkburton, who beat Bronte Wanderers 3-2, which was their eighth consecutive League and Cup victory.
After almost an hour’s delay waiting for the referee, Burton fielding a depleted squad through injuries and players going on to play at a higher level, survived early pressure before Ryan Jagger fired Burton ahead from a Michael Reynolds cross. on 12 minutes.
Bronte equalised on the half hour after a quickly taken free-kick and eight minutes into the second-half Bronte went ahead with their No7 broke from midfield and unleashed a cracking 25-yard drive past deputising goalkeeper Richard Kellett.
Bronte maintained the pressure and nearly scored again. With the Burton’s defence all over the place the striker was through, but some brave goalkeeping and a double save by Kellet kept it to 2-1.
But Burton hit back with John Allison on target, shooting from 20 yards and made the ball dip just front of the keeper who fumbled the ball as it crept under his body.
Ashley Flynn clinched the winner when Kellet’s goalkick was flicked on by man-of-the-match Aidy Smith to Lee Bradley who released Flynn to provide the finish.
Kirkburton’s second team took on Marsden at Fall Lane in the Reserves Division Cup and came away with a fine 4-2 win with goals from Dunstan (2), Wood and Ives.
Quarter-finals: Eastmoor v Crag Road United, Salts v Marsden, Wakefield City v Littletown, Steeton v Kirkburton.
(Ties to be played on Saturday, December 29).
