FROSTY pitches again made most pitches unplayable, which was a massive disappointment for RCD League clubs.
With most teams managing only one or two games since the start of November, everyone is itching to get playing again but, with only a handful of pitches surviving the cold, most team managers spent their time planning how to fit the growing backlog of games into their already busy schedule.
Most games that did get played were on pitches where the day’s bright sunshine was just enough to soften the surface and, even then, it was touch and go.
Drighlington’s Adwalton Moor pitches are not overshadowed by any of the local buildings and a full day’s exposure to the sun softened the surface, allowing the home side to grab three points from Battyeford in their under 11 Second Division encounter.
A Harvey Booth hat trick and a goal from Mason Hodgson edged a seven-goal thriller in the home side’s favour to keep Drighlington well among the promotion chasers.
In Division IV of the Under 11s, Savile Town suffered their first defeat of the season against Hartshead.
Savile scored four times to try to maintain their record against one of their nearest promotion rivals but goals from Will Bennett (2), Danny Johnson (2) and Nathan Hemmingway sealed the points for Hartshead.
Crosland Moor’s promotion hopes suffered a setback when, despite a couple of Carl Whitwam goals, they lost 3-2 to Ossett Town.
The Under 16s suffer most when conditions are bad due to their involvement in three different cup competitions, so it’s no surprise that it was this age group that tried hardest to get some games played.
Result of the day had to be at Longfield Avenue where Golcar United’s Under 16s hit top form to impose a first defeat of the season on Howden Clough.
Although Golcar head the Division I table, this is one of the tightest divisions in the RCD and any one of the top five or six teams could be the eventual title winners.
A brace for Josh Martin and one for Josh Kilburn sealed a comprehensive 3-0 win for United who, despite having played more games than most of the others, have the points in the bag and victory over one of the title favourites will have done their confidence no harm.
Two more Under 16 title hopefuls met at West Mills and Battyeford will be pleased their game went ahead as they imposed only a second defeat of the season on Silkstone.
The visitors were unable to find a reply as goals from Danny Sheard and Laher secured a 2-0 win and three points for the home side.
In the same division, Warley Rangers struggled to a draw against relegation-threatened Brighouse.
Ethan Noble scored for the home side but a Peter Turton equaliser secured a point for Brighouse.
Also in the top division of the Under 16s, Dalton Dynamoes moved out of the relegation zone with a 2-0 win over struggling Skelmanthorpe.
Skelmanthorpe failed to find a response as goals from Teboho Bongani and Gary Nixon did the damage and the three points moved the Dynamoes up three places to eighth in the division.
Having managed just four previous league games, Gomersal’s hopes of the Division II title will depend greatly on their ability to catch up and, with Sunday’s game being called off, it was a good job they played Drighlington in a re-arranged game on Saturday to ease the pressure.
Thankfully for Gomersal their efforts were rewarded when Dominic Oldham (3), Thomas Smith (2), Tom Ormondroyd, James Binns and Dale Motlib secured a solid 8-0 win to maintain their unbeaten tag.
In the league’s oldest age group, Savile United retained their unbeaten start to the season with a comfortable 9-0 win over Northowram to maintain their challenge for the Under 18 Division I title.
Northowram never got going in a game dominated by the home side, whose Faisal Adam and Gibril Bojang both scored hat tricks, which were added to with strikes from Safir Sherif, Ashraf Patel and Daanyaal Pandor to leave United well poised for a run at the title.
