Holders battle past Saints

Craig Walker’s men were trailing 1-0 entering the last 15 minutes at home to another of the likely Halifax AFL title contenders, Illingworth St Mary’s.

However, Richardson catapulted the ball to the back post for the impressive Brad Waddington to equalise with a flicked header and then repeated the trick for Christian Silkstone to grab a winner with five minutes left.

Saints had the better of the first half and strike ace John Booth headed them in front but the loss of Phil Livesey through injury was a major blow.

Ryburn changed their shape for the second half and upped their game with Waddington, Oliver Brearley and Macauley Peacock in excellent form.

Warley Rangers left it late to progress, striker Mark Kelsey scoring a superb solo goal in the 89th minute to end the challenge of West Yorkshire Premier outfit Brighouse Old Boys.

Rangers took the game to their opponents and Kelsey blazed over from 12 yards after incisive build up play between Connor Bell and Carlton Balmer.

Old Boys showed their quality in flashes and Calvin Lee shot wide when in a great position.

Warley came close on several occasions but were denied by some superb defending or good goal keeping.

Five minutes before the break Rangers were awarded a penalty for hand ball but the usually reliable Danny Kirman saw his effort palmed away be the ‘keeper.

Old Boys came more into the game in the second half. Lee went close twice and Peter Kulezco headed a gilt-edged opportunity wide with the goal at his mercy.

Kelsey headed over from five yards after more great work by Balmer before defences came to the fore with man of the match Adam Goldthrope and Jonny Lamb impressive for the home side.

With penalties looming, Old Boys thought they had won it as Richard Heins bundled the ball home at a corner, but referee Andrew Gee spotted he had used his hand.

Moments later Kelsey latched onto a long ball just inside the Old Boys half and burst through two challenges before expertly lifting the ball over the prone keeper.

Sowerby United came out on top 3-1 in an entertaining home tie with Copley United.

Sowerby missed several glorious chances in the opening 15 minutes.

Copley were looking to utilise the pace of Lee Worrall but the Sowerby defence was solid.

Copley took a surprise lead on the half hour mark when Garry Ash cleverly lobbed the advancing keeper but Sowerby soon levelled when a determined Harvey Walsh slid in to score.

Sowerby went ahead mid way through the second half with a well worked goal from Connor Ashworth before Dan Boyd made the game safe by beating his man and walking the ball into the net.

Two goals in the opening seven minutes of the second half helped Midgley United get on top against visitors Northowram and win 5-1.

The Rams dominated the first half with an impressive display of crisp passing and movement but found themselves 2-1 at the break.

Midgley opened the scoring through George Bamford on eight minutes after a weak attempted clearance from James Fearnley.

Mark Eade missed three good chances to equalise, the first bringing an excellent save from Steven Butterworth.

Midgley doubled their lead on 20 minutes when a scuffed shot which was going wide deflected in off defender Archie Griffiths’ chest.

Eade reduced the deficit when he swept the ball home after Lewis Oldridge’s good run and cross.

Butterworth produced a fine double save from Eade and Oldridge while Martin Woodhouse side footed against the bar at the other end.

Woodhouse’s well-executed curling shot from wide on the left and Greg Spink’s half-volley which flew into the top corner helped the home side raise their game.

James Yates’ 25-yarder direct from a corner made it 5-1 on the hour. Stand-in ‘keeper Kieran Rodger saved well with his legs one-on-one from Woodhouse before the Rams missed late chances.

St Columba’s knocked out higher division opponents for the second time this season.

They followed up a victory over Premier Division Mixenden United with a 3-2 win away to middle-section side AFC Crossleys.

They started well down the slope at Mason Green but passed up numerous half chances and a clinical finish gave Crossleys an interval lead.

Saints levelled when live wire striker Vinny O’Shea was brought down and Ben Caldwell struck the penalty into the bottom corner.

O’Shea set up Ryan O’Neill to bundle the ball home at the back post and when O’Shea’s shot was parried out, Scott Holmes side footed home to make it 3-1 to the visitors.

Crossleys pulled one back from a corner with 15 minutes left. Both sides hit the woodwork but the excellence of goalkeeper Maccauley Richardson and a fine block from James Gallagher kept Saints’ noses in front.

Hebden Royd Red Star were too big and strong from Plummet Line from two divisions lower, winning 9-1 at Mytholmroyd.

Red Star stormed into a 5-0 interval lead.

Will Chadwick set the ball rolling with a half-volley. player-boss Chris Garbutt volleyed in the second at the back post and Richard Laycock fired into the top corner. Two goals from Lewis Cockroft left the visitors facing a damage limitation exercise.

Tom Garland, Tom Barclay, Cockroft and Dan Lumb got Star’s second half goals with Plummet pulling one back at 7-0 down through Ahmad Yehyah.

Ealandians turned a 2-0 interval advantage into a 6-2 home win over Haifax Irish. Gareth Sherwood and Damon Gledhill-Nicholls scored for the visitors.