Mount Tabor find shooting boots

The first half of the only Premier Division game of the day was goalless but Pond ran out of steam in the second period and Tabor romped to a 5-0 victory.

Pond started well with Joe Shaw and Wayne Allert narrowly off target.

Dan Barnes made a number of fine saves to keep Tabor at bay but a goal early in the second period, a header from Adam Helliwell, gave them momentum.

Joe Grimley and Helliwell extended the lead, centre half Matthew Mason struck a free kick through the Pond wall and substitute Greg Austin wrapped up victory.

Barge FC continued their excellent start in Division One, beating Feathers 4-3 in the top-of-the-table game to stretch their lead to four points.

Matthew Bagshaw’s side dominated the first period, with David Woffenden and Sam Halstead a constant menace to the Feathers defence.

Man of the match Andy Salm opened the scoring with a powerfully struck free kick and Woffenden finishing off a well-crafted team goal.

Halstead got the goal his play deserved to make it 3-0 at the interval but Feathers rallied impressively.

There were parallels with Barge’s first half display as the visitors also netted from an excellent free kick before grabbing two more to bring their side level.

It was a hard fought stalemate for 20 minutes before Halstead grabbed a winner.

Royd Club have decided to battle on after a crisis meeting but there was no major upturn in their fortunes in a 6-0 defeat at North Bridge.

David Scott has taken over as manager and his side trailed 5-0 at half time before rallying in the second half, scoring once and also hitting the woodwork.

Much-improved Queens Head are up to third after a 2-0 win away to Oddfellows.

Halifax Amateurs picked up a second successive clean sheet in a 3-0 home win over St Columbas at Wellesley Barracks in the day’s only Division Two game.

Amateurs made a couple of changes after a goalless first half and quickly looked the stronger side.

Substitute Lee Emmet hit a sweet ball which flew past the helpless Columbas ‘keeper and 10 minutes later Chris Bairstow tucked the ball away from close range.

Drakes, bossing the midfield, made it 3-0 with a stunning long range effort and stand in keeper and top scorer Ben Orchard was delighted to keep a clean sheet.

Hollins Holme and Ovenden BC were the Halifax Sunday League success stories in the first round of the county cup at the weekend.

Last season’s Premier Division runners-up needed penalties to get the better of visitors Pontefract Squash.

A 2-2 scoreline after 90 minutes - there is no extra time in this competition - was a fair result. The Calder Valley side won 3-1 on spot kicks.

Pontefract scored first after 30 minutes but Hollins drew level just after half time when a good team move left Toby Standring with a tap-in.

Hollins were on the front foot for a while after that and Andrew Butterworth, James Chadwick and Greg Spink could have scored before Hollins finally got a second.

However, Pontefract got their second with five minutes left.

Glynn Clayton saved the visitors’s first penalty and they put two of their next three efforts wide. Spink, Butterworth and George Bamford were on target with Hollins’ first three efforts to bring the shoot-out to an early conclusion.

Division One side Ovenden crushed visitors Oakwell Motel 7-1 but Top Club, Crown, Beehive and Crosskeys and Bradshaw were among those to bow out.

Top Club lost by the only goal of the game away to Crossflatts Village.

In a tight first half with few opportunities, an effort struck James Lord on its way into the Top Club net.

Lord won a penalty in the second half but Ryan Barkham saw his spot kick saved and the Bradford League side progressed.

Division Two Crown lost 5-1 to an excellent Thornton United side.

Beehive came unstuck by 4-1 at home to Chickenley while struggling Bradshaw were beaten 7-1 at home by Mount Pleasant.

Top Club Reserves ducked out of the West Riding Sunday Trophy at the first hurdle. They lost 5-2 away at George United in Oakenshaw.

Halifax Rangers, boasting a 100 per cent start to the season, suffered a reality check when crushed 9-0 away to Clayton Village S & SC in the Trophy.

Manager Peter Bowe rested several key players but it was still an embarrassing capitulation.

Rangers conceded the first goal after 11 minutes and the second, a penalty, on the half-hour.

Four goals down at the break, they did show some pride in the second half before allowing Clayton to add five goals in the last 15 minutes.

The home side might have reached double figures but for the heroics of ‘keeper Josh Ward.