Pair impress in quest for Shay return

Ian Rushworth
Actions from Shelf United v Elland, at Lightcliffe Academy. Pictured is Tom Chappell and Harry TalbotActions from Shelf United v Elland, at Lightcliffe Academy. Pictured is Tom Chappell and Harry Talbot
Actions from Shelf United v Elland, at Lightcliffe Academy. Pictured is Tom Chappell and Harry Talbot

The pair powered into the last eight in impressive fashion on Saturday, holders Ealandians humbling hosts and Halifax AFL leaders Midgley United 6-0 while Amateurs powered past AFL Division One visitors St Columbas 7-1.

Yorkshire Amateur League Premier Division side Ealandians scored three goals in each half at Midgley Rec and home boss Craig Midgley conceded: “We got a good stuffing. We couldn’t get the ball off them for the first 20 minutes.”

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Midgley were a little better in the second half with Hayden Kerris to the fore but the damage had already been done, Connah Judson finishing with a hat-trick for the visitors.

Gee added: “We were glad to get in the pub for 4.15. We never looked like winning!”

Huddersfield Amateurs, who play in the West Yorkshire League’s Premier Division, moved the ball well on a large pitch at Old Earth, Elland.

They led 2-0 at half time before pulling clear in the later stages of the match.

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Saints did create a few chances and grabbed a consolation when skipper Ryan O’Neill dispossessed a defender and fired home from 25 yards.

Ryburn United are a third non-Halifax AFL team in the quarter-finals. The West Riding County Amateur League newcomers were 4-2 winners at home to Greetland with Aaron Dorward and David Walker the visiting scorers.

Three AFL Premier sides - the two Shelf clubs and Sowerby Bridge - are also through to the last eight along with Division Two leaders AFC Crossleys and Division Three leaders Elland United.

Shelf FC scored twice in the last five minutes to beat Hebden Royd Red Star 4-2 at Westwood Park.

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Callum Lewis scored the first three goals for the home side, starting with a penalty after a foul by Dan Pugh, before Lewis Cockroft equalised almost immediately from Adam Dawson’s ball over the top.

Lewis restored Shelf’s lead after the break but an excellent individual goal from Foysal Ahmed, who beat three players on the left and then rounded the keeper, made it 2-2.

Penalties looked on the cards until Red Star Garbutt defenders failed to deal with a bouncing ball and Lewis chipped the keeper, visiting player-manager Chris Garbutt.

Shelf got a fourth when the ball was headed across the goal and prodded past Garbutt by a defender.

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Shelf United made very hard work of registering a 2-1 win over Elland Allstars from the division below.

Allstars might have been two or three goals up at half time against complacent hosts on the artificial pitch at Lightcliffe Academy.

They had to settle for one, courtesy of Chris Haigh’s deflected shot from the edge of the area after half an hour.

It was a different tale after the break as Shelf upped their game and missed a plethora of chances against opponents who tired badly and played the last 20 minutes with 10 men due to injury.

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Matty Roy made it 1-1 in a scramble following a corner after 55 minutes and left back Brad Wilkinson got what turned out to be the winner with a run and good shot from the edge of the area.

Sowerby Bridge were too strong for Ovenden West Riding at Walton Street, winning 5-0.

Bridge got off to an excellent start with a Sam Hiley goal on 10 minutes. Five minutes later a superb 25 yarder from Adam Barlow gave Tom Boyle no chance,

West Riding were struggling to mount any serious threat on Ryan Brook’s defence while at the other end some heroic centre back play by James Thorpe kept the visitors in the game.

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Ovenden matched their hosts for 25 minutes of the second half, with Jordan Pettifor and Luke Oldridge prominent, but an injury to Nathan Sloane reduced them to 10 men.

Damo Watkins made it 3-0 and a second from Hiley was followed by a Toby Young own goal.

AFC Crossleys floored divisional rivals Stainland United 10-0. The visitors were not helped by two dismissals and Tom Kershaw (three), Connor Atkinson (two) and Nicholas Mead (two) were among those to cash in at Holmfield Rec.

Elland United crushed Illingworth St Mary’s from two divisions higher by 5-1 with a hat-trick form Carlton Balmer.

Ross Pendleton and Anthony Campbell added to the home side’s tally at Carr Green, Rastrick with Luke Prosser replying.