West Yorkshire League Premier Division: Leeds City 4 Oxenhope Recreation 3

OXENHOPE Recreation surrendered a 3-1 half-time lead to lose a seven goal-thriller 4-3 at fourth-placed Leeds City.

Relegation-threatened Oxenhope were second best out of the traps and were on the defensive for much of the opening 20 minutes.

The pressure eventually told when, from a Leeds corner, the ball was cleared to the edge of the box, where their striker took a touch and drilled the ball back through a crowded area into the net.

Oxenhope were thrown a lifeline, however, when in their next breakaway, Gaz Ritson was brought down and Chris Day calmly stepped up to drill the resulting spot-kick past the Leeds keeper for the equaliser.

This lifted the visitors who now took command, with Lewis Hopkinson and Jonathan Clewes bossing midfield and spraying their passes.

Day put a half-chance over the bar and Ritson brought a smart one-handed save out of the Leeds custodian.

On the half-hour, Oxenhope took the lead. A long ball by keeper Nick Hudson was held up by Day, and he played in Clewes, who floated the ball to the far post for Joe Jalil to head in.

Things got even better for the visitors minutes later when a corner was headed across goal by Scott Nelson and young Dan Scott got up highest to nod the ball home.

After the break, it was a different story though as Leeds came out the more determined, and they clawed a goal back in the first minute with a slick passing movement.

But it was now the home side's turn to dominate, and Hudson had to be alert as he pulled off three tremendous diving saves to protect the visitors’ advantage.

But City's pressure finally helped them gain an equaliser, an error in midfield allowing them to rifle the ball home.

The play was now predominantly in the Oxenhope half, with the visitors having to rely on breakaways to relieve the pressure.

Eventually on 80 minutes, the home side bagged their winner when a free- kick was headed in past man of the match Hudson.

On Saturday, Oxenhope have a crucial bottom-of-the table battle at home to Wetherby, who last week beat last season’s league and cup double winners Beeston (2.30pm).

Oxenhope Recreation: Hudson, Makinson, McGee M, Scott, Nelson, Hopkinson (White), Clewes (Chapman), Jalil (Gallagher), Day, Dyson, Ritson.