West Yorkshire League Premier Division: Oxenhope 4 Brighouse 1

Oxenhope collected three valuable points in their battle against relegation with a deserved victory over fellow strugglers Brighouse – despite having no less than six under-19s in their squad.

The hosts started on the front foot and took the lead after ten minutes as young Matty Hardy, who had a outstanding debut, linked up with Lewis Hopkinson and his cross was met by stand-in striker Scott Nelson, who forced the ball home at the third attempt.

Brighouse were always dangerous on the counter-attack but Oxenhope saw a Nelson header skim the crossbar, while Hopkinson had two shots blocked and man of the match Hardy hit an effort just too high.

Brighouse upped their efforts in the second half but Oxenhope’s back line of Matty Wilson, Dan Scott and Keann Shaw were quick, strong and organised, with keeper Nick Hudson on hand to tidy up.

The hosts gradually got the upper hand again and, on the hour, their second goal eventually came as Owen Williamson jinked past a couple of challenges before crossing for Nelson to head home his second.

The last ten minutes saw a flurry of goals, with youngster Luke Snowden collecting substitute James Bailey’s pass to make it 3-0.

Oxenhope switched off at a corner to allow Brighouse a consolation before the three-goal cushion was restored as Williamson crossed for Connor Pepper to find the net.

This Saturday, Oxenhope will face a far sterner test when they travel to third-placed Field (2.30pm).

Oxenhope: Hudson, Nelson, Wilson, Scott, Shaw, White (Bailey), Driver (Pepper), Hardy, Gallagher (Snowden), Hopkinson, Williamson.

Alliance Division One: Leeds Modernians Reserves 1 Oxenhope Reserves 0

A mid-table clash saw Modernians complete a league double over Oxenhope Reserves.

The visitors started well, creating several half-chances, but gradually the home side battled their way back as the game flowed end to end.

Oxenhope keeper Eddie Jackson pulled off three outstanding saves to keep the scores level.

His side’s best chance came when a passing move found Jason McGee on the edge of the box, where he turned his marker, side-stepped the advancing keeper and slotted the ball towards an empty net, only to be thwarted by a sliding clearance from a Leeds defender.

Jackson produced another great save to keep the score-sheet blank at the interval, then another at the start of the second half.

Stand-in striker Ross Chapman headed against the bar at the other end before Modernians bagged an 80th-minute winner with a glancing header at the far post.

This Saturday Oxenhope travel to Steeton Reserves in the semi-finals of the Keighley Supplementary Cup (1.30pm).