First-team football comes home to Oxenhope (From Keighley News)

First-team football comes home to Oxenhope

11:51pm Thursday 16th August 2012 in Sport By Sportsdesk

It will be a historic occasion on Saturday when Oxenhope play their first West Yorkshire League fixture in the village.

The Worth Valley Premier Division side start the new season when they entertain Ripon City on their new Centenary Pitch at the Recreation Ground (2.30pm) after a four-year exile at Marley.

They warmed up for it with a 5-1 victory at home to Craven League top-flight side Cross Hills in a repeat of last season’s Keighley Cup final.

The visitors took an early lead but Dan Moriarty and Jonathan Clewes gave the cup holders the advantage before the break. In the second half, Oxenhope proved too strong for the young, enthusiastic Cross Hills outfit, with goals added by James Bailey, a superb Moriarty free-kick and an own goal.

Earlier in midweek, Oxenhope put the first silverware of the season in their trophy cabinet when a squad of reserves and third-team players beat Denholme United 2-1 in the annual James Fisher Memorial Trophy at Denholme.

Goals came from Baz Gummery and Chris Day.

The reserves travel to Wetherby on Saturday (2.30pm) for their first West Yorkshire League Alliance Division One fixture, following last season’s promotion to the top flight.