Oxenhope 5 Boroughbridge 1

Oxenhope had their perfect warm up for Friday night’s County Cup final with a confidence-boosting league victory.

The home side took the lead on the quarter-hour when a good passing movement out of defence involving Ollie Metcalfe, Lewis Hopkinson and Leon Smith allowed Dan Moriarty to slot the ball home at the far post.

Five minutes later the visitors levelled from a long throw down the left into the box, which saw a Boro striker turn and squeezed the ball in at the near post.

Oxenhope regained the initiative and had Boroughbridge penned in their own half but brave goalkeeping and some wayward finishing kept the scores level until just before the break.

Smith cut in from the right and went past his marker. His initial shot was parried but he dinked the ball over the stranded keeper with his follow-up.

Early in the second half Moriarty bagged his second, taking the ball to the edge of the box before unleashing a powerful strike. Oxenhope were now relentless but the relegation-threatened opponents held firm.

Midway through the second period the points were made safe when Metcalfe's free-kick took a wicked deflection off the defensive wall and looped into the top corner. It was now all one-way traffic as striker Michael Garnett had three fierce shots blocked or saved.

In the final minutes man of the match Tom Marshall, who had tormented the Boro’ defence all afternoon, scored a brilliant individual goal, weaving his way past two defenders before striking the ball beyond the keeper.

On Friday night Oxenhope, for the first time in their 102-year history, will contest the West Riding County FA Challenge Cup final against Leeds City at Woodlesford, Leeds (7.30pm). A large following is expected to make the journey to see if their village team can overcome a strong, in-form Leeds City outfit, who lifted the trophy two years ago.

Oxenhope: Lee, Nelson, McNicol, Metcalfe, Walton, Hopkinson (Kaine), Wells (Quinlan), Moriarty (Morris), Garnett, Smith, Marshall.

Oxenhope Reserves 5 East End Park 3

Oxenhope gained another three valuable points in their quest for the West Yorkshire League Alliance champions title, though they were made to work hard by a struggling East End Park side.

The hosts took an early lead when young Dan Scott headed in the opener from a James Bailey free-kick. Gaz Ritson doubled the advantage when he sped through on goal and drove home but, in doing so, injured himself and had to retire.

On the half-hour the visitors hit back with a goal following a mix-up in the Oxenhope defence but the two-goal cushion was restored when Chris Day got in front of his marker to head into the top corner.

Oxenhope made it four when man of the match Scott headed in his second from another Bailey cross, only for East End to hit back and grab another just before the break to make it 4-2.

The warm weather took its toll in the second half as the pace of the game slowed. Late on, the visitors reduced the arrears when their striker hit a fierce shot that rebounded off the inside of the post and went in off the unlucky keeper Nick Hudson.

In a nervy end to the game, Oxenhope made the points safe when the hard-working Graham Robinson dribbled his way into the area, was brought down and skipper Will Lee stepped up to confidently put away the resulting penalty.

Oxenhope's game against Ilkley Reserves was postponed last night. Their attention turns to the Keighley Supplementary Cup final on Thursday evening against their third team colleagues at Silsden’s Angel Telecom Stadium (7.30pm).