ALBION Sports were the big winners of the local sides in action last night as they came away from a tough game at Nostell MW in the Toolstation Northern Counties East League Premier Division with all the points.

Albion picked up a maximum with a 4-1 victory at their mid-table hosts, although boss Kulwinder Sandhu will be the first to admit that the scoreline flattered his men.

The visitors had skipper James Firth and Danny Cunningham back and they were both influential.

Centre back Firth broke the deadlock just after the half-hour before Cunningham was involved in the second, which was the goal of the game, just before half-time. Alex Cusack was the scorer as he lobbed the home keeper following a good move.

Nostell pegged a goal back through Josh Whiteley with 21 minutes left and they chased an equaliser.

However, Albion substitutes Omar Habib and Marcus Edwards combined to produce two very late goals.

Albion’s neighbours Liversedge suffered a 5-1 home defeat to Staveley MW.

Adam Scott netted a brace for the visitors and Ellis Wall, Kurtis Morley and Courtney Hastings were also on target before Andy Wood netted a late consolation.

Silsden were also left reeling from a five-star performance as they went down at AFC Blackpool in the North West Counties League top tier.

The home side went nap while the Cobbydalers failed to produce a single reply. The west-coast outfit were 2-0 up in quick time after Richard Seear opened the scoring in the third minute and Kurt Willoughby netted two minutes later.

Silsden limited the damage from then on until ten minutes into the second half when Seear added his second.

The fall out from that strike led to the Cobbydalers’ Matty Moses being shown a red card for verbal abuse.

There was no way back for the ten men, and Jon Shaw added another before Seear went on the claim a hat-trick.

Arguably, the biggest losers last night were Thackley, although they only lost 1-0.

The Dennyboys exited the FA Cup as they were defeated by a single strike at Silsden’s league rivals Abbey Hey.

The Manchester-based outfit wrestled home advantage from the first qualifying round tie replay after drawing 2-2 at Dennyfield on Saturday.

Jon Hardy gave the home side an 11th-minute lead in the replay, and Thackley just couldn’t find their way back into the tie, costing them the prize money for that round and a chance of picking up a £4,500 windfall in the second qualifying round.

Tonight Eccleshill United host Bottesford Town in Northern Counties East League Division One.

It will be the Eagles’ first run out since they hammered struggling Bottesford Town 9-1 at the weekend.

In-form Luke Harrop and Andy Cooper plundered seven of those goals between them.