West Yorkshire League Premier Division: Oxenhope 3 Otley Town 1

OXENHOPE climbed to fifth place with a hard-fought victory despite being without five regulars from the starting line-up.

After two blank weeks without a game due to the weather, manager Danny Heaney decided on a change of formation, playing three at the back and five in midfield.

At first the plan appeared not to be gelling as the visitors went ahead after just ten minutes. A corner was cleared to the edge of the box but the ball fell invitingly to an Otley player, who volleyed home.

The visitors pressed for a second, with Rec being reduced to breakaways down-field.

After a difficult first 20 minutes Oxenhope worked their way back into the contest. Michael Garnett, Dan Moriarty and young Sam Murphy, making his full debut in the first team, had opportunities to equalise.

Just when it appeared that Oxenhope would be ruing their missed chances, they equalised from the spot minutes before the break.

Leon Smith burst down the right flank, cut into the box and was unceremoniously brought down. Chris Day stepped up to hammer home the resulting spot-kick.

The second half was end to end. Oxenhope keeper Sam Lee saved low down at the near post and Murphy's strike was bundled off the line at the other end.

A long ball from Moriarty found Smith, who set up Garnett with just the keeper to beat but the custodian got down to snuff out his strike.

However, on 70 minutes Oxenhope gained the reward their efforts deserved. Smith played in Garnett and his shot was blocked by the Otley keeper but man of the match Murphy reacted first to drive the ball home.

Further chances came at both ends as both teams tired. Lee saved bravely from a corner and Garnett’s shot looked destined to make it three but got stuck in the mud and was cleared off the line.

On 80 minutes the points were eventually secured from a glorious, flowing move.

Jonathan Clewes, who had worked tirelessly in midfield, won the ball and played it out to Day on the left. He went down the line and crossed to Garnett, who flicked the ball to Joel Gallagher, who laid it into the path of Moriarty to round the keeper and slot home.

Victory left Oxenhope in fifth place at the halfway stage of the season, ideally placed to challenge the top four.

Oxenhope: Lee, Scott (Nelson), Clewes, Kaine, Metcalfe, Quinlan, Smith (Gallagher), Moriarty, Garnett, Murphy, Day.

* Oxenhope Thirds went down 8-0 at home to Steeton Reserves in the Keighley FA Supplementary Cup. Having been beaten by them in last year's semi-final, the Chevrons gained emphatic revenge as Andy Briggs bagged a hat-trick. Further goals from Greig Hudson, Casey Dowthwaite, Ross Chapman, Aaron Abbas and Harry Jarman completed the rout.

Oxenhope Reserves Supplementary Cup tie at Ingrow & Worth Valley Reserves was postponed.