Bradford Sunday Alliance Championship: Crossflatts Village 3 Toller FC 2

CROSSFLATTS came from a goal behind to beat league title rivals Toller after an eventful game that saw both goalkeepers sustain injuries and each side awarded a penalty.

Home manager Kevin Gill demanded a fast start from his charges and that is exactly what he got in a frantic opening six minutes.

It culminated in his captain Matthew Bentham somehow blazing over from seven yards with the goal at his mercy after a probing cross from his midfield partner Olly Metcalfe. Toller's keeper came off his line to claim the ball but missed it completely and landed on his elbow, leading to the game being held up for 45 minutes while he received treatment.

Toller had to switch things around, their substitute goalkeeper somehow keeping out a Michael Garnett header with a fantastic block after superb play down the right wing from Colin Schofield.

The away side then upped their game and deservedly opened the scoring before the interval when striker Adeeb Jawad jinked his way around a couple of defenders before firing home past Dan Thorpe.

The home side were given a severe dressing down at half-time and they upped the tempo in the second half. They finally got the equaliser through Michael Garnett, who turned his defender in the box and fired his shot into the corner of the net.

Flatts then made a tactical change when they brought the lively Lewis Morgan on in place of Billy Bailey. They moved James Gill out to the left flank and it did the trick, with Gill floating in an inch-perfect left-wing cross that cut the away back-line in half. Schofield was on hand to finish and give his side the lead.

Flatts then got a third when skipper Matthew Bentham scored from the spot after the lively Schofield was hacked down in the box.

Toller pulled one back from the spot through Liam Moore after Thorpe brought him down in the box, badly injuring his calf in the process. Craig Durn came on in his place and James Gill replaced Thorpe in goal.

Flatts then closed the game out easily to leapfrog Toller to go second in the table.

Village player-manager Kevin Gill was still frustrated with his players and warned them that complacency could cost them in future.

He said: “We were a bit complacent after the game restarted following the injury. We cannot afford to take our foot off the gas again if we are to achieve our goals this season.

"We didn’t play our best but we managed to grind out a result which is the hallmark of a good side. We now turn our attentions to the cups.

"We have Harrogate Road at home in the County Cup on Sunday and then we travel to Prospect AFC in the League Cup quarter-finals the Sunday after.”

Gill went on to praise man-of-the-match Ben Marczynski, saying: “He’s been in and out of the side recently but he will take some shifting from the starting line-up if he keeps playing like he did on Sunday. It was a really consistent performance from our right back.”