West Yorkshire League Division One: Oxenhope Rec 2 Wyke 3

OXENHOPE almost pulled off a shock result against the leaders after an impressive second-half display but were denied victory in the final minute.

The home side got off to a slow start as a confident Wyke took the initiative. On ten minutes they took the lead, Karl Fawcett latching on to a cross to slide the ball past keeper Stu Devlin.

On the half-hour Wyke doubled their advantage. A counter-attack down the right saw captain Joe Walshe smash home an unstoppable left-foot strike from 25 yards.

Minutes later Oxenhope were denied what they thought was a nailed-on penalty. Owen Williamson weaved his way past two players before appearing to be brought down in the area but the referee waved play on.

Just before the break Oxenhope did get back into the game. Midfielder Ben White played in Sean Quinlan, who slotted his strike into the bottom left corner of the net.

This lifted the home side and they took control after the break. Williamson again looked to have been hauled down in the box but again the referee didn’t want to know.

On 70 minutes they grabbed a much-deserved equaliser. A corner found Tom Marshall, who hit a clean half-volley that struck Lewis Hopkinson to divert the ball beyond the Wyke keeper.

In the final minute Oxenhope thought they had bagged the winner. The ball was played through to Lee Reilly, who placed his shot past the keeper only to be judged offside.

To rub salt in the wound, Wyke went straight to the other end and Fawcett bundled home the decisive goal from a cross.

On Saturday Oxenhope entertain Craven League Premier Division side FC Sporting in the Keighley Cup (1.30pm).

Oxenhope: Devlin, Ward (Bailey E), Williamson (Gill), Nelson S, Scott L, Rouse, White, Hopkinson, Reilly, Quinlan, Marshall.

Alliance Division One: Horbury Town Reserves 4 Oxenhope Rec Reserves 2

Oxenhope started on the front foot with James Bailey and Joel Gallagher having early chances. Twenty minutes in, the visitors took the lead when a corner by Bailey was headed in at the near post by Paddy Ellison.

Oxenhope continued to pile on the pressure but were kept at bay by the Horbury keeper. The home side were reliant on breakaways and, ten minutes before half-time, they grabbed the equaliser.

This lifted the home side, who carried the greater threat after the break as they made it 2-1. Oxenhope drew level when Bailey swung in a perfectly-flighted corner which was met on the edge of the box by Will Lee, who headed into the top corner.

The game was now evenly-balanced but ten minutes from the end a long ball out of defence fell to a Horbury front man, who drove the ball home. In the dying minutes, the hosts sealed the three points when a half-cleared corner was toe-poked home.

On Saturday the reserves have a league fixture at East End Park, Leeds (2pm).