West Yorkshire League Division One

Oxenhope 3 Boroughbridge 1

OXENHOPE staved off any relegation fears with still five league games to play in West Yorkshire League Division One following this victory.

The victory over Boroughbridge, four places above them in the league, was all the more convincing as they had to play the final half hour with only 10 men following goalkeeper Stu Devlin's sending off.

It was Oxenhope who started the stronger as front men Lee Reilly and Dan Moriarty linked up well to threaten the visitors’ goal.

On the quarter Reilly twisted and turned his way through the Boroughbridge defence to tee up Tom Marshall but the visitor’s keeper tipped his strike over the bar.

Five minutes later the hosts took the lead, the referee awarding a free-kick inside the box following a back pass to the keeper, Moriarty touched the ball to Scott Nelson who drove the ball powerfully through the visitors’ defensive wall.

Oxenhope kept up the pressure in a fast and furious first half with Ben White alongside Sean Quinlan dominating the midfield and Reilly tormenting the Boroughbridge backline, seeing a shot saved by the keeper’s legs and then another strike hit the post.

Early in the second half good build-up play by Marshall and Moriarty saw Reilly denied again when he hit the woodwork for a second time, then the striker saw another shot saved by the keeper’s legs as Oxenhope were now totally dominant.

That all changed on the hour, keeper Devlin and Boroughbridge’s striker clashed in the box, Devlin saw red and the visitor’s player shown a yellow card.

Scott Nelson went in goal but could do nothing to stop the resulting penalty that was awarded following the fracas.

The visitors now came on strongly but Oxenhope defenders Dan Scott, Danny Driver, Luke Scott and Joe Jalil produced some superb last-ditch tackles and defensive headers.

It was now the home side that were reliant on the break as Boroughbridge made their extra man advantage tell.

On 80 minutes the ball was played long to Marshall, he weaved his way past defenders into the box and struck a firm strike beyond the keeper and into the net to regain the lead.

Back came the visitors but stand-in keeper Nelson produced a superb save when in a one-on-one with the visitor’s front man.

Five minutes later Oxenhope’s 10 men were rewarded for all their efforts when Reilly’s strike was parried by the Boro’ keeper and Danny Driver was on hand to stroke the ball into the net.

Meanwhile, Oxenhope’s second string fielded a below strength team and went down 5-0 at Leeds Modernians in Alliance Division One