THERE were mixed fortunes for local clubs in the qualifying rounds of the Yorkshire ABA’s cup events last weekend.

In the Yorkshire Cup, Cross Roads met Kirkheaton Cons at Royds Park, Liversedge and were fearing the worst after losing to the same team last season by more than 100 points.

However, their opponents turned up with several reserves as many of their players had gone to watch Huddersfield Town in a Championship match against Fulham and they paid the price as the Roaders won by about ten points after sharing the winners. Town also lost to rub salt into the wounds of Kirkheaton.

The other local representatives, Broughton Road, also got through narrowly at Cleckheaton Sports against Chapel Street from Leeds, Stuart Wrigley and Darryl Gore doing the damage with good wins.

In the mixed event for the Hutchinson Trophy, Broughton Road progressed after beating Lindley BC quite easily, Dave Smith’s 21-2 playing a key part. Oxenhope also got through after defeating Cowcliffe Liberals at Birkenshaw Park where Colin Bilney and Andy Johnson excelled.

Cross Hills were re-routed to Ladyhill from Rothwell and narrowly beat Skelmanthorpe Central by a narrow margin thanks to good efforts by Christine Hasselbank and Hilary Seward, both urged on by an ineligible Ken Brenkley. Settle were well beaten at Lindley BC by Thornhill and go into the Supplementary Radley Cup. Next rounds are on May 13.

The Hebden Royd ABA’s Sunday Morning KO event was finally completed at Todmorden Park where Cross Roads A reached the final again after disposing of Mytholmroyd A in a preliminary game where Neil Hargreaves was the star player.

They then just hung on to beat Denholme in the semi-final, despite a good win for Alan Downing, before facing the home team in Todmorden Park. Things went wrong for the locals then as only Richard Hargreaves recorded a victory as the team were well beaten.

In the new event for first-game losers, Cross Roads B reached the final only to lose by two points to Ripponden A, who had defeated Cullingworth in their semi-final. It was a close match despite good efforts by captain Marcus Grundy and Liam Carter, and the team could consider themselves a little unlucky.

Federation District games also began last weekend with games all over the Crown Green world and several locals were involved for a variety of teams. Victories were achieved by Graeme Reay for Halifax, Chris Wilson for Bradford and David Cadwallader and Steve Morris for Aire-Wharfe at various venues.

The Worth Valley Juniors begin their games in the Yorkshire ABA’s Division Two campaign on Saturday in the Heavy Woollen area while the Yorkshire Ladies Handicap is at Hillcrest on Sunday (10am).