Local football programme is left decimated by freezing weather

The first bad weather of the winter saw the local football programme decimated last Saturday as plummeting temperatures and freezing rain saw a host of matches postponed.
Norristhorpe go into the Christmas break lying third in Yorkshire Amateur League Division Three with 20 points from 13 games and will aim to mount a promotion push in the new year. Picture: Paul ButterfieldNorristhorpe go into the Christmas break lying third in Yorkshire Amateur League Division Three with 20 points from 13 games and will aim to mount a promotion push in the new year. Picture: Paul Butterfield
Norristhorpe go into the Christmas break lying third in Yorkshire Amateur League Division Three with 20 points from 13 games and will aim to mount a promotion push in the new year. Picture: Paul Butterfield

Just a handful of matches survived throughout the district, with only one game taking place in the West Riding County Amateur League Premier Division as Toller overcame fellow strugglers PFC 4-3.

It means Lower Hopton and Littletown go into the Christmas break lying third and fourth respectively in the Premier table, which is headed by Golcar United.

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Littletown have only played nine of their scheduled 22 league games and trail Golcar by 14 points, all be it with four matches in hand.

The scene was no better in the West Yorkshire League where Wyke Wanderers’ Premier Division game away to Knaresborough Town fell victim to the weather, along with the Division One games involving Hartshead and Howden Clough.

Hunsworth’s trip to Brighouse Old Boys in Division Two was another to be postponed.

Hartshead Reserves saw their Alliance Division One game away to Robin Hood Athletic also called off but there was better news in Alliance Division Two, where Howden Clough Reserves earned a 4-2 win away to Sherburn White Rose Reserves.

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Daniel Elwood, Harvey Lockwood, Paul Ogden and Jake Weatherhead were the Clough goal scorers as they secured a seventh win of the season despite Sherburn replying through Arran MacDonald and Kyle MacDonald.

Victory leaves Howden Clough seventh in the table with seven wins and nine defeats from their 16 games.

Crackenedge go into Christmas lying second in the Wakefield League Premier Division, three points behind leaders Crofton Sports with two games in hand, after all four of last week’s top flight matches were postponed.

The Dewsbury side are also still firing on several cup fronts at district, county and league level.

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Crackenedge will face a trip to Ryhill in the Jim Callaghan Cup quarter-finals in the new year.

Ryhill’s cup tie against Pontefract Sports beat the weather and they progressed to the last eight with a 1-0 victory.

Howden Clough lead the way in Division Two, two points clear of Pontefract Town.

Clough’s trip to Garforth WMC was postponed last week, along with Thornhill United’s derby clash against Overthorpe Sports and Dewsbury Westside’s trip to New Carlton.

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Thornhill lie third in the table but are five and seven points behind Pontefract and Howden Clough respectively having also played more games.

The Yorkshire Amateur League programme was also bleak with no local games going ahead.

Dewsbury Rangers are on a six-game winning run in Division One and have an excellent chance of mounting a promotion challenge in the new year.

Norristhorpe go into Christmas lying third in Division Three but having played more games than the top two.

Old Batelians and Savile United remain locked at the top of Division Five level on 27 points.

Batelians lead the way on goal difference but have played a game more.