HELLIFIELD Sports, who have lost two and drawn two of their last nine league matches, seem determined to give hope to chief rivals Settle United Reserves.

The top two in Division Two of the Skipton Body Repair Centre Craven League met at Haw Grove last Saturday, and the visiting second string won 4-3.

Braces for William Kelly and Milton Mendes proved decisive, meaning that United are now only six points behind with two games in hand.

The match between fourth-placed Cononley Sports and third-placed Trawden Celtic Reserves was predictably close.

Man of the match Chris Lumsden scored twice for Sports, with the other goal coming from Alan Brewer in a 3-3 draw.

In the Premier Division, Christian Moon and man of the match Ben Schindler were on target for mid-table Grassington United, who drew 2-2 at home to relegation-threatened Sporting Keighley, who thus moved a point ahead of second-from-bottom Cross Hills.

Cowling, meanwhile, notched their 15th league win of the season in Division One.

The runaway leaders, inspired by Lee Barker, defeated seventh-placed Skipton Town 2-0 courtesy of goals by Luke Barker and Craig Gregory.

Rolls Reserves, who are second, triumphed 6-2 at Bingley Juniors, with Terry Robbins (3), Damon Clark (2) and Scott Moore on target, but Stuart Gee got Carleton's only goal in a 2-1 defeat at Manningham Allstars.

Cowling's best player was Callum Lowe in their Division Three Cup quarter-final at Ilkley, but he couldn't inspire his team to victory as they lost 2-0.

Settle United B matched Rolls Reserves' scoreline in a 6-2 victory at Sutton in Division Three.

On the mark for United were Alister Smith (2), Daniel Cardus, Ryan Dunn, Raul Mejias and substitute Jason Cardus, with man of the match Phil Clayton bagging a brace for the losers.