Some Craven games go ahead despite frosty pitches

1:14pm Thursday 20th December 2007

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After two weekends when rain soaked pitches put paid to many matches it was frost bound pitches last Saturday that reduced the number of matches in the District Association Cup and the Devonshire Carpets Craven League.

Only four cup ties were staged with Rimington and Barnoldswick Town seconds booking their places in the Craven Cup semi-final. Rimington won at Bentham 3-1 while Barnoldswick won the West Craven derby at Kelbrook by 5-2.

The game at Dent was a casualty of the weather while there was frustration at Ingleton when a late call led to the postponement as visitors Skipton LMS had players stranded in Manchester when a coach failed to bring back a party following a Friday night out.

In the Norman Pratt Trophy Rimington Reserves reached the semi-final with a 11-2 crushing of Rolls Royce Reserves who had been re-instated to the competition after losing a previous round.

Full marks to Rolls who struggled to raise a team. They never gave up but were hit with a second half goal avalanche after trailing 3-1 at the break.

Lee Cooper's wonder goal had given Rolls some hope to level the scores after an early Rimington goal but the East Lancs side outclassed the plucky visitors and scored goals from every department Rolls did get a consolation goal through Dale Robinson.

In the South Craven derby Cononley won 5-2 at Bradley. Michael Beilby scored only for Bradley to level through a penalty before Dean Simpson replied to put Cononley ahead with a penalty.

In the second half Rob Slater put the visitors ahead and when James Woodward's free-kick increased the lead Cononley were looking comfortable. But Bradley pulled a goal back and Cononley needed a second goal from Woodward to clinch the tie and send them to Ingleton in the next round.

Eight games survived in the Craven League in an already depleted programme when in the Premier Division Cononley defeated Waddington 4-1 to lead the division on goal difference from Skipton LMS. The Kaminski brothers, with a brace each, were on target for the winners in a scrappy game in which the scoreline probably flattered the winners.

Skipton Town were beaten 4-1 at Clitheroe Lions who are now in third place.

In Division One Rolls Royce inflicted a 5-1 defeat on Carleton who are having a miserable season while Skipton Town Reserves suffered a 5-0 defeat at high flying Chatburn in Division Two.

The majority of games took place in Division Three with Silsden Whitestar taking advantage of Skipton Town's Academy team who gave out early Christmas presents with poor defending gifting goals galore. This was a walk in Silsden Park for the home team who won 8-1 and never looked like giving out early gifts themselves in a very good performance. Will Knights kept up his impressive scoring record by notching the Town goal.

Earby Town Reserves lost 4-2 to Waddington Reserves. Joel Howard levelled the scores and Adam Yates blasted home after the break to give Town the lead. After hitting the post Waddington hit them with two quick goals and try as Earby did they could not equalise and Waddington sealed the game with a fourth.

Settle United and Oakworth played good football on a excellent pitch with the much changed visitors winning 5-4.

Settle were 2-1 up at the break with a brace from Mark Loughlin. However they were hit with four quick goals before David Worthington also with two goals led to a tense finish. But James Wildman's effort in the last minute hit the bar to deny Settle against a visiting team that was considered the best team faced this season.