Wins for Old Boys and Ryburn

Brighouse Old Boys boosted their hopes of climbing out of the bottom two in Division Two of the West Yorkshire League with a nail-biting 2-1 win away to Hunsworth on Saturday.
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Football report

Substitute Curtis Hall grabbed a winner with five minutes left to give Old Boys only a third league win of the season.

The next-to-bottom side are now within striking distance of Knaresborough Celtic, who have three games left to Brighouse’s five.

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Four of Old Boys’ remaining games are at Lightcliffe Academy, starting with a visit from sixth-placed Kellingley Welfare on Saturday.

At Hunsworth, Brighouse set up with a positive three-five-two formation with manager Glen Hall in goal.

They were on the front foot from the off with Saxon Hargreaves and Liam McAllister feeding off skilful, probing passes from Jimmy Carter and Devon James.

The visitors forced corners and the breakthrough came when Hargreaves collected a through ball from Carter and burst past the Hunsworth defence on the right. He eventually crossed and an attempted clearance by Hunsworth only spooned the ball into the air and James headed it past the keeper.

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Hunsworth came forward in numbers but Louis Andre, Jordan Hadden and Graeme Tait stemmed the tide.

Mark Palfreeman and Martin Newham cleared up the loose ball in midfield, setting up Carter and James to spread the ball wide to Matt Airey, McAllister and Hargreaves. The home keeper made a couple of saves.

Hunsworth drew level 10 minutes before half time against the run of play. When Brighouse failed to clear, Hunsworth left winger Kyle Wilcock cleverly chipped the ball over the advancing Hall.

At the start of the second half Hunsworth started to dominate and only a last ditch tackle by Airey cleared the ball from danger.

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Fresh legs were sent on and the game was going Brighouse’s way with substitute Declan Halliday and Curtis Hall a persistent threat.

A mistake by the home keeper, who virtually passing the ball to Hall, allowed him to race through and place the ball under the advancing custodian.

Brighouse were under pressure for the rest of the game but held out.

RYBURN United converted a 1-0 interval lead into a 3-1 success away to Steeton Reserves in the West Riding County Amateur League.

George Turner, Christian Silkstone and Owen Wilkinson were on target for the Ripponden side, who have climbed to third with two matches left.

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