Sunday 2nd September 2007 (Wharfedale Triangle League Premier Division):

Horsforth Fairweather 0

Rawdon 2

Team: Hunt - Armstrong, Sedgwick, Duce, Hudson - Graves, Horton, Monaghan, Hinkins - Parker, S.Goodall. Subs: Merifield, Masocha, Newsome; unused subs: Bowler, Hazel. Cautioned: Sedgwick, Goodall (dissent).

  Another long summer, with loads of training, lots of new players arriving at the club, the annual round of pre-season friendlies, endless speculation about our first-choice team, and how does it all end up? The exact same result as the last game of last season, and of course the usual catalogue of might-have-beens and if-onlys. Football, don't you just love it?

  Horsforth kept faith with James Hunt in goal, and started with four defenders who all acquitted themselves well in 2006-07: Baz Armstrong, Steve Sedgwick, Mark Duce and Richard Hudson. In midfield, Joel Graves was the only debutant among the starting XI, with Lee Monaghan, Richard Horton and Simon Hinkins keeping their places. The attack was Simon Parker and Sam Goodall.

  Not for the first time in the annals of HFFC, what had seemed a promising game was blighted by a swirling wind, that made accurate passing difficult and prevented either side from building the play in the midfield, all the best chances coming from long balls that were miscontrolled by defenders. Both sides had their moments, ours including a glorious pass from Sedge that found Lee Mon with pinpoint accuracy and a one-two between Hinky and Sam that deserved three points on its own, both being snuffed out by some excellent goalkeeping from Rawdon's Olly, while the away side were denied by James's full-length dive when a shot took a wicked deflection. The best chance of all, however, fell to Simon Parker, who took the ball off a defender and bore down on goal with his trademark pace and power, only to screw the shot horribly wide, an unusual lapse from one who is normally so consistent in the danger zone. All in all, we felt we were good value for nil-nil at the break, and looked forward to the second half with some optimism.

  But Rawdon looked a bit better organised in the second period, and, if their passing game was no more fluent than ours, the number of defensive mistakes was much reduced. With three-quarters of the game gone, the contest looked as if it might be heading for stalemate, and at this point Horsforth gambled on Andy Merifield to augment the attack. Given Mezzer's recent form in training, this appeared a sound enough ploy, but the next couple of minutes were to prove decisive, and at the wrong end as far as we were concerned. There had been warning signs, such as Sedge's goal-line clearance, but it would be unfair to say the away side were getting on top. Having kept up their concentration commendably during one of the most intense games for a long while, our defence seemed to get the closing down a bit wrong for once following second-phase possession at a throw-in, allowing Rawdon sub(!) Lee Parr to shoot the away side into a lead. Only a couple of minutes later, as we sought to reply quickly, a breakaway tore our back line open and Steve Baraniak (hope I've spelt your name right mate) finished off one of the best moves of the game. Horsforth by no means threw in the towel, but with 20 minutes left to play our attacking play became a bit more hurried and the defending a bit more desperate. Another debutant, the former Park Rangers and Crown Celtic winger Adolph Masocha, was added to the mix, as we sought to give the game some much-needed width, and finally the evergreen John Newsome was asked to undo the damage in just five minutes as we gambled on three up front, the cause not being lost even at that late stage. But by then I felt that, if overall we'd been slightly the better side, the away team had only rarely looked like letting their lead slip once they'd edged in front, and that extra composure in the latter minutes of the game had essentially won them the points.

  It goes without saying that, after all the (in my opinion justifiable) optimism of the summer, this result was a huge disappointment. I'd have been more upset, however, had we not performed as well as I knew we were capable, and it is some, very slight, compensation to know we didn't let ourselves down in this department. Of course, I wanted a result, and I honestly thought we deserved something from this game, and getting nowt (for the third successive game against Rawdon) has to leave everyone feeling deflated. Yet, if we can keep playing at this level, the games won't get easier, but we will have better days than this.

  I'd also like to pay tribute to the many squad members who turned out today: as well as the five subs, we also had available and/or in attendance Simon Banoub and Anthony Bell (both injured), Mark Bonner, Jamie Bell, Alex Goodall and Matthew Ridsdale. I think (and sincerely hope) all these lads will get their chance before the season is much older.

  Other league games: Crossflatts 4, Baildon New Inn 2; Horsforth Rangers 0, Shipley Town 6; Horsforth St Margarets 2, Horsforth Old Ball 1.

  PC Sports League Cup Round 1: Shipley Town 'A' 1, Yeadon Athletic 0.

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Sunday 9th September 2007 (Wharfedale Triangle League Premier Division):

Horsforth Fairweather 3

Shipley Town 2

Team: Hunt - Armstrong, Sedgwick, Hudson - Graves, Horton, Monaghan, Parker, Hinkins - A.Bell, S.Goodall. Subs: J.Bell, Merifield; unused subs: Bowler, Masocha, Newsome. Scorers: A.Bell 2, Horton. Cautioned: Goodall (unsporting behaviour).

  For the visit of the defending champions of the Wharfedale Triangle League (switched to Bedquilts as their ground was unavailable), Horsforth faced the challenge of taking the field without Mark Duce, who had been in sensational form in the back four in recent months. But the team changes were uniformly positive, switching to just three at the back, dropping Simon Parker back into a five-man midfield, and introducing Anthony Bell in the attack. And, again, there was a small army of subs and would-be subs to keep up the pressure on places.

  The first half opened a bit tentatively for a side that is still on a bit of learning curve, but gradually we began to play with a bit of authority, and it came as little surprise when on 23 minutes Ant headed us into the lead from Lee Monaghan's pinpoint corner. The immediate response from Shipley was inevitable and praiseworthy, and they held us pinned into our box for what seemed a very long spell of corners and deep throw-ins, though only six further minutes had been played before we lost concentration for a second, and allowed the deadly striker Declan to shoot home from close range. By the break, the game was evenly balanced: I felt we'd been the side with more attacking ideas but the sheer intensity of the spell that had resulted in the equaliser was worrying.

  During the second half, we didn't create as much as an attacking force, and for a while it appeared a draw might be the limit of our ambitions. However, with 21 minutes of the half gone, Richard Horton headed Sam Goodall's corner (sorry Sam!) into the net, and we had our noses in front again. A controversial goal, as the away keeper plainly thought he had been fouled, but the referee gave it and from where I stood it seemed he had been blocked more by his own defender than by any emerald-shirted striker. The response from the away side, again, was intense and almost overwhelming, Sam earning our only caution of the day with a trip on Shipley left-back Rusty who had done him for pace. The key point of the game, however, was how we responded to this period of adversity, and Horsforth gambled on another debutant, Ant's brother Jamie, to prevent us being overrun down the right flank, while the introduction of Andy Merifield in attack was another positive statement at a time we might have been forgiven for sitting back and inviting pressure. Facing three strikers now, we redeployed the ever-dangerous Parker as a fairly orthodox left-sided midfielder, with Simon Hinkins dropping back to make the defence into a back four. As the away side began to turn the screw, and James Hunt was called upon to make a series of remarkable saves, Lee Mon's free-kick from way out on the right was met at the far post by the elusive Ant, to double the lead. Significantly against the run of play at the time it might have been, but in my opinion a fitting reward for the attitude we'd shown, on and off the field, during a tricky spell. Of course, we still managed to make it hard for ourselves as only we know how, and during a bout of rather desperate defending the ball reared up off the hard pitch striking the unfortunate Mezzer's outstretched arm, and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Shipley's talented midfielder Olly was on target to reduce the arrears, and we still had a couple of minutes of injury time to endure - mindful of course of the last-gasp turnaround in this fixture last season. But the hard-pressed defence held out to secure a notable victory, and our season is up and running.

  This was a game, like so many at this level, of phases. There were phases when we were in the ascendancy, and phases when the away side dominated. We won the game, in part at least, because we took better advantage of our spells of control. But I also feel we won the game because of our positive attitude in the changing rooms, positive team selection and positive substitutions. More of the same please.

  Other league games: Baildon New Inn 2, Horsforth Rangers 0; Rawdon 5, Horsforth St Margarets 0; Yeadon Westfield 4, Horsforth Old Ball 3.

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Sunday 16th September 2007 (Wharfedale Triangle League Premier Division):

  League games: Horsforth Old Ball 2, Baildon New Inn 2; Horsforth Rangers 1, Crossflatts 5; Horsforth St Margarets 5, Shipley Town 3; Rawdon 2, Yeadon Westfield 1.

  Leeds & District FA Sunday District Cup Round 1: Commercial HQ 1, New Rover 3; Manston Wanderers 2, Leeds City Rovers 5; Moortown 8, Halfway House 5 AET; Real Santos 2, Cross Flatts XI 1; Water into Beer 1, Rothwell Town 3.

  Byes: AC Midland, Acorn, AFC Woodcock, Ancestor, Armley White Lion, Barley Mow, Black Bull, Chapeltown Brazil, Crooked Billet, East Leeds Trinity, Elford, Harehills WMC, Headingley Rovers; Horsforth Fairweather, Horsforth Old Ball, Hyde Park Power Athletic, Leeds City Adlers, Merry Monk, Nightingale Harehills, Original Oak, Pudsey Amateurs, Pudsey 2005, Queens Park Roundhay, Republica International, South Leeds United, Wellington, Wykebeck Arms.

  Second round on 21st October.

  For more details, please click here and select 'Cup Competitions' then 'Sunday District Cup'.

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Sunday 23rd September 2007 (Wharfedale Triangle League Premier Division):

Crossflatts 0

Horsforth Fairweather 0

Team: Hunt - Armstrong, Sedgwick, Hudson - Graves, Horton, Monaghan, Parker, Hinkins - A.Bell, S.Goodall. Subs: Duce, Bowler; unused subs: Merifield, Newsome, J.Bell.

  It's rare indeed that a bad performance ensues when HFFC name an unchanged side, and today was no exception to that rule. With all the side who had overcome Shipley Town available, Woody again stuck with the same line-up, even to the extent of asking Mark Duce to start as substitute.

  On a ground where we'd never earned a single point, Horsforth opened the proceedings playing by some way the more confident brand of football, and might easily have taken an unexpected early lead. However, it was not to be, and before long the home side, having been a bit disorganised at first, settled down and started playing the game in their more traditional strong and simple manner. It took a couple of truly inspired saves from James Hunt to keep the scores level at the break, and, if we felt we'd played the better football in the first half, it was ominous that 'Flatts had had the better chances.

  We'd had a problem with key central defender Steve Sedgwick right from the kick-off, and he only lasted a few minutes of the second half before an enforced change was on us, though to describe Ducey as a capable deputy is something of an understatement. Yet, as the second half wore on, the home side's attacks became ever more dangerous, while our own incursions into enemy territory gradually petered out, as it seemed a draw was increasingly our only game-plan. With 25 minutes left, Horsforth took a gamble on giving Andy Bowler his first outing of the campaign, and this was, no exaggeration, a stroke of genius on the part of the Manager that could on another day have won us all three points. Switching to a simpler 4-4-2 formation, with Joel Graves dropping to right-back and Andy wreaking havoc down the right wing, Horsforth saved their best spell of the game till last. While it can't be forgotten the home side still had some decent chances, we surely finished the game the stronger, with Anthony Bell's last-minute goal disallowed for a very marginal offside. When the full-time whistle blew, both sides were disappointed their efforts hadn't brought them the win, but all 22 players knew they'd taken part in a superb game of football.

  For stats fans, this was the club's first nil-nil draw since the Iveson game in March 1996, and I must say it had been a game to match the intensity of that titanic contest. A huge credit to both teams, and to the league we play in. From our own point of view, a fairly satisfactory conclusion to three opening games against the league's top three sides, with one win, one draw and one defeat a more than impressive return. I'd have taken that if you'd offered me it in August, but somehow now I look back on the chances we've missed and wonder if we might have done even better? Maybe that's just me though...

  Other league games: Baildon New Inn 2, Horsforth St Margarets 0; Rawdon 4, Horsforth Old Ball 1; Shipley Town v Horsforth Rangers postponed.

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Sunday 30th September 2007 (PC Sports League Cup Round 1):

Horsforth Fairweather 2

Baildon New Inn 1

Team: Hunt - Graves, Sedgwick, Duce, Hinkins - Bowler, Horton, Monaghan, S.Goodall - Parker, A.Bell. Subs: Masocha, J.Bell; unused subs: Banoub, Stanford, Newsome. Scorers: Parker, A.Bell.

  A couple of key changes were forced on us today: missing defenders Baz Armstrong and Richard Hudson, Horsforth opted to revert to a 4-4-2 formation, with Joel Graves and Simon Hinkins asked to switch to full-back. However, Mark Duce and Steve Sedgwick were both present and correct in the centre of the back four. Simon Parker moved into the attack alongside Anthony Bell, with Sam Goodall taking over down the left of midfield. On the right, Andy Bowler started a game for the first time this season, a reward for his brief but memorable contribution last week.

  After about three years of being confined to Premier Division clubs, the League Cup is now once again open to all clubs in the league, but we managed to get drawn into the only all-Premier clash in the first round, and found ourselves up against a side who traditionally seem to enjoy playing at our ground. Horsforth opened rather tentatively, and went a goal down in the 12th minute, as a cheaply conceded free-kick was met more or less unopposed on the edge of the six-yard box and headed home. That served to concentrate minds a bit, and our response was pretty much immediate. Only two further minutes had elapsed when Simon Parker's shot from the right-hand side of the area was handled by a defender but still just about crossed the line: the referee awarded the goal but took no action against the defender, all in all an equitable outcome in my opinion. As the first half wore on, Horsforth's early uncertainty faded away, and by the break we were playing some superb football, and on a few occasions only desperate defending by the visitors prevented us from taking the lead.

  But the interval came at a bad time for us, with little flowing football getting played in the second period. Baildon seemed to be counting on another mistake from our defence to steal the result, whereas our own attacks were increasingly bottled up in the central regions of the pitch, with little or no cutting edge from the wide areas. The game's decisive moment came in the 70th minute, as Richard Horton, a giant in central midfield, won the vital header in midfield and the ball bounced free in the visitors' half. Finding the Baildon defence for once strangely hesitant, Anthony Bell latched onto the loose ball and lamped it into the top corner of the net, an awesome strike and quite out of keeping with the general mediocrity of the previous twenty or so minutes.

  Closing a game down has never been Horsforth's speciality, and this was not a one-goal lead we felt we could sit on. Direct from the restart, we introduced Jamie Bell and Adolph Masocha (a father again this week - congrats from us all) into the wide positions, in a bid to seal the contest with positive changes rather than hold on for 2-1. A commendable strategy, you might say, or perhaps the only course of action open to a team like us, but clearly the plan didn't work. Though we had chances to kill the game off, we didn't take them, still a bit guilty of the old charge of trying to walk the ball into the net, and it's only fair to report that the Baildon lads dominated the game's closing stages, keeping us penned into our own half indeed for the last minutes, and might well have sent the contest to extra-time had our back four been less resilient under pressure.

  So Horsforth march on to the last 16 of the League Cup, not the greatest game of football you'll ever see, and certainly not a game to be measured alongside the results against the league's top sides from recent weeks. Yet, as alluded to at the outset, we were facing a side who command great respect amongst the league's senior clubs, a team who are currently higher-placed in the table than are we, and a side who did after all win at our ground last season. I'd have gladly settled for a one-goal win before the game, and, if this performance won't on its own make the rest of the league sit up and take notice of our new-found self-belief, the result was by no means a backward step.

  Other Round 1 ties: Angel Baildon 0, Leeds City Sunday 6; Clothiers 2, Commercial 4; Crown Celtic v Yeadon Westfield (walkover to Westfield); Hawkhill 4, Crossflatts FC 9; Horsforth Rangers 'A' 2, Horsforth Rangers 6; Milford 4, Ilkley Dynamo 5; Otley Wharfeside 3, Idle United 4; Rawdon 9, Otley Town 0; Shipley and Salts 0, Shipley Town 5; Wheatley 3, Horsforth St Margarets 4.

  Also: Shipley Town 'A' 1, Yeadon Athletic 0 (played 2nd September); Hockney v Shipley Juniors (to be played 7th October);

  Byes: Crossflatts Village, Horsforth Old Ball, Horsforth Town.

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Sunday 7th October 2007 (Wharfedale Triangle League Premier Division):

Horsforth St Margarets 1

Horsforth Fairweather 2

Team: Hunt - M.Ridsdale, Armstrong, Sedgwick, Hudson - Graves, Horton, Monaghan, Stanford - Parker, A.Bell. Subs: Newsome, Bonner, Banoub; unused subs: S.Goodall, J.Bell. Scorers: A.Bell, Graves. Cautioned: Sedgwick.

  Another hard-fought win against one of the division's supposed mid-table clubs, as the depth of Fairweather's large squad was put to the test, and not found wanting.

  No Ducey at the back and no Hinky in midfield, so more than a few team changes. Joel Graves reverted to midfield, with Matt Ridsdale given his first start of the season at right-back. Baz Armstrong was drafted in as Steve Sedgwick's partner in the centre of the back four, with Rich Hudson available again at left-back. Another of this season's exciting crop of newcomers, Jamie Stanford, was rewarded for a series of excellent performances in training with the vacant left midfield spot.

  A trivia note: in 28 seasons playing Sunday football, this was the second game we've played within the LS18 postal area, and the venue for our previous game against Maggies three years ago has now gone under the bulldozer. The Cragg Road pitch looks a lot bigger when you're driving past it than it does when you're playing on it, and in truth the play was very compressed for a lot of the game, with Fairweather's efforts at dominating the centre of the field often frustrated by the work-rate of the Maggies midfield. Although Lee Monaghan and Richard Horton are surely evolving continuously into one of the best central midfield pairings in this league, still we could not collectively out-pass a side who, for at least 80 minutes, kept pace with us through sheer hard work and determination. We had good spells and bad spells during the first 45 minutes, and the contest could hardly have been more even at the interval. First blood went our way, after half an hour, as Simon Parker expertly chested the ball into the path of Anthony Bell, whose crisp shot beat the keeper low by the right-hand post. The most controversial moment of the game came 10 minutes later, as one of several uncharacteristic defensive mix-ups ended with Sedge handling the ball under the crossbar. The ref pointed to the penalty spot, and the home side bayed for the red card (I could have done without that but I guess we'd have done the same thing), but out came the yellow one and the Morley Marauder lived to fight another day. You're going to ask me why, aren't you?... I didn't discuss the incident with the ref, and I must say I fully expected us to be down to 10 men, all I can suggest is he maybe thought Sedge made an honest attempt to head the ball clear before using his hands. Anyway, the penalty kick was converted (very well I must say), and the only thing I have to add to the debate at this point is that I hope some people remember episodes like this when decisions go against us on other days. And in all the excitement it should not be forgotten that James Hunt made a couple of superb saves to keep us in the game, but his efforts were overshadowed by a brilliant diving save from the home keeper to deny a venomous dipping effort from Parker. Half time arrived with the proverbial everything to play for.

  Playing with the slight slope in the second period, Fairweather generally had the better of it in terms of possession and of chances made, though again there were moments when we counted on James to rectify mistakes in front of him. What, in my opinion, won the points for us was the sheer bravery of the changes we made. Mark Bonner, another of the class of 2007, was called on for his debut in midfield, Joel switching again to right full-back, then the reliable John Newsome was brought on to turn the formation into a very retro 4-3-3, with Mark, Lee Monaghan and Rich Horton in midfield and Parker, John and Anthony a formidable threesome up front. Call it coincidence if you will, but two minutes after this change we took the lead again, as Mark tapped Lee Mon's corner into the path of Joel, and the ball was gleefully thumped into the back of the net. With 20 minutes to defend the narrow lead, Fairweather could hardly dare to sit back and absorb pressure. We did switch back to a more orthodox 4-4-2, with Parker asked to play a role in midfield, but the game's closing stages were - as is so often the case - relatively stretched, as the home side's attacks grew more frantic and our own "attack is the best form of defence" policy on more than one occasion might have extended the advantage. It ended 2-1 our way, not by any means a vintage HFFC performance, but one of which everyone who took the field in the emerald and ebony shirt should be proud: this Maggies team, far better organised than during their 2004-05 spell in the top division, will undoubtedly take points off a lot of good sides playing the game as positively as they did today.

  I know you all like a bit of controversiality in these match reports, so I won't let you down today. A large squad can be a double-edged sword, it depends on many things, not least the quality of the Manager. I know there have been players, mainly though not exclusively newer recruits, who have been frustrated by the lack of game-time they've had in the opening weeks of the season. Yet, almost to a man, they've not taken their bats home, but continue to turn up to training and on Sundays, keeping the pressure on the starting XI, and huge credit to them for doing so - and to Woody for the job he's done in keeping the squad intact. Thus it was gratifying in the extreme to see a few of the lads who have shown such perseverance getting their first chance in a competitive match today, just as it was reassuring to see Woody demonstrate such faith in so many untried players in such trying circumstances, but above all it was even more pleasing to see all parties go home with a result to boast about. That, good reader, is the stuff of which trophy-winning teams are made.

  Other league game: Baildon New Inn 1, Horsforth Old Ball 1.

  PC Sports League Cup Round 1: Hockney 4, Shipley Juniors 1, held over from previous week.

  This is County Cup week of course, but this year, due the numbers of teams involved, it has been decided that the small number of Round 1 games will take place this week, along with most of the Round 2 ties. The "either/or" Round 2 games, including ours, will be held the following week - see below.

  WRCFA County Sunday Cup Round 1 included: Shipley Town 3, North Featherstone 7 AET. Also: Lee Mount 3, Royal Hotel Kings Cross 6 AET.

  WRCFA County Sunday Cup Round 2 included: Crossflatts v Beechwood - awarded to Crossflatts; Eastward 4, Yeadon Westfield 6; Horsforth Rangers 4, Shoulder Royd 1; Red Star Harehills 0, Rawdon 4.

  For more details, please click here and select 'County Cups' then 'Sunday Cup'.

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Sunday 14th October 2007 (WRCFA County Sunday Cup Round 2):

Royal Hotel King Cross 2

Horsforth Fairweather 1

Team: Hunt - Duce, Sedgwick, Banoub - Armstrong, J.Bell, Horton, Monaghan, Hudson - Parker, A.Bell. Subs: Newsome, Bowler, Merifield; unused subs: Bonner, Stanford. Scorer: Monaghan (pen). Cautioned: Duce, Horton (both dissent).

  After a series of encouraging results in domestic competitions, Horsforth's season changed course for a sequence of cup games, and for what always looked a tricky County Cup tie away in Halifax, we rang the changes once more. James Hunt was in goal of course, with Mark Duce, Sedge and Simon Banoub in defence, the latter making his first start of the campaign. Baz Armstrong and Richard Hudson were wing-backs with Richard Horton, Lee Monaghan and Jamie Bell (another in the starting XI for the first time) in midfield, while Simon Parker and Anthony Bell continued up front.

  This was an enthralling contest, between two particularly well-matched sides. The first half was a very even affair for 47 minutes, Horsforth's approach play thoughtful and intelligent, with the home team making a handful mistakes at the back that were allowed to go unpunished. However, our own defensive formation meant that one miscue or failure to control the ball would give the Royal lads a chance, and they took advantage of a lapse down our left flank to open the scoring right on the interval, the hugely impressive Rob Gerrard the scorer.

  The second period opened with Horsforth calling most of the shots, and our control of midfield was for a while unassailable - yet the equaliser eluded us. John Newsome replaced the worthy Noob on the hour mark, making it a three-man attack, but the home side continued to repel all our assaults, and around the mid-point of the half we began to run out of steam. Ducey was cautioned for what you could only call one foul too many, as our game-plan necessarily asked the defenders to perform heroics. With five quality subs to choose from, we offered Andy Bowler another chance to change a game from the right wing, but the final switch was somewhat forced on us, Andy Merifield an obvious last throw of the dice although we were obliged to sacrifice Parker, a bit battered by this stage. Visibly chasing the game now, we conceded a second goal to a well-worked move, Pete Southwell the Royal player on target. We argued a long time about this one, Big Bear finding his name in the referee's notebook, and from where I was it was hard to say for certain what happened, but a few of our players claimed the goal should have been ruled out for a handball at some stage. However, in my opinion the referee had done well in the face of two teams who both wanted badly to win, and when he blew his whistle in the last minute of normal time following a Horsforth corner the complaints were loud and prolonged - until we realised he'd awarded us a penalty. Someone said pushing but I must admit I was close to the action and never called this one. Lee Mon dutifully converted the spot-kick, and we had a couple of minutes of injury time in which to save the tie. Sadly, those minutes were played out by our corner flag, as the home team's greater experience of important games was shown in good light. So it ended 2-1, a third successive elimination at the first time of asking for Horsforth in the County Cup.

  What's left to say? A couple of things actually. Firstly, a few heads seemed to go down at the end of this game, very disappointingly for me. We had played fairly well overall I thought, and, if saying we deserved to win is perhaps a bit too partisan, at least I'll say we were unlucky to lose, so why the shaking heads, I ask? We have ridden our luck slightly in recent weeks, winning a couple of games we might have lost, so losing a game we might have won should not have come as a body-blow. Yes, I agree, wanting and expecting to win is no bad thing, but the reaction to this defeat was little too fatalistic for my taste. We are a side on a learning curve, still, and expecting us to come home with the result every week at this stage is a tad optimistic in my view, especially given the level we are now playing at.

  All in all, a decent Sunday morning's entertainment, a narrow defeat by a very good team, who will hopefully go a long way in the competition - if for no other reason than to justify our own sense of disappointment at going out so early again. And I must add, a decent set of lads, who will be remembered by us all as worthy and sporting opponents, and advance to Round 3 with our very best wishes.

  League games: Horsforth Old Ball 0, Horsforth St Margarets 2; Yeadon Westfield 4, Baildon New Inn 1.

  FA Sunday Cup Round 1: Rawdon 3, RCA Wavendon 3, Rawdon won 3-0 on penalties; Western Approaches 4, Crossflatts 2.

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Sunday 21st October 2007 (LDFA Sunday District Cup Round 2):

New Rover 0

Horsforth Fairweather 4

Team: Hunt - Armstrong, Sedgwick, Duce, Hinkins - Graves, Horton, Monaghan, Bowler - Parker, A.Bell. Subs: Masocha, Merifield, Newsome; unused subs: S.Goodall, M.Ridsdale. Scorers: Bowler, Graves, Own Goal, Horton. Cautioned: Duce.

  There's something I really like about this time of year: just as your league campaign might appear to be stalling, or you get knocked out of one cup, along comes another for you to reinvigorate your season. While it would be unkind to say we need a run in the Leeds FA Sunday District Cup to light up our season, there's no doubt the excitement of another cup run could be, as it often is, a cause for renewed optimism at our club.

  With Richard Hudson, Jamie Bell and Simon Banoub not available from amongst last Sunday's starters, Horsforth opted to revert to 4-4-2, bringing back Barry Armstrong and Simon Hinkins into a reshaped back four. Joel Graves and Andy Bowler took the wide midfield berths; the rest you could probably have guessed.

  To describe New Rover as respected opponents would be a huge understatement. Their record against us is enviable, as is the magnetism that seems to exist between the clubs when cup draws are being made: this was the fifth time the sides had met in District or League Cup since first our paths crossed in September 2001. If it would not be unfair to say this was not the strongest side they have ever fielded against us, equally it should not be overlooked that this youthful team gave us a more than decent contest for the first 45 minutes at least, and, had they scored first, might well have caused us even more concern.

  The opening few minutes of the game were, from our point of view, dreadful, with James Hunt being required to keep us level as early as the first minute, and that was by no means the last time he was called into action. The first half was a spirited and hard-fought contest, with both sides clearly motivated for the encounter. New Rover's commendable organisation and the idyllic surroundings of their latter-day Gledhow base should not make you overlook the hard-edged attitude and will-to-win they bring to every game, and they approached this game in their traditional style, with the one man army Jim Turner as always a formidable opponent in central midfield. Horsforth gradually began to assert their usual midfield supremacy, but it was never going to be easy, especially as we decided very early to blame the referee for all our problems. After 26 minutes, Richard Horton's shot found its way to Andy Bowler in the crowded penalty area, and (remembering what I'd said in the League Cup Final programme about the slowest legs and the quickest feet?) Andy dug the ball out and placed it into the net to give us a slender lead, but even this turn of events didn't allow us to regain our composure, with Ducey's booking for dissent and Richard's lengthy exchange of views with the referee unwelcome distractions while we were trying to consolidate. Indeed, we never looked more vulnerable than in the five-to-ten minutes after we'd taken the lead, and more stout defending was needed to get us to the break with the advantage intact.

  A few harsh words from the Manager during the intermission seemed to calm heads down a bit, and the second period saw a far more focussed display from Horsforth. The game's key moment came in the 19th minute of the half, when Simon Parker set up Anthony Bell for a shooting chance, and Ant's effort was deflected into the path of Joel, who tapped in from close range. As the game wore on, what had looked a highly competitive midfield battle zone was increasingly ours to play in, and the introduction of Adolph Masocha down the left wing was well-timed, the initiative now finally and irreversibly ours. After 33 minutes, Hinky and Adolph combined down the left to carve out a chance for Parker and Ant, from which the ball ricocheted into the net for what looked like an own-goal, and from this point it was hard to see a way back for the home team. The situation allowed room for a couple of attacking substitutions, with Andy Merifield and John Newsome, key squad members who have been overlooked in recent weeks due to the plethora of talent available, replacing the front two, but the best goal arrived in the last couple of minutes. Adolph won the ball with a crunching midfield tackle (one of which Sedge or Ducey would have been proud), and fed John, whose unselfish cut-back found Richard Horton in the sort of area he probably dreams about, with inevitable consequences.

  That this was, in the end, a fairly comfortable win should not allow us to forget the fact that the first phases of this game found us struggling more than somewhat. However, the way we held on in adversity and turned round what started as a very tricky game indeed into what in the end looked a comfortable victory, should give us all great cause for optimism. Roll on Round 3.

  And of course, I can't end without paying a huge tribute to Lee Monaghan, whose 400th game in HFFC colours this was. As he himself said, only Woody and I are still around from the struggling, under-achieving team he joined in 1990, and to say much water has flown under the Bridge (ho ho) since those days would be another major understatement. Yet some of us like to believe the underlying HFFC spirit that was to the fore in those trying days (a period of great change for the club in more ways than one), and no one has epitomised that spirit more than Lee, who, according to my own inadequate recollection of the course of events, has progressed seamlessly from apprentice midfielder to senior player, from Most Promising Newcomer to Club Captain and Elder Statesman, and to say the club would have been poorer without his contribution would be - yes, you guessed it - yet another understatement.

  Other Round 2 games: AC Midland 1, Harehills WMC 3; Acorn 1, Rothwell Town 3; AFC Woodcock 0, Moortown 2; Ancestor 2, Pudsey Amateurs 4; Armley White Lion walkover v Barley Mow; Black Bull 5, Elford 4; Crooked Billet 1, Pudsey 2005 13; East Leeds Trinity 4, Wykebeck Arms 5; Headingley Rovers 4, Horsforth Old Ball 4 (Headingley won on penalties); Hyde Park Power 3, Nightingale Harehills 2; Leeds City Rovers 4, Wellington 2; Merry Monk 1, Leeds City Adelers 1 (abandoned); Original Oak 3, Republica Internationale 2 AET; Queens Park Rounday 1, Chapeltown Brazil 6; Real Santos 4, South Leeds United 4 (Santos won on penalties).

  For more details, please click here and select 'Cup Competitions' then 'Sunday District Cup'.

  Wharfedale FA Sunday Cup Round 1: Clothiers 4, Wise Owl 2; Hockney 0, Rawdon 11; Horsforth Rangers 2, Yeadon Athletic 0; Otley Wharfeside 1, Hawkhill 3; Rancell United 8, Woodbottom 5 AET; Ringway Merlins 4, Baildon New Inn 2; Otley Town 2, Idle United 5. Byes: Angel Baildon, Baildon Trinity Athletic, Horsforth St Margarets, Horsforth Town, Ilkley Dynamo, Shipley Town, Ventus United, Wheatley, Yeadon Westfield. Note this is the local FA competition for clubs within the Wharfedale FA boundary.

  League games: Horsforth St Margarets 1, Crossflatts 9; Yeadon Westfield 2, Shipley Town 6.

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Sunday 28th October 2007 (PC Sports League Cup Round 2):

Horsforth Fairweather 3

Leeds City Sunday 0

Team: Hunt - Armstrong, Sedgwick, Duce, Hudson - Graves, Horton, Monaghan, Bowler - Newsome, A.Bell. Subs: S.Goodall, Parker; unused subs: Merifield, Masocha, M.Ridsdale. Scorers: Hudson, Newsome, Monaghan. Cautioned: Duce, Monaghan.

  Another Sunday and another cup-tie. This game saw Horsforth advance to the Quarter-Finals of the League Cup, but it was not one that will be long remembered.

  Just two team changes this week: Simon Hinkins's late call-off due to illness allowed Richard Hudson to return to the side at left-back, while John Newsome was given his first start of the season in attack. Once again, there was a subs' bench to die for, with a couple of worthy contenders not even getting changed. Unappreciated? Not by me you're not lads, and I'm sure I speak for Woody too in that regard.

  The visitors were from the newly-constituted Division Two of the Wharfedale Triangle, and thus were perhaps not expected to put up too much resistance. Add to this the fact that they are in theory Leeds City's fourth-string side, and we beat the "second XI", Leeds City Rovers, in the District Cup last season, and all the ingredients for an outbreak of complacency were in place. Still, even we could hardly have planned on starting against just eight men, as the game kicked off bang on time at the insistence of the referee, but it was almost a relief when the remaining three players arrived after a first minute in which we signally failed to exploit our temporary advantage.

  The first half was indeed ours, by some distance. About three minutes in, Rich Hudson drilled the ball through a crowded penalty area to give us a lead we already deserved, and thereafter our domination of the midfield was little short of total. A bit of a disappointment then that it took a long time for us to find the second goal, but when it arrived, on 30 minutes, it was well worth the wait. Richard Horton's cunning pass set Joel Graves free down the right, and his shot was parried by the excellent City goalkeeper, only to fall into the path of John, diligently following up as is his wont - note both the players restored to the starting line-up finding themselves on the scoresheet.

  But the second period was a very different affair. Normally in these circumstances I write something about the opposition dragging us down to their level, but that would be unfair on two counts: firstly because we had little but our own lethargic outlook to blame for the decline in our fortunes; but secondly it must be said the away side, having looked decidedly out of their depth for 45 minutes, began to play some sensible and pragmatic football, and turned in the sort of performance that will surely mean their stay in Division Two will be a short one. While it would be hard to countenance how they intended to win the game (I doubt they would have scored a goal were we still playing on Monday), their spirited defending and willingness to build attacks at every opportunity meant we could never relax in any area of the pitch. Horsforth, as is customary, looked to the well-staffed bench to break the deadlock, and, in another of the inspired substitutions that have characterised the recent games, Woody brought on Sam Goodall down the left, clearly with instructions to use his pace to turn the tide our way again. And, after just one minute on the pitch, Sam dropped his shoulders and ran at the City defence, his incursion only being stopped illegally by the keeper inside the penalty area. While the goalie was perhaps fortunate to stay on the field, I must say how pleased I was that we didn't resort to howling for his dismissal, like certain other teams I could name. Still, Lee Monaghan put the penalty kick wide, and with 25 minutes left to play it might have been a moment that on another day swung the pendulum of fortune against us.

  Horsforth's strength in depth was going to be tested now, and in Simon Parker we were able to introduce - to say the least - a striker of proven match-winning ability. Yet, though there were mazy dribbles and goalmouth scrambles to bemoan, a third goal eluded us, and, inevitably, tempers began to fray, and of course the yellow cards followed. Mark Duce was perhaps unlucky: imperious at the back all day, he was the victim of an isolated nasty challenge, but didn't appreciate that the ref was trying to play an advantage to us and kept up the dialogue past the point where it was tolerated. A bit disappointing that, while cautioning Ducey, the official didn't even speak to the chap who had committed the original foul, but for me that just about the only mistake he made all morning. With Steve Sedgwick already struggling due to injury, the fact that central defensive partner Ducey also ended the match hobbling badly meant we have reason to be grateful there isn't a game next week. Lee Mon also managed to spend £8 in the least clever way you can, speaking out of turn just once too often at a time were clearly beginning to collectively try the ref's patience - I'm sorry to speak harshly but we have to cut this out lads, or one day it will cost us dearly, and I don't mean just financially. The third goal didn't come our way until the 90th minute, but again it was a gem, as Joel, involved in everything, went on a rampage down the right wing, and found the marauding Sam, who, though unable to turn the situation into a chance, intelligently worked the ball back to Joel, who stood his cross up to the far post where it was met calmly and decisively by Lee Mon's head, and finally the game was over.

  As the dust settles, let me firstly say well played to a Leeds City side who, looking well out of it at the break, recovered and regrouped to make a game of it for 45 minutes. While undue criticism of our own display will perhaps be tempered by the repetition of that great old "a win's a win" cliché, it would be failing in my duty as club chronicler if I didn't say there was room for improvement in what we did today.

  Other Round 2 ties: Commercial 2, Crossflatts FC 9; Crossflatts Village 2, Shipley Town 7; Hockney 7, Horsforth St Margarets 2; Horsforth Town 4, Ilkley Dynamo 2; Idle United v Horsforth Old Ball postponed; Rawdon 4 Yeadon Westfield 1; Shipley Town 'A' v Horsforth Rangers (postponed);

  League game: Horsforth Rangers 5, Baildon New Inn 3.

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Sunday 4th November 2007:

  FA Sunday Cup Round : Rawdon 1, Lobster FC 2.

  WRCFA County Sunday Cup Round 3: Crossflatts walkover v Bishop Rovers; Kippax Welfare 2, Horsforth Rangers 1; Rawdon v Merlins (playing 11th November); Yeadon Westfield 2, Junction Thornbury 3.

  For more details, please click here and select 'County Cups' then 'Sunday Cup'.

  League game: Horsforth Old Ball 3, Shipley Town 8.

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Sunday 11th November 2007 (Wharfedale Triangle League Premier Division):

Horsforth Fairweather 3

Yeadon Westfield 1

Team: P.Ridsdale - Armstrong, Sedgwick, Duce, Banoub - Graves, Horton, Monaghan, Bowler - Newsome, A.Bell. Subs: Hudson, Parker, S.Goodall; unused subs: Merifield, Masocha. Scorers: A.Bell 2, Parker.

  For the visit of Westfield, Horsforth were without two players whose influence on recent performances had been colossal, keeper James Hunt and left-back Richard Hudson (the latter arriving too late to be considered for the starting XI), but, as is customary these days, we were able to call on superb understudies in former skipper Phil Ridsdale between the sticks and Simon Banoub on the left of the back four.

  Given that both games between the sides last season were settled with almost the last kick of the ball, Westfield would be a good barometer of how much progress we have actually made since then. Though as ever dangerous at set pieces, they did surprise us a bit today by how well they played in midfield, so much so that our own relatively languid display in this area was often second-best. We perhaps made marginally the better chances of a tight first 45 minutes, but our defensive prowess was given a stern test, not just from dead ball situations but also in open play, with the recalled Nooby in particular asked to cope with a wide player determined to run at him at every opportunity. It must be said that, not only did he pass this test, but his counter-attacking play, though of a different character to the Roadrunner antics of the man whose place he took, was another bonus on a day when it was clear the contest would be settled by a couple of key moments at one end of the field or the other. The only goal of an absorbing first half arrived 7 minutes before the break, and was a bit of a freak, as from a Westfield corner on their left the ball took a wild ricochet off central defender Steve Sedgwick and looped into the air, coming down at the far post where it fell to Graeme Evans to put the away side into the lead.

  If we'd felt we were unlucky to be down at the interval, there was little self-pity in the team talk, with not only the Manager but also some of the senior players offering sound advice and encouragement, and such a positive reaction could hardly fail to pay dividends, could it? Well, as it transpired, the next quarter of an hour or so saw Horsforth's star very much on the wane, the away side dominant in midfield and looking unhurried in defence. Though our own back line was still keeping us in the game, it seemed only a matter of time before the lead was extended. To make matters worse, we had to use the first of our subs to replace a defender, as Sedge went down with a back injury. Rich Hudson was the obvious replacement down the left, while Nooby, having had his patience tried all season, now had his versatility put to the test by being asked to fill in at centre-back alongside Ducey.

  With the game visibly slipping away from us, Horsforth were nevertheless able to choose from an arsenal of attacking talent on the bench to get us out of trouble, and Woody opted for the pace of Sam Goodall down the left wing, plus the presence and sheer unpredictability of Simon Parker up front. You can debate the rights and wrongs of it all weekend, but within four minutes of these changes, we were level, as Lee Monaghan's free-kick from out on the left found Joel Graves challenging the Westfield keeper in the air, and the ball broke to Anthony Bell who ended a relatively lean spell in front of goal with a controversial equaliser, although the away side appealed loudly for a foul on the goalie. That was the watershed. In the 30th minute of the half, Parker showed what courage and self-belief can do when with utter disregard for his own safety he headed the ball past the hesitating keeper and tapped us into the lead. Thereafter, we looked the better side, though we weren't able to relax until five minutes from the end, when the third goal arrived. Joel's wicked cross from the right wing deserves much praise, as does the way Anthony judged the flight of the ball so much better than the Westfield goalie, who was left clutching at thin air as Ant sealed the win, but for me the man who earned most of the plaudits was Richard Horton, whose classy control under pressure had set up the play from centre field. A game which we could well have lost ended with a 3-1 win, and everyone in the green and black shirts must have felt much pride in the way we had battled against adversity, turning what after an hour looked for all the world like an imminent and significant defeat into a memorable victory against the side who - let's not forget - were fourth in the league last season.

  This win was more a triumph for the team's spirit and character than any sort of reward for pretty football we might have played. You don't beat a team of the quality of Westfield by accident: even if the football wasn't as pretty as it usually is, we made up for that in other ways today, and earned our three points with a performance that showed many virtues, but above all it was self-belief in adversity that kept us going on a day when even the Horsforth team of a couple of years ago would have spent Sunday afternoon discussing what might have been.

  Other League games: Crossflatts v Horsforth Old Ball not played, Flatts awarded 2-0 win; Horsforth Rangers 4, Horsforth St Margarets 1; Shipley Town 3, Baildon New Inn 2.

  WRCFA County Sunday Cup Round 3: Rawdon 3, Merlins 4 AET.

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Sunday 18th November 2007 (LDFA Sunday District Cup Round 3):

Moortown 1

Horsforth Fairweather 8

Team: P.Ridsdale - Armstrong, Banoub, Duce, Hudson - Graves, Horton, Monaghan, Masocha - Parker, Merifield. Subs: S.Goodall, A.Bell, Newsome; unused subs: Bowler, Sedgwick. Scorers: Merifield, Masocha, Parker 3, Goodall, Monaghan, Newsome.

  For the trip to Moortown in the last 16 of the Sunday District Cup, Horsforth opted to rest Steve Sedgwick, with Simon Banoub taking his berth alongside Mark Duce in central defence. Richard Hudson returned to the ranks at left-back, while Phil Ridsdale continued between the sticks. It was all-change up front, with Simon Parker restored to the starting line-up, alongside Andy Merifield, the latter making his first full appearance of the campaign, as was Adolph Masocha on the left of midfield.

  But you'd hardly have thought we'd made any changes at all, as the performance was almost flawless in the opening minutes, the game to all intents and purposes won very early on. On the short pitch at King Lane, Horsforth's midfield supremacy was quite comprehensive, our defending sound, and if we missed a shedload of chances, at least we were making them in profusion. With just three minutes gone, Joel Graves stood up a superb, deep cross from the right, and Mezzer, all six foot thirteen inches of him, headed home from close range his first competitive goal for the club. Twelve minutes into the game, Parker drilled the ball across the face of the Moortown goal, where it was met by Adolph, who in turn got on the scoresheet for the first time as a Horsforth player. On 34 minutes, Joel fed Parker, who kept a clear head under pressure to create and finish a fine goal of his own. At this point, however, something went a bit awry for Horsforth, maybe a lack of concentration, possibly a bit of complacency, but Moortown hit back from a corner, central defender Andy Halpin the scorer, and from then until half time the game was a bit scrappy, as the earlier assured play in midfield suddenly went off the rails, and it began to look like our plan for getting round the home team's offside trap was to hope the referee would get fed up with blowing for it.

  By contrast, the second half was very much plain sailing, as a frank and to-the-point team talk paid off. Eight minutes after the break, Joel again made a chance for Parker to score. Soon after this Sam Goodall was brought into the action, replacing Adolph who had earned his win bonus but lacked match fitness. After 16 minutes, Simon Parker, getting back to his devastating best these days after a relatively slow start to the season, scored his hat-trick goal, Richard Hudson the creator. Horsforth now gave top scorer Anthony Bell a run-out down the left, Sam switching to the attack, where he quickly exploited Richard Horton's smart flick to extend the lead to 6-1. Lee Monaghan took his turn to burst through a now demoralised Moortown defence and score the seventh, but the best goal was in my opinion the last. To describe Barry Armstrong as a right-back is to do scant justice to the role he plays in our team, and his inspired ball to Sam was pulled back to John Newsome, on as late sub for Parker, for the eighth goal of the day, cementing this game's place in history as the club's biggest ever win in the District Cup.

  So, the best performance of the season? Certainly the most one-sided game of 2007-08, but not by any means a display we can't improve on. I still believe the best is yet to come from this squad we have at the moment, and of course I'll always tell you the true measure of our strength is what we do in the league. However, with two cup Quarter-Finals to look forward to, it's looking like we may have a great season on several fronts, and that can only be a good thing.

  Other Round 3 games: Armley White Lion v Merry Monk or Leeds City Adelers no idea, don't even think the Round 2 game has been played yet; Black Bull 1, Harehills WMC 4; Hyde Park Power 3, Wykebeck Arms 2; Leeds City Rovers 8, Real Santos 0; Original Oak 3, Chapeltown Brazil 3, Chapeltown won on penalties; Pudsey 2005 4, Pudsey Amateurs 1; Rothwell Town 3, Headingley Rovers 1.

  For more details, please click here and select 'Cup Competitions' then 'Sunday District Cup'.

  Wharfedale FA Sunday Cup Round 2: Baildon Trinity Athletic 6, Ringway Merlins 1; Horsforth Rangers 6, Horsforth St Margarets 1; Horsforth Town 1, Idle United 3; Ilkley Dynamo 0, Hawkhill 1; Rawdon 1, Shipley Town 2; Ventus United 3, Rancell United 5; Wheatley 3, Angel Baildon 6; Yeadon Westfield 2, Clothiers 5.

  League game: Baildon New Inn 1, Crossflatts 11.

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Sunday 25th November 2007 (PC Sports League Cup Quarter-Final):

Hockney 0

Horsforth Fairweather 1

Team: P.Ridsdale - Armstrong, Sedgwick, Duce, Banoub - Graves, Horton, Monaghan, Hudson - Parker, A.Bell. Subs: S.Goodall, Newsome; unused subs: Bowler, Merifield, Masocha. Scorer: Parker.

  For the League Cup Quarter-Final, Fairweather restored Anthony Bell to the attack, and the return of Steve Sedgwick meant Simon Banoub moved out to his favoured left-back position, with Richard Dudson, sorry Hudson, taking over the left midfield role. Even with James Hunt available again, Phil Ridsdale retained the keeper's jersey - well, both of them actually but it was a cold day.

  On another narrow pitch, Horsforth struggled to come to terms with the nature of the challenge at first. Though Hockney FC are technically a new side from the depths of Division Two, they are in effect the old Bay Horse team with a few quality reinforcements, and on the evidence of today's display they would make a very worthy addition to the Premier Division, never mind Div One. Their game plan was simple: it would be unfair to call it Route One, but the onus was placed on getting the ball quickly to the two mobile and resourceful strikers, who then built the play up from there. So effective was this that the first 15 minutes or so found us penned in our own penalty area for long spells, and the examination that our central defenders faced was as stern as any in this or any recent season. Lucky for us then that Ducey and Sedge were at the top of their game, as for a long time we won next to nothing in midfield.

  However, as the first half ran its course, we gradually began to assert our own, rather more varied attacking play. I always felt our strikers had a touch more guile than the home side's, and we had more choices when we had the ball. The key moment of the game came after 42 minutes, as Lee Monaghan's utterly brilliant pass from deep, deep inside his own half fell into the path of Simon Parker, whose smart close control and cool finish fired us into the lead. Hard on the home side? Certainly they had had their chances, and more than their share of possession, but from where I was standing we usually could predict what route their attacks would take, whereas they never knew where our next moment of inspiration was coming from. If that was the difference between the sides, it was a marginal difference, but this was always going to be a marginal game.

  I never believed one goal would be enough to settle the contest in our favour. OK, I was wrong in that respect, which speaks volumes as to how well our defence performed. The second half saw a more stretched game, with the home side continuing to get the ball to the strikers at every opportunity, but our own midfield play gradually but inexorably shifting the initiative our way. It was a struggle though, as witnessed by our relatively conservative use of substitutes, Sam Goodall taking over down the left wing with Rich Hudson back in defence, plus the very late appearance of John Newsome in the attack. As it turned out, we were making chances at will by the end of the 90 minutes, but Riggsy had to work hard for his clean sheet too. When the final whistle went, I felt we were by then quite definitely the better side - but I was still waiting for that whistle!

  This win was a superb team effort, and, make no mistake, we think we beat a good side today. Members of rival clubs who frequent this website might have a bit of a laugh that we struggled to overcome a team from Division Two, but I think this display from the home team was worthy of a side much higher up the food chain: on that, time alone will tell, though I'm sure we'll be playing the Hockney again soon enough, and we're not planning on getting relegated. Our own team performance was resilient and dogged at the back, and just about creative enough up front to turn a single chance into a result. You're all entitled to your views, but from where I was standing I count this a very good win.

  Other ties: Crossflatts 5, Rawdon 1; Horsforth Town v Shipley Town 'A' or Horsforth Rangers - Round 2 game to be played December 2nd; Shipley Town 7, Idle United 2.

  League game: Horsforth Rangers 3, Yeadon Westfield 4.

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Sunday 2nd December 2007 (Wharfedale Triangle League Premier Division):

  Horsforth St Margarets v Yeadon Westfield; Rawdon 2, Shipley Town 4.

  WRCFA County Sunday Cup Round 4: Queensbury v Crossflatts postponed.

  PC Sports League Cup Round 2: Shipley Town 'A' 1, Horsforth Rangers 2. Rangers away to Horsforth Town in Quarter-Finals.

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Sunday 9th December 2007 (Wharfedale Triangle League Premier Division):

Shipley Town 3

Horsforth Fairweather 4

Team: Hunt - Armstrong, Sedgwick, Hudson, Banoub - Graves, Martin, Monaghan, Hinkins - Parker, Newsome. Subs: S.Goodall, Masocha, Merifield; unused sub: Bowler. Scorers: Monaghan, Graves, Parker 2. Cautioned: Hudson.

  The team news was perhaps not encouraging: no Ducey, no Rich Horton, no Anthony Bell, three players who few sides could afford to do without at any level of the game. By way of response, Richard Hudson moved back into defence, with Simon Hinkins earning his first start for a long while on the left of the midfield, and John Newsome came into the side in attack, never one to let the club down whatever the situation. But perhaps the most significant change was the fortuitous timing of Jamie Martin's return from his World Tour, brought straight back into central midfield and given the much sought-after role of policing Shipley's one man army Robert Bedford, inevitably one of the game's key contests and as severe a test of strength and character as any fully-fit player could face, let alone one more or less just off the plane. One final switch was the recall of James Hunt in goal, though not without a huge vote of thanks for the job Riggsy has done in his absence.

  Over the years there may have been the occasional dull, dour, defensive match between these sides, but I can't remember one. It's almost always an open, attacking game, with the lead changing hands a few times, and this one was to be no exception. Horsforth started quietly, looking a little disorganised at the start, and it took the home side's Declan Corby only seven minutes to score the opener, coolly taking the ball round a couple of prone defenders and tapping in, a well-taken strike by any standards but surely the sort of goal we should not be conceding. It was time for an injection of self-belief, and we got just that, as Lee Monaghan's deflected effort from distance just three minutes later was a key demonstration of our intent. Though both sides were making chances, the home side struck next, after 27 minutes, the classy Corby again walking round defenders and finding space where there should be none, and for a while it looked as if the game might be slipping from us. But we turned it round again before the break, another phase of HFFC dominance leading to a half-chance on 38 minutes for Joel Graves, whose shot was fumbled by the otherwise sound Shipley goalkeeper. Half time and everything to play for, a bit of a cliché perhaps but a fair summary of the situation at the interval.

  Shipley Town, lest anyone forget, are the defending champions of this league, and they don't lose many games on their own ground. They enjoyed another good spell at the start of the second period, and the 50th minute goal from Matthew Cooke that gave them the lead for the third time was exquisite, an inspired pass up the left wing and intelligent ball into the box leaving the league's most in-form striker with a simple chance. A lot of sides would have folded after that, but Horsforth decided to hang on in there and keep playing football - there were no gung-ho substitutions this week - and we got the reward our positive approach had earned when, midway through the half, a long ball from right-back Barry Armstrong was miscontrolled by an isolated defender, and the eternally dangerous Simon Parker burst through to equalise. The game could have gone either way now, both teams making chances and for the most part missing them (Hinky's "unexpected divot" effort will be the subject of some comment in training, I'm sure), and Horsforth finally called in the cavalry charge from the bench, with Sam Goodall and Adolph Masocha taking over the wide positions for the last 10 and 5 minutes respectively. As is often the case in games of this importance, the outcome hinged on one moment of magic, and paradoxically it came while Horsforth were defending a corner. It must be said, our defending at set pieces had been superb all morning, but, even in a game of much inspired passing from both teams, the gigantic outball from Lee Mon, who claimed he was in our six-yard area when he played it, that found the marauding Parker, was the stuff of legend. That said, it still needed all the great man's deft control and blistering pace to carve out a chance, and the way he made the finish look easy was a further sign that the club's most consistent striker is back to his unstoppable, match-winning best. In all honesty, Shipley could still have reclaimed a point, perhaps even all three, but their final frenzied assault on our goal was repelled, huge credit accruing to the back line of Baz, Sedge, Rich and Noob, though as always on these occasions the off-the-ball contribution of the team as a whole was the real key. Horsforth had done the double over the champions, a tremendous team effort and an immense tribute to the club's resurgent team spirit.

  Given the quality of the opposition, few words of mine could add to our achievement this morning, so for once I'll cut the report short and just say that rarely, very rarely, in recent years have I felt as proud to be associated with this club as I was today.

  Other league games: Horsforth St Margarets v Baildon New Inn postponed (not 0-4, that was someone's idea of a joke; Yeadon Westfield v Rawdon postponed.

  WRCFA County Sunday Cup Round 4: Queensbury v Crossflatts.

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Sunday 16th December 2007 (LFDA Sunday District Cup Round 4):

Harehills WMC 2	Horsforth Fairweather 3
After extra time.

Team: Hunt - Graves, Armstrong, Sedgwick, Hudson - Bowler, Horton, Monaghan, Hinkins - Merifield, Newsome. Subs: Duce, Bonner, S.Goodall. Scorers: Newsome, Horton, Hudson.

  Memories of an early round game between the sides last season, a good-humoured contest which Horsforth had won at a canter, soon faded into the distance as a game of little merit found a weakened Horsforth team needing extra time to overcome opposition who, while not without some talented players, were scarcely our peers in any department.

  The absence of Jamie Martin from midfield allowed Richard Horton back into the side, while a defensive reshuffle to cover the unavailability of Simon Banoub found Richard Hudson moving over to left-back, Barry Armstrong lining up alongside Sedge at centre-back, and Joel Graves switching to right-back. Andy Bowler took over the right midfield berth vacated by Joel. Simon Parker's absence meant a rare chance in the starting XI for Andy Merifield up front.

  Most of the decent football was played in the first half. On 9 minutes, Andy B won the ball in midfield and worked it to Richard Horton, whose inspired pass put John through for the opening goal. Though we had very much the better of the opening 25 minutes or so, it soon became plain that this was not going to be a vintage HFFC performance, as our midfield passing game began to go awry. Credit for this must be given to the home side, who chased every lost cause with a gusto that illustrated clearly where we were going wrong, our own attacking play becoming more ponderous as the game wore on. In the 34th minute, we gifted the Harehills team an equaliser, as a dodgy backpass was intercepted and slammed into the net, but by then it was hard to judge where the advantage lay, so complete was the turnround in the balance of play.

  However, we opened the second period playing some good football, and only 5 minutes after the restart Andy B's cunning left-wing corner found its way across the 6-yard area evading attackers and defenders alike, the unmarked Richard Horton on hand beyond the far post to head us back into the lead. Yet any suggestion that the game was over was quickly dispelled, as 10 minutes later we were forced to commit our first sub, Mark Duce (a worthy replacement to put it mildly) taking over from the injured Lee Monaghan in midfield. But calamitously we chose to make the change while we were defending a corner, and, when the home side won the first header for a second striker to hit home a rather inspired overhead kick for another equaliser, we were left with a few defenders looking at each other. The latter stages of normal time were fairly even in terms of possession. While we always looked dangerous when we had the ball, the side looked out of balance for long stages, and the worst was there to be feared. With 20 minutes left, the key reshuffle took place, and as usual the Horsforth subs more than played their part. Mark Bonner, one of the summer's crop of new players of whom we haven't yet seen the best, took over in central midfield, Ducey dropping into a back four which was now an orthodox line-up of Baz, Sedge, Ducey and Rich Hudson, Joel moving into midfield, then Sam Goodall was introduced to give the attack a bit more zip. I'd love to report that this reorganisation did the trick, but the fact remains it didn't. As the clock wore down to 90 minutes, both teams had chances to win the game in normal time, and our increasing frustration with the home side's methods and exasperation with the referee left us looking vulnerable to a sucker punch, which mercifully never arrived.

  Extra time, always a tricky one to call, as the team that dominates the first 90 minutes rarely has it their own way for 120. If there was a stage of the game where we got it right, it was the first extra period, as our fitness and the effect of the positive substitutions began to take their toll against a Harehills side now visibly tiring. Just before the break, Joel knocked down Sam's corner for Rich Hudson to find the net, and from here on the game was ours to lose.

  We did our best of course. A foul on Joel inside the box led to a chance for Richard Horton from the penalty spot, but the keeper saved the kick rather splendidly, and from then on the crucial fourth goal never looked like arriving. There had been an edge to the game right from the start, and the ill-feeling between the sides spilled over during the last 15 minutes. Finally, inevitably, Sam was head-butted by an opponent who had been fouling with impunity from the first whistle, and, far too late, the referee produced the red card. That more or less ended any realistic hope the home team might have had of getting a result, but it was a sickening act of violence, which could easily have led to very serious injury, and the fact that it was perpetrated by a player who had more than given the referee just cause to dismiss him on several previous occasions makes it even more disgraceful. Still, nothing succeeds in galvanising this Horsforth team more than trying to bully us out of it, and the 10-man Harehills side never looked likely to make an impression on what was now a solid and more or less impregnable HFFC defence, and the game ended with us looking by some way the more accomplished football team.

  On a day when, after 28 years of entering the competition, Horsforth qualified for the Semi-Finals of the District Cup for the first time, I'd like to end, perhaps rather unconventionally, by paying tribute to Mark Bonner. Having been around the club all summer and all autumn, but been restricted to a handful of brief sub appearances (thanks of course mainly to the form of Lee Monaghan and Richard Horton), it was gratifying in the extreme to see one who has worked so hard for so long to make the breakthrough, finally getting an extended chance and taking it today. With players of this calibre still battling to get into the side, the future cannot be anything other than promising.

  Other games: Chapeltown Brazil v Leeds City Rovers; Pudsey 2005 v Rothwell Town; and Hyde Park Power v Armley White Lion or Leeds City Adelers - all postponed.

  For more details, please click here and select 'Cup Competitions' then 'Sunday District Cup'.

  Wharfedale FA Sunday Cup Quarter-Finals: Angel Baildon v Rancell United postponed; Baildon Trinity Athletic v Horsforth Rangers postponed; Idle United 1, Clothiers 2; Shipley Town v Hawkhill postponed.

  League games: Rawdon v Baildon New Inn; Yeadon Westfield v Horsforth St Margarets both postponed.

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Sunday 6th January 2008 (Wharfedale Triangle League Premier Division):

Horsforth Fairweather 0

Crossflatts 5

Team: Hunt - Armstrong, Sedgwick, Duce, Hudson - Martin, Horton, Monaghan, Hinkins - Parker, A.Bell. Subs: Newsome, S.Goodall, Merifield; unused subs: Bowler, Ferguson. Cautioned: Armstrong (unsporting behaviour), Parker (dissent), Duce (unsporting behaviour).

  The team news this week was generally positive. Other than the absence of Joel, just about all key members of the squad were available, and this was a fairly conservative selection from stand-in manager Phil Ridsdale. Mark Duce returned to the defence, Jamie Martin started on the right of midfield, and Simon Parker and Anthony Bell got the nod up front.

  From the start it was clear this was not going to be a vintage HFFC performance, though it took a while before it became apparent just how poor it would be. Only three minutes into the game, we gave away the ball from our own throw-in deep inside our own half, and duly went a goal down. The response was a classic example of how not to turn a game around, as first Barry Armstrong, of all people, went in over the top with an x-certificate tackle that could easily have earned him a worse fate than the yellow card he was shown, then Parker, already cautioned for dissent, rashly dived in for a challenge that on another day could have left us with nine players on the field. All over the place defensively and uninspired in attack, it was difficult at this point to predict any result other than an emphatic away win. Yet, slowly we began to carve out a foothold in the game, and had we got to half-time just the one goal in arrears it might have been a different game. As the possession in midfield swung back towards equality, we enjoyed our only decent spell in the match, but it all went wrong again on the half-hour mark as a vanilla flavoured ball over the defence was miscontrolled, making a chance for the visitors out of nothing, and changing ends two down against a side of Crossflatts's pedigree is never cause for optimism.

  A brief surge from ourselves at the start of the second period apart, the game was more or less over as a contest. Twelve minutes into the half, the away side went three up, and four minutes later a swirling cross from the left drifted in rather embarrassingly and we were staring a rout in the face. Riggsy responded by throwing on John Newsome in the attack and Sam Goodall down the left, but damage limitation was all we had to play for now, though I'm pleased to report that we did at least play with a bit of pride for the last half hour or so. Andy Merifield also joined the attack late on, and perhaps against lesser opposition might have turned the tide our way. As it was, we held on to the hope of sneaking a goal or two back and maybe something like respectability as the away side perhaps wilted under the strain of our traditional 14-man game, or maybe even just lost interest, but they fought hard for the clean sheet too. And they added insult to injury in the final minute of the game, swirling in a deep, deep cross from a throw-in, again the sort of cross we should have been dealing with, but somehow we contrived to make a mess of it and 5-0 the game ended.

  Two things to be said. Firstly, fair play to Crossflatts, on this showing they are by far the best side we've played this season, fitter, sharper, better organised, better disciplined and in every sense of the word just plain better than us. They will beat many good sides, and by more than five.

  But secondly - and it's a big but... We must all know we let ourselves down today, big time. There had been talk in recent months of how much we'd improved over the last year or so, and the fact that we'd have gone top of the table had we won today shows you just how far we thought we had come. Well, one game doesn't turn this side of ours into a bad team, and I hope it won't result in too much weeping and wailing. The path from where we were to where we want to be is a long one, and maybe we needed an occasional reminder that nothing ever comes easy in football. I hope we come to think of this game as a setback, a disappointment, a collective failure to reach the standards we'd set for ourselves, but not as quite so close to the end of the world as it seemed this morning. In my opinion, we truly have come a long way in the last 12 or 18 months, and today's events were just a reminder of how far we still have to go, not a cue to give up the struggle.

  Other league games: Baildon New Inn 1, Shipley Town 3; Horsforth St Margarets 1, Rawdon 1; Yeadon Westfield 2, Horsforth Rangers 3.

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Sunday 13th January 2008 (Wharfedale Triangle League Premier Division):

Rawdon 1

Horsforth Fairweather 0

Team: P.Ridsdale - Armstrong, Sedgwick, Duce, Banoub - Bonner, Horton, Monaghan, Hudson - Parker, Merifield. Subs: Martin, Newsome, S.Goodall; unused subs: Bowler, Ferguson.

  Another Sunday without any points on the board, and we've still to score our first goal of 2008, but in every other respect a far better showing than last week's debacle.

  In the absence of James Hunt, deposed stand-in Manager Phil Ridsdale was shoved between the sticks, and as always acquitted himself superbly. Simon Banoub returned at left-back, with regular incumbent Richard Hudson moved forward into midfield to cover for Simon Hinkins's absence due to illness. Mark Bonner had his first start ever on the right of the midfield, due to Jamie Martin's injuries, and Andy Merifield replaced the unavailable Anthony Bell in attack.

  After a very uncertain start, Horsforth settled down to play some decent football against a side who, though having a poor season by their standards, are surely still counted amongst the best that Sunday football has to offer in this area. It was a tight first period, with few chances and a lot of intelligent football from both sides, and we counted ourselves a shade unfortunate to change ends a goal down, as centre-forward Stuart Clark held the ball up expertly for Scott Norton to run through and score from close range. We felt we had an astonishing goal of our own when Simon Parker's extraordinary effort from immense distance looped over the Rawdon goalkeeper and came back off the bar (and surely bounced over the line?) but the referee didn't give it, and in fairness the home side were asking exactly the same question at our end just one minute later.

  The second half was also fine entertainment, as both sides sought to open the game up with inspired midfield play, but equally both defences were on form and well-organised, to say nothing of there being two superb goalkeepers on the pitch. Horsforth, sound at the back and positive in midfield, just lacked the bit of cutting edge up front that might have given us an equaliser against lesser opposition, but for me we were always relying on the home side making a mistake today to get us back into the game, and that just didn't happen. Jamie Martin was asked to play through the pain barrier for half an hour, but Yours Truly the stand-in stand-in Manager resisted the temptation to call on the cavalry from the bench for a long while, believing as I did we held the initiative for much of the latter stages of the game, and the arrival of John Newsome and Sam Goodall was a bit belated I must admit, though even in the last 10 minutes or so we might have turned the game around. Well, sadly we didn't, and the game ended 1-0 to the home side, the fourth game in a row we've failed to score against Rawdon - albeit the narrowest defeat over that period.

  I won't labour the point today but .... this was a far more praiseworthy display than last week, the defence and midfield in particular having improved out of all recognition. As for the title race, Crossflatts are of course flying at the moment (just look at their result today against Shipley), but, over the course of a long season, Rawdon's eternal consistency might always prove decisive. We'll see about that in due course, but either would make more than worthy champions. Horsforth, having now played all of the Big Three clubs twice, can take some satisfaction from a fair return against the top trio, and hopefully move on from - and learn from - the mid-season wobble that has cost us any chance of breaking into the elite, for this season at least. A day's work we can be fairly pleased with, but still plenty of room for improvement.

  Other league games: Horsforth St Margarets 2, Yeadon Westfield 3; Shipley Town 0, Crossflatts 4.

  PC Sports League Cup Quarter-Final: Horsforth Town 4, Horsforth Rangers 3 AET. Winners play Shipley Town in Semi-Final, March 2nd.

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Sunday 20th January 2008 (Wharfedale Triangle League Premier Division):

  League games: Crossflatts v Horsforth St Margarets; Yeadon Westfield v Rawdon - as best I can tell, both games postponed.

  Wharfedale FA Sunday Cup Quarter-Finals: Angel Baildon v Rancell United; Baildon Trinity Athletic v Horsforth Rangers; Shipley Town 5, Hawkhill 1. Clothiers already through to Semi-Final.

Sunday 27th January 2008 (Wharfedale Triangle League Premier Division):

  Horsforth Fairweather v Baildon New Inn postponed. All games on pitches in Leeds Council area called off due to the weather.

  Other league games: Crossflatts 6, Yeadon Westfield 0; Horsforth Rangers v Rawdon postponed; Shipley Town 4, Horsforth St Margarets 3.

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Sunday 3rd February 2008 (Wharfedale Triangle League Premier Division):

Yeadon Westfield 2

Horsforth Fairweather 3

Team: Hunt - Armstrong, Sedgwick, Duce, Hudson - Martin, Horton, Monaghan, Hinkins - Parker, Newsome. Subs: Bednarek, Merifield, Bonner; unused subs: Banoub, Ferguson.

  No one thought this was going to be an easy game, and the pessimists were not proved wrong. Following an enforced three-week layoff, Horsforth faced up to a side who regularly take points off us, and on just about our least-favourite pitch in the league. Still, as they say, hey ho.

  Richard Hudson was moved to left-back, with Simon Hinkins taking over on the left of midfield, and Jamie Martin was also back in the side down the right. John Newsome was given the nod in attack alongside Simon Parker. James Hunt was in goal again.

  This team was evidently selected on the basis that the match would be a scrap in midfield and would not be one for our passing game. However, the first half saw Horsforth trying to play a bit too much football at times, and though we made slightly the better chances they all went begging. So I guess we only had ourselves to blame when five minutes before the break Westfield's Steve Sutherland struck home a well-taken free kick from just outside our penalty area. A cheaply conceded set piece, but one that might have cost us dear.

  The second half saw a lot more goalmouth action than the rather drab first period. Fifteen minutes in, our increasing control of midfield paid dividends when Richard Horton found the key pass through the home defence for Simon Parker to equalise. Horsforth brought Mark Bednarek on to try and capitalise on our new-found impetus, but the scriptwriters' strike hadn't spread to Yeadon, and this game still had a couple of twists before it went our way. With 20 minutes left, and Horsforth seeming to briefly run out of steam, a mix-up at a corner left Sutherland with yet another goal to add to the 500 or so he's scored against us. From this point, however, the game swung back our way again. Five minutes later, Lee Monaghan scored from a superb free-kick, from a very similar position to that from where the home side had drawn first blood. By this stage, Horsforth were playing the more measured football, though against Westfield you could never afford to relax, not least when the now sadly former HFFC winger Adolph Masocha came on to augment their attack. There were chances at both ends, as there invariably are when a game opens up in its latter stages, but the result turned on a penalty in the last five minutes, as the home goalie pulled Parker down when clear on goal and Lee Mon seized the points from the spot. Not the greatest way to settle a game that had been about as good as it could have been given the conditions, but in all fairness Parker would surely have scored had he not been brought down.

  A result we needed, from a performance that had left a bit to be desired at times.

  Other league games: Baildon New Inn 2, Rawdon 3; Crossflatts v Shipley Town postponed; Horsforth St Margarets 2, Horsforth Rangers 3.

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Sunday 10th February 2008 (Wharfedale Triangle League Premier Division):

Baildon New Inn 1

Horsforth Fairweather 0

Team: Hunt - Bowler, Sedgwick, Duce, Banoub - Bednarek, Horton, Monaghan, A.Bell - Newsome, Merifield. Subs: Ferguson, Bonner, M.Ridsdale; unused sub: Rayner. Cautioned: Newsome, Duce (both dissent).

  An HFFC side showing five changes from the previous week's uninspiring but effective performance went down in a closely-contested yet unimaginative game on the precipice at Baildon. With both regular full-backs unavailable, Simon Banoub was an easy call at left-back, Andy Bowler perhaps a bit more of a gamble on the right. Mark Bednarek started a game for the first time this season on the right of midfield, while Anthony Bell was selected on the left for the first time. Andy Merifield joined John Newsome in the attack.

  From the start, it seemed we were going to be the team that asked all the questions, and the first few minutes were quite encouraging. And yet, when the home side broke away and scored on just 8 minutes, they had already missed one chance from a similar situation, Horsforth perhaps paying the price for picking an attacking line-up but not dominating the play as we had expected to do. And, if the goal that turned out to be the only one of the game was a mis-hit effort, I guess the scorer would tell you they all count. The rest of the first half saw a fairly sound display from a Horsforth side that won most loose ball in midfield and attacked with great purpose, especially from the wide positions as you'd expect with Bedders and Anthony down the flanks. However, credit to the Baildon defence, they reached the interval a goal to the good, even if it seemed the balance of play had been markedly in our favour and surely the scoreline would change our way in due course.

  The second half, much against expectations, was one that saw the home side visibly growing in self-belief, and Horsforth's attacking game gradually fading away. We brought on Kevin Ferguson for a much-delayed debut in defence, then Mark Bonner in midfield with Ant resuming his normal role up front, yet still the equaliser eluded us. Baildon defended in numbers, high up the pitch, which should have been a gift to a side with our attacking options, but our attacks became more sporadic as the game wore on, and indeed the home team had at least as many chances as we did, so much so that by the end of the 90 minutes it was hard to deny they were looking the stronger side. It's always tempting to analyse a disappointing result in terms of what we did wrong, but sometimes it can be more profitable to look at a game in the light of what the opposition did right, and Baildon will be justifiably proud of their result today, while we could maybe learn something from the way they defended unceremoniously and diligently chased every loose ball at our end of the pitch. We did have moments of course - with the talent at our disposal no team on earth will stop us having chances - but too often the last pass went astray or a promising build-up would fade to nought as the ball was given away cheaply.

  In summary then, a day that reminded me a bit of certain games a couple of years ago: lots of huffing and puffing but little end product, and lots of energy expended arguing with the referee rather than getting on with the game. Days we thought were behind us. Also, nice though it was to see a sprinkling of our newer recruits on the touchline, it's hard to see how any team can make five changes every week and expect there to be any continuity. All that said though, we should still have done far better than this with the side we had out today. A bad day at the office.

  Other league games: Rawdon 3, Crossflatts 2; Shipley Town 6, Horsforth Rangers 0; Yeadon Westfield 5, Horsforth St Margarets 2.

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Sunday 17th February 2008:

  Leeds FA Sunday District Cup Cup Round 4: Hyde Park v Leeds City Adelers postponed. Not sure what happened to Armley White Lion / New Inn or whatever, but I have it confirmed we are now only waiting for this, the outstanding Quarter-Final, and we will be at home to the winners.

  Wharfedale FA Sunday Cup Quarter-Finals: Angel Baildon v Rancell United postponed; Baildon Trinity Athletic 3, Horsforth Rangers 1 AET. (Clothiers and Shipley Town already through to Semi-Final.)

  League games: Horsforth St Margarets 1, Baildon New Inn 0; Yeadon Westfield v Crossflatts.

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Sunday 24th February 2008 (Wharfedale Triangle League Premier Division):

Horsforth Fairweather 5

Horsforth St Margarets 4

Team: Hunt - Armstrong, Ferguson, Sedgwick, Banoub - S.Goodall, Duce, Monaghan, Hinkins - Parker, A.Bell. Subs: M.Ridsdale, Bowler, Newsome; unused subs: Merifield, Bednarek. Scorers: Duce, Parker, S.Goodall, A.Bell, Newsome. Cautioned: M.Ridsdale (unsporting behaviour).

  A home game against the Premier Division's basement team might have promised much at another time, but today's game was definitely far from plain sailing for a Fairweather side showing another five changes.

  The most significant absentee was midfield holding player Richard Horton, the problem this presented compounded by the unavailability of a couple of players who might have filled in for him. Mark Duce was switched from central defence to central midfield, allowing Kevin Ferguson his first start at centre-back. Barry Armstrong was in the side again at right-back. Sam Goodall returned on the right of midfield, Simon Hinkins on the left. Anthony Bell was moved forward to partner Simon Parker, available again in the attack.

  Starting positively enough, Fairweather made a series of early chances, but were knocked out of their rhythm by an early injury to central defender Steve Sedgwick. It was only when we took what seemed at the time a routine lead, as Ducey's shot from close range was deflected into the net, that we felt confident to make the enforced substitution, with Matt Ridsdale taking over at right-back and Baz switching to the centre. The away side seemed to sense our discomfort, and were soon back in the frame with a superb strike from a free-kick (rather harshly awarded against Kev I thought), and the first half ended honours-even. While it would be churlish to deny the Maggies lads credit for their efforts, I felt we were guilty of playing too many long balls forward without trying to pass it through the midfield in our usual manner, and in my opinion this lack of variety in our play contributed significantly to our problems.

  A couple of minutes into the second half, we were ahead again. In a game of rather too many free-kicks, we took advantage of a lapse by the young Maggies goalkeeper, carrying the ball outside the penalty area, Parker's almost effortless sidefooted goal a class above anything we'd seen before. Yet, almost immediately, the game away side struck back again, a shot following a corner being well saved by James Hunt only for the resultant loose ball to be driven into the net with our defenders a bit slow to react. On 17 minutes, it went from bad to worse, as we lost the ball a couple of times in our third of the pitch, and the well-struck shot from the inside-right position had enough power to beat James and fire Maggies into the lead. We were not long behind, however, as another well-flighted free-kick was not dealt with too cleverly by the keeper and Sam was on hand to equalise. But still the away team were not done, and as the game became even more open, we were forced to rely on a series of heroics from James to keep the scores level. With 15 minutes to go, even he couldn't stop the Maggies lads from taking the lead again, as Matty was drawn into a rash challenge and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. For a while, it looked as if we were to be on the receiving end of one of the shock results of the season, as our attackers struggled to find a way through the away team's defence. Salvation arrived just a couple of minutes from time, as Maggies' stand-in keeper ill-advisedly chose to juggle the ball when he should have put his hands on it, and Anthony dispossessed him and scored. And, in injury time, Ant did even better, knocking the ball down for late supersub John Newsome to settle the game in our favour from almost under the posts.

  Dramatic though the last-minute turnround was, it could not hide the fact that this was a thoroughly below-par performance from Fairweather. However, if we didn't win the game today through the quality of our play, still less our inspired tactics, we did at least win, and that was entirely down to the resilience and desire we showed in the latter stages of the game. Plenty of room for improvement then, but a welcome three points.

  Finally, a word for St Margarets, who have given us two very close games this season, and must have been sick at losing today after all their hard work. Today's result condemns them to bottom place of the eight teams who are left in the Premier Division, but don't forget one team dropped out before the season started and another after losing their opening games, so I sincerely hope the league will recognise their endeavours at establishing themselves in a very competitive division, and let them stay up next season.

  Other league games: Baildon New Inn 2, Yeadon Westfield 1; Rawdon 7, Horsforth Rangers 0.

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Sunday 2nd March 2008 (PC Sports League Cup Semi-Final):

Crossflatts 3

Horsforth Fairweather 0

Team: Hunt - Armstrong, Duce, Banoub - S.Goodall, Horton, Monaghan, Parker, Hinkins - Newsome, A.Bell. Subs: Merifield, Bowler, Bonner; unused subs: Rayner, M.Ridsdale. Cautioned: Banoub (persistent infringement).

  A game that promised so much, but failed to deliver. Always likely to be ruined by the wind, the game was perhaps a more equal contest than the scoreline might suggest, but it found Horsforth in need of a spark of inspiration that just never seemed to arrive.

  Last week's injury to central defensive lynchpin Steve Sedgwick was of course a major cause for concern, and the unavailability of Kevin Ferguson wasn't exactly a bonus. With only three experienced defenders to pick from, the switch to a 3-5-2 formation was perhaps inevitable, but it's a set-up that has done the trick for us in the past in important games, and I think Woody was heard to say it was on his mind anyway irrespective of who reported for duty. Barry Armstrong, Mark Duce and Simon Banoub did the honours at the back, the latter playing in his 100th game for the club. Sam Goodall and Simon Hinkins were the wing-backs, with Simon Parker dropping into midfield to augment Lee Monaghan and Richard Horton, while the match-winning sub of last week John Newsome was brought in alongside Anthony Bell up front.

  And if you were to say that's not the worst HFFC XI you've ever seen, I couldn't argue with you, but the conditions at Otley Town's windswept ground were clearly going to be the dominant factor in the game, and scoring first looked likely to be good plan. After a fairly even opening, the table-topping Crossflatts side got off the mark when they worked an attack down our right flank before the the ball found its way to the right winger, who scored from close range. Unable to play anything like their normal games, both sides did their best to adapt to the conditions, and there were chances at both ends, but the first half ended with Horsforth a goal down. Overall, I felt we coped fairly well with whatever 'Flatts threw at us in the first period, even if some of our defending involved mainly last-ditch tackles in one-on-one situations (usually from Ducey) and goalkeeping heroics from James Hunt rather than the well-organised marking that we prefer to see. John had been particularly unlucky to see a worthwhile effort come back off the bar and the goalie, and the feeling at the interval was there was still a lot left in the game for us.

  The opening few minutes of the second half were going to be important, and sadly the course of events went against us. Four minutes after the restart, James was hard-pressed to read the flight of a free-kick, and could only parry the ball out to where a Crossflatts player was standing unmarked, rough justice on the Horsforth goalie who had acquitted himself well in problematic circumstances up to that point. Two goals down with forty minutes to play should never be reason for despondency for a team like ours, but, strangely, that key moment dampened the fire for a while, and it was long time afterwards before we mounted another attack of note. The shape began to get a bit ragged, and we were forced to defend in depth for long spells to keep the deficit manageable. Of course, we can always turn to our subs to try and swing a game back our way, and the arrival of Andy Merifield seemed to reignite the passion of the team, even though we used him in the unusual role of midfielder, injury forcing us to replace the unexploded time-bomb we call Simon Parker, who had been so vital to our hopes of getting a result today. We had a few chances after that, but we always seemed to be hoping the 'Flatts defence would make a mistake, and they never looked like doing so all game. As the play became stretched, and our quest for a goal back a bit urgent, we were inevitably caught short-handed a few times in defence, and at one such moment Rich Horton was pressured into steering the ball into his own net, a third goal which I felt overstated the margin of Crossflatts's superiority.

  Traditionally, few competitions bring out the best in HFFC like the PC Sports League Cup: two wins, a Final and a couple of Semi-Finals in the nine years we've contested it. All the more frustrating then to bow out on a day when we failed to live up to our own expectations. And, if anyone tries to blame the overall lacklustre performance on the conditions, I'm sorry but it was (apologies for the cliche) The Same for Both Sides. Crossflatts are, on form, the best side in this league at the moment, and it seems inevitable they'll end this season with silverware to show for their efforts. They were better than us today, they adjusted their game-plan rather astutely in the light of the conditions and they always seemed to have options in possession whereas we too often were reduced to playing percentage balls when the odds were stacked against us. If you want to win things in football, you don't necessarily have to play at your best on Sundays like this, but you have to get results on such days, when trophies are not won but can be lost, and, credit to the Crossflatts lads, that's exactly what they did. However, we keep telling the world we're not a bad side either, we still claim to be trying to break into the so-called Big Three in this league, so days like this have to be regarded as a setback. By no means a disaster then - perhaps it would not be remiss to recall the commendable performances we turned in to get us to this stage of the competition - but we are a club with ambition. So to be satisfied with the way we played today would be self-delusion: to blame it on the conditions would be downright dishonest.

  Other Semi-Final: Shipley Town 2, Horsforth Town 1.

  League game: Rawdon 7, Baildon New Inn 1.

  Leeds FA Sunday District Cup Round 3: Armley New Inn 3, Leeds City Adelers 2.

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Sunday 9th March 2008 (Wharfedale Triangle League Premier Division):

  League games: Horsforth Rangers 2, Rawdon 4; Shipley Town 2, Yeadon Westfield 1.

  Wharfedale FA Sunday Cup Quarter-Finals: Angel Baildon 1, Rancell United 5. Winners play Clothiers in the Semi-Final.

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Sunday 16th March 2008 (Wharfedale Triangle League Premier Division):

Horsforth Fairweather 4

Horsforth Rangers 0

Team: P.Ridsdale - Martin, Ferguson, Armstrong, Banoub - Rayner, Horton, Monaghan, Hinkins - Parker, A.Bell. Subs: S.Goodall, Merifield, Newsome; unused subs: Bonner, M.Ridsdale. Scorers: A.Bell 2, Parker 2. Cautioned: Banoub (delaying restart).

  The Horsforth derby is always a keenly-anticipated contest, and this time Fairweather were looking to give new impetus to a season that had been knocked a bit off course by the disappointing showing in the League Cup Semi-Final. Inevitably, there were problems: Mark Duce was suspended after reaching five cautions for the season, while his regular partner in central defence Steve Sedgwick was not available either, and goalie James Hunt also absent. So Phil Ridsdale stepped up to fill the keeper's jersey, while Baz Armstrong was moved into the middle of the back four, Kevin Ferguson getting another start alongside him. Jamie Martin was drafted in at right-back. Perhaps the most welcome change, however, was the inclusion for the first time of Marc Rayner in midfield, always gratifying to note when a lad who has shone in training makes it into the side, and his sound performance on his debut more than repaid the Manager's faith in him. Anthony Bell and Simon Parker were the chosen strikers.

  It took us only seven minutes to forge ahead, as Marc intercepted the ball in midfield and fed Ant, whose purposeful run at goal ended in a shot of some venom which the goalie never looked like saving. For the rest of the first half, however, the away side gave as good as they got in midfield, and carved out more than a few decent chances, as Fairweather were forced to rely on a defence that looked to creak at the seams at times yet always just about got the job done, and especially stand-in keeper Riggsy, who showed his characteristic commanding presence under pressure. Getting to the interval one goal in front would have been more than welcome, but we doubled our advantage five minutes before the break as Simon Hinkins won the ball down the left wing and played in Simon Parker, who bore down ruthlessly on goal and finished with the coolness that we have come to regard as his trademark. Two great goals, but better was to follow.

  Harsh though the half-time scoreline was on a visiting side who had shown at least as much as an attacking force as had we, the second half was a very different affair, and with 14 minutes gone, the game was over as a contest when Anthony's sheer perseverance caused him to intercept a dodgy back-pass to the Rangers keeper, and, though the first effort was blocked, Ant was alert enough to get to the loose ball and, falling backwards, steered the ball into the vacant net. Maybe this goal won't be the best-remembered of the day, but it was the key moment of the game, and a great testament both to Ant's skill and to his commitment to the cause. However, the best was yet to come from Fairweather, as ten minutes later, following a throw-in, Mr Parker let go a shot from way out on the left wing and beat the away keeper all ends up from about 30 yards out. From this point on, it was really just about playing out time, and if the use of the substitutes was a bit belated, I'm sure that says more about the Manager's appreciation for the job the starting XI had done than any lack of confidence in the available replacements.

  The result of this game, which confirms HFFC will finish no lower than fourth place in the table (and hopefully there is still a chance to do even better), needs to be seen for what it was: not just a win brought about by great finishing by a couple of in-form strikers - though some of the goals we scored were indeed exceptional - but the reward for an all-round team performance, with defenders and goalkeeper equally worthy of praise for the dogged way they kept Rangers out during a tricky first half. A day when everyone who wore the green shirt should feel proud.

  Other league games: Crossflatts 9, Horsforth St Margarets 1; Yeadon Westfield 0, Rawdon 3.

  Wharfedale FA Sunday Cup Semi-Finals: Angel Baildon 1, Clothiers 3; Baildon Trinity Athletic 0, Shipley Town 0 AET, Baildon won on penalties.

  Leeds FA Sunday District Cup Round 4: Hyde Park Power 5, Armley White Lion 0. We play the winners on the 6th April.

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Sunday 23rd March 2008 (Premier Division League Cup):

  Horsforth Fairweather v Yeadon Westfield postponed due to heavy snow on pitch.

  This competition has been replaced by a straight knock-out. We are now playing Rawdon away next Sunday (30th March), winner advances to Semi-Final on the 27th April.

  League game: Crossflatts 2, Shipley Town 1.

  Leeds FA Sunday District Cup Round 4: Chapeltown Brazil v Leeds City Rovers was postponed I think, now being played 6th April. Pudsey 2005 play the winners in the Semi-Final.

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Sunday 30th March 2008 (Premier Division League Cup):

Rawdon 3

Horsforth Fairweather 0

Team: P.Ridsdale - Armstrong, Ferguson, Duce, Banoub - S.Goodall, Martin, Monaghan, Hinkins - Parker, A.Bell. Subs: Merifield, M.Ridsdale; unused sub: Bednarek.

  The hastily rearranged Guiseley Red Lion Premier Division League Cup (to give it its full title) found Horsforth facing the team who could well now be regarded as favourites for the title, and a side we hadn't scored against for the last four encounters. The team was at least relatively stable, with Ducey back in central defence and Baz Armstrong moving to right-back, Jamie Martin switching to midfield and Sam Goodall starting on the right wing. Well, that's pretty stable by our standards.

  You won't be surprised to hear that I thought the 3-0 scoreline flattered the league leaders, as throughout the 90 minutes we made every effort to be positive in our approach and took the game to the home team at every opportunity. Yet, as is so often the case when the teams meet, Rawdon took advantage of their chances while we didn't, and that, more or less, was the story of the entire game. Eleven minutes in, we were embarrassed when a tame effort came off the crossbar and rebounded just over the goal-line (anyone remember the league game a couple of months ago when the same thing happened at the same end when we were attacking it, but the ball was adjudged to have rebounded into play?) and on 24 minutes a deep cross from the left was caught on the swirling wind and Rawdon's Lee Parr judged the flight of the ball while all around him green-shirted defenders were caught out, and headed the home team into a two-goal lead.

  Feeling more than a bit hard done by at the break, Horsforth redoubled their efforts for the second half, and again made some decent chances that went begging. And it would be unfair not to mention that the Rawdon lads kept the game open, and created more than a few opportunities at our end, which were also missed. If we could have pulled the contest back to 2-1, I felt we would have gone on to get the result, but it also should not be forgotten we might have lost by considerably more than we did, were it not for some excellent last-ditch defending and goalkeeping. The final nail in