Toolstation Northern Counties East League Premier Division: Athersley Recreation 2 Liversedge 5

LIVERSEDGE put daylight between themselves and their two local rivals in the Toolstation Northern Counties East League Premier Division with a big victory at Athersley Recreation.

The win came as a bonus for Albion Sports and Thackley as it meant that the Rec remain immediately below Sedge’s neighbours.

Sedge, meanwhile, opened up a four-point gap over Albion and are now a further point ahead of the Dennyboys.

Oliver Dyson, the young player signed recently from Huddersfield Town’s Academy, was the hero as he plundered four goals, helping Sedge romp to victory on their return to action after suffering five consecutive postponements.

Rhys Davies netted the other Sedge goal as Jonathan Rimmington’s men bounced back from their enforced lay-off which had stretched back to the final Saturday of February.

After back-to-back postponements, Campion are looking forward to getting back into action tonight in the NCE League Cup with a fourth-round tie at Bridlington Town’s Neil Hudgell Solicitors Stadium.

More than a division separates Sedge’s top-tier rivals Brid and their Division One visitors as the Seasiders are ninth in the Premier, while James Bicknell’s black and reds are 11th in the lower tier.

The clubs have enjoyed similar league form, with Brid taking 48 points from 32 games while Campion have banked 45 from their 30 league fixtures.

Curtis Woodhouse’s side are in fine fettle though and are unbeaten since the first Saturday of last month, with their latest win coming at home to Worksop Town on Tuesday night.

Any hopes Campion had of the Seasiders taking this cup tie lightly were dispelled by the home side’s boss.

The footballer turned boxer turned football manager spoke after Tuesday’s victory, saying: “No one that played has played their way out of the side for Thursday.

“The selection for the Worksop game was made with Thursday’s game in mind and we’ve told all the lads that we’ve got to go again on Saturday so it’s going to be a case of changing the side.

“No one gets dropped and no one gets left out. We’ve got a squad of, I think 17, 16 or 18 and they all have to be available and when they get an opportunity everyone has got to stand up – hold their hand up – and say I want to be in the next game.”

Despite the fixture backlog that all of the clubs in the NCEL are faced with, Woodhouse is happy with his lot.

He added: “We’re delighted that we’ve got a really good, young squad that is hungry and I’m looking forward to working with them at the minute.”