Season review: Sinking feeling for inconsistent Campion (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Season review: Sinking feeling for inconsistent Campion

5:54pm Tuesday 22nd May 2012 in County Am By Philip Rhodes

Consistency throughout the season brings deserved rewards, and while West Riding County Amateur League Premier Division outfit Campion were among the early pacesetters, they fell away sharply to finish in the lower half of the table.

They began with five wins and two draws, which included a 1-0 win at the eventual champions Ovenden West Riding.

But defeats against clubs they would normally be expected to beat led to their eventual downfall.

Tyersal also flirted with the top of the table after putting together a run of eight wins before a trip to Ovenden and a 6-3 defeat realistically ended their title hopes.

But third-placed Tyersal did what no other team had done for over three seasons when they completed a league double over Bay Athletic.

Wibsey slumped to seven successive defeats before they managed to pick up any points.

They ended the season rock bottom with only five wins from their 26 games.

Keighley-based Steeton finished a creditable sixth, two places higher than last season. Ovenden proved worthy champions with only three defeats all season, finishing nine points clear of Kirkburton and 11 in front of reigning champions Bay Athletic.

They also completed the League and Cup double with a 3-2 win over Bay Athletic in the final at Overthorpe.

Salts claimed the runners-up spot in Division One and, subject to a satisfactory inspection of their changing facilities, will return to the top flight after an absence of 15 seasons.

They will be joined by runaway champions Lepton Highlanders, who completed the 26-match season unbeaten. They also completed the double when they accounted for Tingley Athletic 4-1 in the League Cup final.

At the foot of the table, Halifax Irish and Dudley Hill Rangers finished in the bottom two.

Division Two kicked off without Eastmoor and Long Lee, who pulled out of the league after the fixtures had been formulated.

To add to the complications, Marsden withdrew their Reserves at the end of November to leave only ten teams in the division. Campion clinched the title after beating West Horton 4-0 in their final game of the season. Albion Sports had led the way for over half of the season. Ovenden West Riding Reserves lifted the cup for Divisions Two and Three with a 4-3 win over Albion Sports.

With only seven teams in Division Three, and each team playing each other three times, Littletown ended up unbeaten with a terrific record of 13 wins and five draws.

The League’s clubs had success in outside cup competitions, with Bay Athletic – representing the West Riding County FA – winning the Association of Northern Counties Senior Cup with a 1-0 success over Ashville FC from the Cheshire League. Bay also beat Lepton High-landers 1-0 to lift the Hudd-ersfield FA Challenge Cup for the third straight season.

Campion picked up the Bradford FA Challenge Cup with a narrow 2-1 win over Salts.

Littletown, who struggled in the Premier Division, claimed the Heavy Woollen FA Challenge Cup with a 2-0 win after extra-time over Wyke Wanderers and Ovenden West Riding completed a memorable season by adding the Halifax FA Albert Crabtree Challenge Cup to their trophy cabinet after a 2-1 win over Brighouse Town.