Carleton, from Division One of the Craven League, claimed the major shock of the Northern Plant Hire Cup series last weekend when they came away from Silentnight Premiership leaders Colne CC with a 4-2 victory and a place in Round Three.

Conditions across the district were difficult, with pitches very heavy to start with and in many cases deteriorating sharply.

Carleton's ability to adapt to the going proved a crucial advantage, although their ability to hit back from an early goal by Dave Swarbrick was another important factor.

Credit for that goes to striker Alan Bradley, who levelled with a good, low shot into the bottom corner. Five minutes later, Paul Coleman put Carleton ahead and a second from Bradley before the break gave them a 3-1 cushion.

Colne had a chance to cut the deficit with a penalty, only for James Preston to pull out a top-class save and with 15 minutes remaining, Mark Osadzenko made it 4-1.

The home side managed a goal direct from a corner by Colin Varley, but that completed the scoring.

Any thoughts Lothersdale Athletic from Division Two had of upsetting the form book ended when they were beaten 4-0 at home by Clitheroe United, who are currently second in the Premier section.

The home side started brightly, but the superior fitness and dominance of the visitors quickly gave them the upper hand.

Two goals each by Steven Newton and Justin Waterhouse gave the visitors a 4-0 lead at half-time and while there were no further goals, the visitors always looked to have plenty in hand.

In a lively tussle on a heavy pitch at Hellifield Sports, Division One Embsay came from behind to win an interesting game 4-3.

Despite the scoreline, this was a game in which goal-keepers Steven Dugdale for Hellifield and Christopher Beck for the visitors carried off the Man of the Match awards with some fine work.

Embsay took an early lead from a corner when Mathew Reynolds scored, but good work by Mark Webb and Scott Hardacre set up the position for the ever-dangerous Chris Woods to level matters.

Good work by Dugdale denied Embsay during a period of pressure, but Laurens Vlarr eventually nudged the visitors ahead.

The last ten minutes of the half, however, saw Hellifield draw level with a second Woods goal and then take a 3-2 interval lead when David Forster struck.

By the second-half, the pitch had turned into a quagmire and the game had become something of a lottery, Embsay drawing level with a Lee Hartley strike and then claimed the win with a late second goal from Vlarr.

The dismissal of Dean Kelly proved to be too much of a handicap for Bronte Wanderers at Barnoldwick United, where the home side triumphed 3-2.

An evenly balanced game seemed likely as Stephen O'Shea opened for the home side after an Alan Sayle free-kick hit the post and then Chris Smith levelled with a fine shot.

Despite the departure of Kelly, Bronte were still level at 1-1 at the break, but they fell behind when another free-kick from Sayle struck defender Stuart Nicholson and deflected into the net.

Even then depleted Wanderers stuck to the task and got back on terms with a goal by Adam Krajnyk. United, however, had the last word when more good work by O'Shea set up John Cooper and he supplied the winning goal to take United into Round Three.

In the Skipton Building Society Norman Pratt Trophy, a more experienced Rolls-Royce Reserves proved too strong for a youthful Skipton LMS Reserves and ran out 5-1 winners.