ANTHONY Posa is a much happier man this week.

Not only have his Bradford & Bingley side notched their first win, but their drills and structures from training are paying off.

After a 34-19 home victory over West Leeds last week in North One East, the Bees’ coach said: “We have been improving every game and we are getting there.

“The first 30 minutes we played well and you can see that the things that we have been working on in training are paying off, but we are not so far down the road that we can take a week off.”

Ironically, the Bees face the same opponents tomorrow in the first round of the Yorkshire Cup – this time at Blue Hill Lane.

Posa added: “We will probably give a chance to Mat Cochrane, who is back from injury, Max Mountain and Jan Vlasic.”

In the Yorkshire Shield first round, Bradford Salem should have been at home to Guisborough, but the north-easterners have cried off.

“They have a habit of doing this,” said Salem’s chairman Neil Klenk, “and they sowed the seeds on Wednesday night by contacting us to say that they were struggling for a front row and were having a committee meeting, before confirming their withdrawal yesterday morning.

“The irony is that we have been working really hard to get temporary changing accommodation ready as we had two senior teams at home tomorrow but the second team haven’t got a game now either because Huddersfield have cried off as well.

“We need the extra space as we not only have a women’s team but under-15 and under-13 girls’ teams.”

Keighley have a first-round bye.

Old Grovians are already out of the Yorkshire Silver Trophy as their Yorkshire Division Two league match at Barnsley two weekends ago, which they lost 51-15, counted as a double-header.

Old Otliensians have a bye, but Baildon will be in Yorkshire Vase action at home to Knaresborough.

Wibsey, like Bradford & Bingley, are facing opposition that they have already played in the league.

Halifax were beaten 57-0 at Northfield Road on the opening day of the Yorkshire Division Four North West season, but this time the match is at Ovenden Park.

Steve Brooke, chairman of Wibsey, said: “We fancy a run in the Vase this year as it is the road to Twickenham.

“We are missing a couple of players due to work, but should still have enough to win as Halifax are young and a bit raw.”