A BLISTERING opening half an hour gave home side Eccleshill United total control of their derby in the top tier of the Toolstation Northern Counties East League against near neighbours Albion Sports.

The quality of dead ball delivery from the Eagles’ former Guiseley and Bradford (Park Avenue) forward Nicky Boshell proved to be the difference between the sides in what proved to be a comfortable 3-0 home win.

Lee Elam’s Eagles broke the deadlock in the 10th minute when Eli Hey guided a header past the Lions’ keeper Matt Smith. That was from a Boshell free-kick and another superb delivery was headed down for Kesi Omolokun, one of four former Lions in the Eccleshill starting XI, to slot in.

Boshell claimed the third himself from the penalty spot just before the half-hour mark, the Lions were reduced to 10 men after a defender had handled a goal-bound shot.

Promotion-chasing Liversedge had their progress checked as they were held to a 3-3 draw at basement side Athersley Recreation.

The home side took an 18th-minute lead through Kaine Swinburn but Sedge went into the break on level terms after Billy Mole netted late in the first half. The Rec were back in front 10 minutes after the interval as Swinburn bagged his brace but the visitors came back again.

Sedge skipper Tom Jackson equalised just after the hour mark and 10 minutes later Oliver Fearon put them ahead for the first time in the game.

The home side were not done, though, and Jack Shepperd earned them a share of the spoils with a late equaliser.

Silsden cruised to a 3-1 win at second-from-bottom Bottesford Town after going into the break two goals to the good after Liam Hudson had opened the scoring and Laurence Sorhaindo had doubled the visitors’ lead.

The Poachers hit back at the start of the second half when winger Jack Bowskin halved the deficit, but Sorhaindo added his second and Silsden’s third to stretch the Cobbydalers’ unbeaten run to seven games.

There are still two points separating 11th-placed Thackley and eighth-placed Yorkshire Amateur after the honours were even in a Bradford/Leeds derby at Dennyfield.

The Ammers had a header from corner chalked off for a push in the area, hit the bar and had a penalty saved in the goalless first half.

Thackley keeper Luke Wilson saved Matty Sykes’ 32nd minute spot-kick with a full-length dive and the rebound was cleared.

The Dennyboys’ Jack Normanton had gone close on two occasions in that first half but it took an opener from the visitors to really stir the home side into action.

Sykes curled a superb free-kick into the top corner to give the visitors a 55th minute lead, but the Dennyboys forced a number of corners and Normanton went close for a third time as they went in search on an equaliser.

It finally came inside the last 10 minutes and man of the match Normanton was not to be denied a fourth time. He controlled a long through ball and effortlessly volleyed over Ammers’ keeper Ed Wilcynswki from the edge of the area.