Football: Bardsey just a point away from title glory
BARDSEY need just a point to clinch the West Yorkshire League Premier Division title tomorrow, as they travel to Whitkirk Wanderers (2.30pm).
But if they do lose in the league for just the fourth time this season, the pressure will start to mount ahead of their last match of the campaign - Wednesday's game at home to title rivals Knaresborough Town, who sit 18 points behind with four games in hand (6.30pm).
To catch Bardsey, Knaresborough would have to win all six remaining games - including the midweek showdown - and recover a goal difference deficit of 19.
Bardsey boss Martin Bradley said: "We're not taking anything for granted, we know there's still a lot of hard work to do.
"But at the same time there's no need for us to be nervous.
"We have only been beaten three times this year, so we just have to keep it up and get the point we need."
Bardsey came from 3-1 down on Saturday to edge out Pool 4-3, thanks to an extraordinary Robert Dickinson hat-trick in the last 15 minutes. Michael Toney got their other goal.
Both scorers also found the net on Monday, as Bardsey "absolutely destroyed" Ossett Common Rovers, according to Bradley.
Dickinson finished with four goals, with Matt Carry grabbing three and Toney scoring the other.
Bradley's men visit Whitkirk tomorrow (2.30pm), then host Knaresborough on Wednesday (6.30pm).
"We don't want to go to Knaresborough needing a result - they are doing to teams what we are doing to teams," Bradley said.
"We want to go into that game as champions.
"We just have to do the business this weekend and then we can enjoy Saturday night."
WETHERBY ATHLETIC manager Eugene Lacy criticised his players after defeat at Division One strugglers Wyke Wanderers on Saturday.
Athletic lost 3-2, with Lacy saying afterwards his team have had too many off days this season.
"I would like to say it was just one of those games, but we have one of those games too many times this season and that's not good enough," he said.
Lacy saw his players twice come from behind through Denis Metcalf and Tom Gorringe, but said the team had been lacklustre now they are virtually assured of third spot.
The manager gave his players a dressing down at full-time, but was heartened when they responded in heated fashion, criticising themselves and one another.
"I thought when they were leaving the pitch that they weren't bothered that they had lost to a team at the bottom of the league, but when I saw their reaction in the changing room, I thought: 'Maybe they are'," he said.
Now he is calling on his players to bounce back as they visit bottom-of-the-league Howden Clough tomorrow (2.30pm), saying it a must-win game.
SHERBURN WHITE ROSE won 4-1 at Leeds City in the Premier Division on Saturday, thanks to goals from Richard Booth (2), John Potter and James Lancashire.
They were set to take on Beeston St Anthony's at Wakefield FC in the final of the League Cup last night.
Fifth-placed Sherburn host Ossett Common Rovers tomorrow (2.30pm), then travel to Whitkirk Wanderers on Wednesday (6.30pm).
BOSTON SPARTANS conceded nine at home to Leeds Gryphons in their last game of the season, finishing the campaign third from bottom.
Chris Plews (2) and Andrew Maxted scored for Spartans, but it wasn't enough to take anything from the match, as they lost 9-3.
rick.burin@ypn.co.uk
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Weather for Wetherby
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: East
