West Yorkshire League: Three from three from a familiar-looking top three

Carlton Athletic goal scorers,
Anees Younis and Nathan Kemp. PIC: Steve Riding — Carlton Athletic goal scorers, Anees Younis and Nathan Kemp. PIC: Steve Riding

THE top of the West Yorkshire League is a familiar sight with champions Carlton Athletic, Leeds City and Beeston St Anthony's all having won their first three games.

Champions Carlton followed their opening-day 3-0 defeat of bottom-club visitors Headingley with a 5-0 cruise at third-bottom Robin Hood Athletic last Wednesday evening.

Nathan Kemp’s brace was supported by a goal each from Luke Booker, Scott Hargreaves and Anees Younis with the triumph followed by Saturday’s 3-0 success at home to Knaresborough Town whose own perfect start was ended with Boro fifth. Younis followed his midweek strike with a double, with James Law also netting after coming off the bench.

Leeds City backed up their opening-weekend 3-1 triumph at Salts with a midweek 4-1 success against visiting Headingley for whom a Mikkel Mortenson strike was in vain.

Last season’s runners up City then dished out a 3-1 beating to visiting Field on Saturday but the Leeds side are second on goal difference behind Carlton.

Beeston, who finished third last term, followed their opening-day 2-0 win at home to Rawdon Old Boys with Wednesday’s 3-2 success against visiting Horbury Town who are second bottom.

Sean Jeavons bagged a brace for Beeston for whom Stephen Crawford also struck and it was a similar story on Saturday with the same two players netting in a 2-0 triumph at fifth-bottom Huddersfield Amateur.

Last season’s Division One champions Rawdon Old Boys have bounced back from their opening-day defeat at Beeston in perfect style, firstly through a 2-1 verdict at home to fellow top-flight new boys Wyke Wanderers.

Harry Fryer and Tom McMillan both netted for Rawdon as a Louis Sterling strike proved insufficient for Wyke who are fourth bottom.

Rawdon then recorded a 2-0 win at home to Headingley on Saturday with Fryer again on target in addition to Matthew Tollefson.

Like Rawdon, Knaresborough also have six points out of nine with Saturday’s loss at Carlton preceded by a 1-0 triumph against visiting Salts last Wednesday evening in which Steve Walker bagged the only goal of the game on the hour mark.