Yorkshire Amateur League: Frustrations fail to derail Stanley

Albert Mandande, right of Rodillian, and Dave Whiteman, of Woodhouse Moor Methodists, during Saturday's Yorkshire Amateur League Division 4 encounter. PIC: Steve Riding

Stanley United stayed in touch at the top of the Premier Division with a 4-0 defeat of Farnley Sports despite a frustrating fortnight without training facilities.

The Rothwell-based outfit, who transferred from the West Yorkshire League for this season, continue to enjoy a great campaign and boast the only unbeaten record in the top flight.

Despite not being able to train for two weeks before the fixture, they marked their first outing of the new year with a comprehensive win at New Farnley CC.

“It was a really good performance as we weren’t expecting much from it,” club secretary Andrew Eaton commented.

“In previous years the local school have opened up their Astroturf for us over the holidays but they haven’t been able to this year.

“We don’t have floodlights where we play so we had a fortnight off.

“We were wondering whether we’d be fit enough, in the end we did okay.

“Farnley have had a few indifferent results but were only getting beaten by the odd goal so we were expecting a really tough game. It turned out pretty comfortable in the end.”

Youngster Josh Whiteley was the hero with a hat-trick, including a penalty, with Stephen Bettley also finding the target.

Farnley, under Scott Horner, are still going strong in the Marflitt Trophy and Old Boys Shield but have now lost their last three games in the league.

St Nicholas pulled off one of the shocks of the season by breaching fortress Weetwood and inflicting a rare home defeat on Leeds Medics.