Berry Brow won the Barlow Cup beating the newly crowned Premier Division Champions Linthwaite Athletic 4-3 in a thrilling contest.

After a bruising first twenty minutes when each team fought for every ball, Linthwaite took the lead with a well worked goal finished off by Max Morley from close range. Minutes later a similar move saw them go 2 up with Max Morley on target again.

Man of the match Lawal Lawal reduced the deficit shortly before half time when he flicked the ball past the Linthwaite goalkeeper Cameron Field at the edge of the penalty area and steered the ball into an empty net.

The second half started slowly with more strong challenges from both sides and every ball fought for. Berry Brow equalised with an own goal following a goal mouth scramble. Ernest Boafo put Linthwaite back in the lead with a brilliant free kick from outside of the box which he steered around the defensive wall and into the bottom corner of the net.

As the second half progressed the action went from end to end and both defences became stretched with numerous last-ditch tackles. Berry Brow equalised when from a quick counterattack they got a corner. The corner wasn’t cleared and fell to a Brow player who tried to burst in to the penalty area before being brought down. Lawal Lawal stepped up to take the penalty which he struck low and hard. Cameron Field parried the ball away and after the ball pinged around the six-yard box Daniel Facey forced the ball home. After another quick break again involving Lawal Lawal who cut the ball back from the by line and Facey was on hand the give Brow the lead. Despite Linthwaite’s efforts to equalise the Brow held on for the win.

Saddleworth United are the Division 1 Champions following Moorside’s 1-1 draw with Honley as they were the only team that could catch them. Moorside could still join their neighbours in the Premier Division next season should they win their last game of the season at Skelmanthorpe. Jack Woods topped the League’s scoring chart with a hattrick in Skelmanthorpe’s 8-1 win over Lepton Highlanders with Lewis Haigh also scoring three. Woods totalled 42 goals for the season with a game still to play.

The Division 2 title is yet to be decided with Berry Brow Reserves still the favourite leading the division with games to play. Should AFC Volunteers in second place slip up in their last game of the season then the title will go to Berry Brow.

In the Huddersfield FA Challenge Cup semi-final Slaithwaite United sprang a major surprise beating neighbours and favourites Linthwaite Athletic 9-8 on penalties after a 2-2 draw. Ashley Beardsall and James Edwards scoring the goals for Slawit. The Huddersfield FA Challenge Cup final between Berry Brow and Slaithwaite United will be played at the Stafflex Arena, home of Shelley on May 15th, kick-off 7pm.

District League Report May 8th. - Download / Open