Thornhill Lees Lees prepared for club’s biggest game

hornhill Lees players and manager leave the field after their game agaiinst West Bowling in the West Riding County FA Sunday Cup had been called off, they have not played on sunday for a month ahead of the game next week against Fforde Grene in the Carlsberg Cup (SR1002/36b) Picture Steve Riding

Lees have already seen off the challenge of Huyton outfit Paddock, top Liverpool Sunday League side The Warden and Hartlepool Athletic Rovers on their way to the last 16.

They are now plotting the downfall of the only other West Riding County side left in the competition when Leeds Combination League giants Fforde Grene visit Overthorpe Sports Club on Sunday (kick off 1pm).

Lees secretary Martin Brook said: “We have won the County Cup on two occasions but this is the furthest we have gone in the FA Sunday Cup and we are now playing at a completely different level.

“We are from the lowest ranked league left in the competition but we are representing Dewsbury and the Heavy Woollen and would love to reach the quarter-finals.”

Fforde Grene are bringing a coach load of supporters from Chapeltown for the game and Thornhill’s previous other home ties both attracted 100-plus crowds.

Lees are facing the prospect of a fixture backlog as they have not played since thrashing Hartlepool Athletic 6-0 on December 15 and are still involved in four cup competitions.

While the club’s main focus will be Sunday’s mouthwatering FA Cup tie, Lees are also still involved in the West Riding County Cup, The Heavy Woollen District FA’s Brook Butler Cup and the Heavy Woollen Challenge Cup.

Lees saw last Sunday’s County Cup fourth round tie against Bolton Woods postponed and that game has been provisionally rearranged for January 26, with Buttershaw White Star awaiting the winners in the quarter-final.

Lees are due to host Towngate in the Heavy Woollen Challenge Cup on a date to be finalised, while they have been drawn at home to AFC Morley in the quarter-finals of the Brook Butler Cup, provisionally on February 16.

n Several of the Lees players are also in the Thornhill FC squad, who play in the West Yorkshire League on Saturdays.

Thornhill are riding high at the top of Division Two and picked up a 14th success of the season last week when they won 4-2 at Garforth Rangers.

Lee Brook, Scott Hargreaves and Jamie Ingham were among the Thornhill scorers as they moved 11 points clear of Swillington Saints at the top and a further one ahead of third placed Howden Clough.