2 Win, 2 Lose, in Division 1 relegation rumble

Veterans League

Review of the Veterans 6-Man League fixtures played on Monday 28 August

Good wins for Longwood and Lockwood Con didn't result in any place changes at the bottom of the Division 1 table but that brings small comfort to Elland and Crosland Moor. The gap between Elland C&BC and Longwood has grown from 1 point to 4 points after Longwood beat their nearest opponents 5-2.

It is looking increasingly bleak for the Elland team as they are now 7 points from safety and have a difficult run of matches coming up. Crosland Moor has lost that 6-point cushion between them and the 2nd relegation place and it is now a miserly 2-points difference after they went down 1-6 at Milnsbridge BC. Lockwood Con took the opportunity to put some daylight between themselves and the bottom three who are all still to be played on their remaining fixture programme.

At the top of the table Skel Windmill 'A' faltered when losing 3-4 at Golcar C&BC whilst the leaders, Marsh United 'A' were giving a 7-0 hiding to Brockholes 'A' to double their lead at the top from 4 to 8 points. Shepley 'A' beat Thongsbridge 'A' 6-1 to push onwards and upwards but there is still a gap of 9 points between them and 2nd place although they have played one match less than Skel Windmill.

In Division 2 a 6-1 home win for the leaders, Slaithwaite, over 2nd placed Lindley Lib 'A' gives them a 16-point lead after a 13-match winning run which is surely too much for any team to catch. Should that defeat rock the Lindley Lib 'A' team sufficiently to affect their form then the club's 'B' team and Paddock I&C are poised to move in on them. Both are 6 points behind them with 4 matches left to be played.

A 6-1 away win for Almondbury Lib at Denby Dale considerably eased their plight and they are now 2 places but 15 points clear of the bottom two. It increasingly looks like any 2 from 3 at the foot of the table with only Skel Windmill 'B' winning from the bottom three as they thrashed Holmfirth 'A' 6-1 to end a run of 5 straight defeats.

In Division 3 New Mill clocked up a 7th straight win when whitewashing Holmfirth 'B' 7-0 and that makes it two 7-0 wins on the bounce. That didn't make any inroads into Marsh Lib's six-points lead as they also won 7-0 this time against Primrose Hill Lib but the Millers do have a game in hand which they play on Friday with a trip to meet Thongsbridge 'C'. Then on Monday the top two teams play each other which will obviously have a huge impact on the title race.

Greenhead Park remains in the picture after a 5-2 home win over Meltham and crowding together behind them are Thongsbridge 'B' (beat Shepley 'B' 6-1), Hemplow (who won 4-3 at Brockholes 'B') and Marsh United 'B' who were without a match this week. Those three are separated by just one point but it is difficult to imagine any scenario that could include any of the three featuring in the promotion race at this late stage of the season.