Veterans League
Review of the 10-Man League Divisions 3, 4 & 5 matches played on 22 August
The bottom four teams in Division 3 all won their matches this week to throw the relegation battle into total confusion. Leading the way was Lockwood Con 'B' who damaged Almondbury Lib's promotion chances by beating them 8-1. Then the Huddersfield Recreation Club team had a great away win at Slaithwaite by 5-4 courtesy of a 119-118 aggregate score to drag the Slaithwaite side back into the relegation quagmire. Even bottom team Meltham 'B' caught the winning bug by beating Kirkheaton C&BC 'A' 6-3 and make it four consecutive home wins. They remain 17 points off safety with only four fixtures left to play.
Skel Windmill were not to be left out of the drop zone winning quartet as they beat Paddock I&C 7-2. All that activity hasn't made a drop of difference to the running order at all but it has brought the four teams above the bottom four back into the relegation mix. Only 5 points now separate the 6 teams in 5th to 10th positions and like it or not they are all in a relegation battle. We will be looking in more depth at the battle to stay up in next week's Division 3 fixture preview.
That defeat for Almondbury Lib coupled with Golcar Lib 'B's 7-2 home win over Outlane saw the Golcar team's lead at the top extended to 11 points. Denby Dale closed the gap to the 2nd promotion place by beating Brockholes 'A' 5-4 whilst still losing the aggregate points (130-136) despite winning 5 of the 7 games.
The top-of-the-table clash in Division 4 saw Lindley Lib 'B' coming out on top when beating their closest rivals Springwood by 6-3 to open a 5 points lead with both having played the same number of matches. The two Marsh teams continue to give chase but are at least 11 points off a promotion place but both have a match in hand over the top two. Marsh Lib had a convincing 8-1 home win over Lindley BC 'B' whilst Marsh United 'B' even with home advantage struggled to overcome Huddersfield RUFC eventually relying on a better aggregate for a total to squeeze them through 5-4. There are 15 points between the teams so it is going to take something quite extraordinary to happen to reawake Marsh United's chances.
Almondbury BC 'B' had a good 6-3 home win over Thongsbridge 'B' to raise hopes of climbing away from the relegation positions which Ravensknowle Park achieved after beating bottom-of-the-table Kirkheaton Con 'B' 7-2.
Milnsbridge 'B' continued on their own way to a probable Division 5 title after a 7-2 away win at lowly Kirkheaton C&BC 'B' enabled them to extend their lead to 7 points with a game in hand over second-placed Brockholes 'B'. The Brockholes side beat their nearest rivals for the 2nd promotion place, David Brown Sports, by 7-2 and now hold a 7 points lead over their rivals. Broad Oak 'B' could still prove to be a dark horse in this promotion push after a 7-2 away win over Netherton Con 'B' kept them handily placed and a game in hand over all the teams around them.
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