Catch up time has started

Winter League

A review of the Monday fixtures of teams in Divisions 4 & 5

The fixture catch-up exercise began with 32 teams in action on Monday and having previously reported on the results from Divisions 1 and 2 it is now the turn of teams in Divisions 4 and 5.

Division 4

Rastrick are the Division 4 leaders but they were pushed all the way on Monday by lowly Thorpe Green B and it was only a 59-58 aggregate scoreline that enabled them to share the points 4-4 with their opponents. That result coupled with a 6-2 win for Slaithwaite over Primrose Hill Lib saw the gap in the title race drop to just 4 points as Slaithwaite moved into closer contention.

Third-placed Milnsbridge B also lost when going down 2-6 to Netherton Con A to make the two teams level on the 40 points mark with Primrose Hill Lib also on the same points total and tucked inbetween their two rivals. That was a 4th consecutive win for the Netherton team but they are still nearer the bottom spot than the top one at present. The bottom two teams faced each other with Dalton coming out on top with a 6-2 vistory over Linthwaite Hall A. That narrowed the gap between the two occupying the relegation places to 6 points.

Division 5 A first win of the season for Almondbury BC A was as welcome as it was emphatic as they recorded an 8-0 victory over third-placed Milnsbridge C. As morale-boosting as it was it still leaves them 15 points from safety with only 4 matches left to catch up the difference, surely an unattainable target.

Springwood seem to be preparing for life at a lower level as well after suffering a fifth 0-8 reversal with Elland WMC the benefactors this time. That put the new boys from Elland firmly into second place in the table but 14 points behind the runaway leaders from Lindley Lib C. A 9th win from 10 matches puts the leaders firmly in control of their own destiny and by completing the double over Jackson Bridge remain firm favourites for the title.

Paddock I&C and Kirkheaton C&BC A occupy the two places above the relegation drop zone and a meeting of the two teams on Monday saw Kirkheaton C&BC A come out on top by 6-2 and the teams swap places in the table as a result. Only the leaders have beaten the Kirkheaton team in their last four fixtures as they move themselves away from fears of relegation.