Veterans League
Review of the Veterans 6-Man League fixtures played on Monday 8 April
Opening day of the season headlines
Last year's Division 1 top two teams both get beaten
Division 1 new boys Waterloo win 6-1
All three Division 1 promoted teams win
Only one home defeat in Division 1
Division 2 top two promoted teams both win away matches
All Brockholes 3 teams win
All Thongsbridge 3 teams lose
Only two 7-0 whitewash scorelines both in Division 2
An opening day defeat for the 6-Man League Division 1 Champions, Marsh United A to Netherton Con sent out the message that sometimes it is easier to win the title than to successfully defend it. The 1-6 result was a surprise as the Marsh United outfit had completed a league double over their opening day opponents last season. And they weren't to only top two team to be taken to the cleaners on the first day of the season. Last year's runners up, Golcar C&BC, also had a 1-6 defeat to come to terms with, this time away at the new boys from Waterloo who look like being a force to be reckoned with.
With last year's 3rd and 4th finishing teams in opposition it was Skel Windmill A who once again had the edge over their opponents carrying on from last season when they completed the double over Shepley A. A 5-2 home win set the Skel side up for another tilt at the title.
It was a good day for new teams in the top division as the three promoted teams all had good starts to the season with Slaithwaite beating Thongsbridge A 5-2, Paddock I&C having a 6-1 home win over Crosland Moor and Lindley Lib A producing the only Division 1 away win of the day when beating Lockwood Con 5-2. A 5-2 home win for Brockholes A completed the opening day Division 1 programme.
It was also a good day for the promoted teams in Division 2 with last year's Division 3 Champions, New Mill, starting with an impressive 7-0 away win at Linthwaite Hall. Marsh Lib A were last year's Division 3 runners-up and started their campaign with a 6-1 away win at fellow promoted opponents from Greenhead Park A. Then Hemplow made it 3 wins out of 4 for the promoted teams when overcoming Holmfirth A by 6-1.
There was a wake-up call to the new team from Bradley & Colne as they went down 0-7 to Golcar Lib who started the season where they left off last year when winning 5 of their final 6 fixtures with their only defeat to the eventual title winners. Not a good start for the two teams relegated from Division 1 with 2-5 defeats for Longwood at home to Clayton West and Elland C&BC away at Lindley Lib B. Milnsbridge BC B started the season better than they finished last season opening up with a hone win over Almondbury Lib to give them a first win in five.
Brockholes have entered a C team in the League for the first time and in their first match contributed to a good day for the club with a 5-2 away win at Thongsbridge B. All three Brockholes teams won on the day as the B side also had a good Division 3 away win at Marsh Lib B meaning all the three Brockholes teams won by the same 5-2 scoreline. Considering that the Brockholes B side only won two matches all last season this is a tremendous start for the Badgers.
The two teams relegated from Division 2 both had promising starts to the season with Skel Windmill B winning 6-1 away at Shepley B and Denby Dale clocking up a 5-2 home win over Thongsbridge C. Greenhead Park B had a difficult introduction to the League as they went down 1-6 away at Primrose Hill Lib and two teams that finished locked in mid-table on the same points total last year clashed with Marsh United B overcoming Meltham by 6-1.