Countdown in the Division 7 honours race

Winter League

I have been looking at some of the latest League tables for teams in the Winter League. As teams near the end of the season, those involved in promotion and relegation issues tend to look more closely at their opponents and start adding up the chances of finishing above the dreaded relegation/promotion line.

I believe that there are four of the 10 Divisions in the League where it is near enough to the end of the season to start this countdown process. They are in Divisions 3, 7, 8 and 9 where they have all played 10 matches up to date, leaving only four fixtures each still to be played. We have already covered Division 9 and Division 8 so time to keep looking up as we continue to look upwards as we turn to examine the potential of the top three teams in Division 7 to look at their chances of winning the title or getting promoted.

Two points separate the top three while there is another group of three trailing six-points behind in the wake of the leading trio. So why dismiss the chances of this group of three when there is only 6-points between them?

Well the current leaders, the RUFC, have only lost once (v Lockwood Con B) to teams outside the top three, whereas 2nd placed Kirkheaton Con B haven't lost a game to any team outside the top three all season. Then 3rd placed Marsh Lib A have only lost two matches all season and they were to Holmfirth A and Hudd.Rec.Club who both sit outside the top three. That indicates to me that it is unlikely that any team outside the top three is going to beat more than one of the top three to indent their records sufficiently to cause tremor waves to the promotion charges of the three leading contenders.

That leads on to my thinking that the meeting of top three teams is going to determine the outcome of both the title and promotion targets of the three favourites. But then a quick glance at the remaining fixtures for the top three teams quickly shows that none of the top three teams are scheduled to play each other in the remaining 4 weeks of the season.

The only pointer to take in from this table is the fact that the leaders, the Rugby Club, have to play all three of the bottom three teams whereas their two main rivals both meet the same two opponents from the bottom three. With such a tightly packed threesome, it will come down to the odd points gathered here and there making 8-0 wins for all three their major targets to clinch promotion or the title for themselves.

That being the case I declare that the Division 7 race for honours is over! The finishing positions of all eight teams is exactly the same as they are now, with the the RUFC taking the title and being joined in the promotion places by Kirkheaton Con B. Congratulations to the RUFC. Time will tell all.