Veterans League
Preview of the 6-Man League fixtures scheduled for Monday 3 June
Last season Lockwood Con and Crosland Moor finished in the two positions just above the relegation places from Division 1. This year they are on course for doing worse than that as they currently sit in the bottom two positions and both have away fixtures this week against top-five opponents. Crosland Moor are at the home of the table leaders, Skel Windmill A, who have won their 4 home fixtures this season. Lockwood Con have to travel to play Golcar C&BC who have only lost once at home and that was 3-4 to the table toppers.
The two strugglers will take some comfort from the fact that the two teams immediately above them in the table are also away from home this Monday. Paddock I&C have to play Shepley A and Thongsbridge A are at Milnsbridge A. The 2023 Division 1 Champions are Marsh United A who this week entertain an inconsistent Lindley Lib team who topped the table two weeks ago but are now in recovery mode languishing in 6th spot.
Two interesting fixtures with Netherton Con at Brockholes A and Waterloo at home to Slaithwaite with the real danger that the two losing teams could drop into mid-table obscurity.
Almondbury Lib have lost all their Division 2 away matches this season and it seems unlikely that they will break that sequence away at the table-toppers, Clayton West, this Monday. Clayton West are the division's only unbeaten team but are under pressure from Golcar Lib who, despite losing twice, are only one point behind them from the same number of matches played. This week they travel to Longwood which is never an easy place to pick up points.
With the teams in 3rd and 5th places meeting each other then points are likely to be hard won as New Mill host Bradley & Colne. The only defeat in the last six matches for Bradley & Colne came at Clayton West where, despite only field four bowlers, they still managed to come away with two points. A full team and similar resistance could take them above their hosts who have won 3 of their last 4 matches and are in good form and are not in third place by accident.
If Elland C&BC are to mount a rear-guard action to avoid relegation then they need to collect wins from home matches against teams around them and such an opportunity is this week when they entertain third-from-bottom Hemplow. Linthwaite Hall are sandwiched between these two rivals and they have a very difficult-looking match away at 4th-placed Marsh Lib A this week.
The losers of the Lindley Lib B v Holmfirth A fixture could drop out of the top half of the table and with that any hopes of joining in the promotion battle. Both have won 2 of their last 3 matches so another close encounter is expected. Two teams just above the relegation fight meet up as Greenhead Park A host Milnsbridge B with both teams keen to distance themselves from the nether regions of the table.
The much-awaited meeting of the top two teams in Division 3 is this week as Denby Dale look to extend their unbeaten record at home to the leaders Brockholes B. The leaders have a 6-points lead over their Monday rivals and it seems clear that the two meetings of these two top teams will be crucial in determining the outcome of the race for the title. With home adavnatge and a 100% win record all season, Denby Dale will start as favourites but that will mean little to a Brockholes team more accustomed to life in the bottom two than in the promotion positions.
With Greenhead Park B having a bye week an opening appears for 4th-placed Skel Windmill B to join the top three as they travel to take on bottom-of-the-table Meltham who are still searching for their first win of the season. The two remaining fixtures feature bottom four teams in head-to-head confrontation with Holmfirth B at home to Marsh United B and Thongsbridge B host Primrose Hill Lib.
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