Division 1 Leaders v Champions clash

Veterans League

Preview of the fixtures for the Veterans 10-Man League Divisions 1&2 on Tuesday 13 May

The Division 1 clash this Tuesday of the leaders, Longwood, playing the 2024 Champions, Lowerhouses, is the clear Match of the Day in the Huddersfield Veterans 10-Man League. Longwood got off to a flyer by winning their first three fixtures but then came up against their bogey team, Marsh United A last week and had a setback. In contrast Lowerhouses had a slow start to the 2025 campaign but appear to have moved into top gear now so making the clash most intriguing where home advantage could be key.

Kirkheaton Con A sit in 2nd place wedged between the two Match of the Day opponents and should that result pan out then it could open the door to them to push on. However Clayton West will probably have a say in that as they host the Kirkheaton team and look to improve on their own current 5th place.

I really do feel that the bottom four teams are destined to remain in those positions all season and that matches between them will determine the two teams to be relegated. One of those bottom four encounters appears on the fixture programme this week as Waterloo welcome Lockwood Con A where one of them will collect their first win of the season.

Lindley Lib A and Meltham A are the other two bottom four teams and they both have difficult looking fixtures lined up for Tuesday. At least Lindley Lib A will have home advantage when hosting Marsh United A whereas the Meltham team have to travel to play at Golcar Lib A.

Rastrick have certainly turned their season around after an opening day 0-9 away defeat at Longwood and have since won all three of their matches. That includes a 7-2 home win over Lowerhouses. It was always going to be a big ask to take on last season's numbers one and two but they will be happy with seven points accumulated from those two fixtures. They will be even happier by winning the two matches since then. They were both against bottom four teams and this Tuesdays match against their first mid-table opponent, Cowcliffe, may be a better guide of their real standing.

Turning to the bottom of the Division 2 table where the bottom two teams go head-to-head as Denby Dale travel to play Netherton Con A. Six points between the teams and Denby Dale really cannot afford for that get any wider. The next two teams up the table also meet up as Lindley BC A entertain Golcar Lib B with one point between them and Tuesday's loser will undoubtedly be dragged even deeper into the relegation fight.

The two Elland teams continue to set the pace and last week's defeat for the WMC left them 4 points behind their C&BC neighbours. Both play away this week with the WMC having the stiffer test at 5th placed New Mill A. Elland C&BC go to Almondbury BC A and will be looking to hang on to their 100% win record. It looks like they have learnt the lesson of last season when, after relegation from Division 1, they lost 5 of their first 6 fixtures to just fall short of an immediate return to the top flight.

The 3rd and 4th placed teams are also away from home with Shepley (3rd) at Thongsbridge A and Broad Oak A (4th) going to mid-table Milnsbridge A. Both will need to win these types of fixtures if they are to feature at all in the promotion race.