Division 1 leaders white-washed!

Veterans League

Review of the results from Monday's matches in the Veterans 6-Man League

Well we didn't see that coming as the Division 1 leaders, Clayton West A went down 0-7 away to a Waterloo team that had lost their previous three fixtures. Such is bowling. That result allowed Marsh United to take over top spot, the first time that Clayton West didn't occupy the top spot all season. A 5-2 home win over Milnsbridge A being sufficient to overtake the deposed leaders, although there is only a one-point gap between the two teams.

Broad Oak A hold on to third place after sneaking a 4-3 away win at Golcar C&BC when an 85-81 aggregate score proved decisive in determining the outcome. That wasn't the closest aggregate win as Lindley Lib A deprived Thongsbridge A of a second win of the season after an 83-82 aggregate score made the points tally 4-3 in their favour. A 6-1 home win for Slaithwaite over Netherton Con A lifted them to fourth in the table which is only a whitewash win from top place.

The two teams trying to stay out of the second relegation place met each other with a 7-0 home win for Shepley A sending Skel Windmill A down into bottom place with a worrying 9-point gap emerging between the teams.

The meeting of the two teams in Division 2 with the best recent form went the way of the home team as New Mill A confirmed their status at the top of the table with a 5-2 success over Almondbury Lib. With the two teams closest to the leaders both losing away matches enabled the New Mill A team to stretch their lead to three points over a Brockholes A team leaping two places to 2nd spot after a very commendable 6-1 away win at Denby Dale.

A surprise result at Brockholes with a 5-2 home win for the Brockholes B team clocking up only their 2nd win of the season whilst inflicting only a 2nd defeat on to the Lockwood Con record. The Lockwood team drop a place to 3rd with Marsh Lib A looking threatening in 4th place after a 7-0 home win over Holmfirth A lifting them two places. That win for the Brockholes B team lifted them out of the relegation places sending Longwood back to the foot of the table after ending their two-match winning run with a 1-6 reversal at Golcar Lib A.

Paddock I&C dropped two places into the 2nd relegation place after a 2-5 defeat at Milnsbridge who are one of the two teams to pass them.

When you get the top two teams, both with 100% win records, in a division facing each other you don't expect to end up with a 7-0 scoreline but that is what happened in the Division 3 match of the day. Thongsbridge B are the new leaders in that division after thrashing and overtaking Hemplow A. Now with a six-point lead over their nearest rivals and an eleven-point cushion over the nearest threat to their promotion intent. The Hemplow team remain well placed for promotion but there is only one 100% win record intact now.

Third-placed Crosland Moor suffered a surprise home defeat and a big setback to their own promotion hopes after losing 3-4 to Linthwaite Hall with a 79-77 aggregate win to clinch the bonus points and stay in contention for a final day promotion place. Clayton West B made it three consecutive wins when seeing off Lindley Lib B by 6-3 to dump their opponents into the relegation places.

Two teams in the bottom five recorded good home wins to move out of the relegation battle and they were Greenhead Park A (6-1 over Marsh Lib B) and Elland C&BC (5-2 over Golcar Lib B). Primrose Hill Lib still prop all the other teams up after a 1-6 defeat at Broad Oak B.

Each of the four divisions in the 6-Man League had a 7-0 result on Monday and the one in Division 4 came at Holmfirth B who divorced themselves from the mid-table position alongside Marsh United B after the 7-0 win lifted them two places up the table to 5th position. The top versus bottom clash saw the leaders New Mill B keep up a hot pace at the top by winning away at Brockholes D by 6-1.

The meeting of Greenhead Park (2nd) and Netherton Con B (3rd) went the way of the home team, Netherton Con B, to see them overtake their rivals. Meltham also took advantage to pass the Greenhead Park points total after beating Brockholes C 5-2. So not a good day for either of the Brockholes teams but they will take comfort that there was no change in the running order at the bottom of the table as Shepley B lost 1-6 away to Skel Windmill B.