Division 1 outlook not so clear

Veterans League

Preview of the Divisions 1&2 fixtures in the 10-Man League for Tuesday 1 July

With the two teams at the top of Division 1 having home matches against mid-table opponents and the third-placed outfit having an away match at bottom of the table Waterloo many observers will expect nothing to change. They may be right but if you scratch at the surface of these fixtures then an alternative view is possible.

Only one point separates the top two teams with Longwood having the advantage at present but with a record of only 3 wins in their last 6 fixtures. That doesn't compare favourably with 2nd-placed Lowerhouses recent record of 6 wins out of their last 7 matches and a 100% home win record. One point doesn't seem an unsurmountable target when viewed from that angle. Clayton West and Kirkheaton Con A are the two teams on the wrong end of those anticipated results.

Seven points behind the top two sit Golcar Lib A and they have to go to play Waterloo who had an impressive, but eventually futile, result in their last match when going down at home to Longwood by 123-124 and a 4-5 points difference. That coupled with a first win in the previous match to that shows that Waterloo are on the mend and a very different force to the one that lost their first 8 matches of the season. The Golcar team are not in the most rude of health either with just one win in their last 4 fixtures and only one win away from home all season which was on the opening day of the season.

If you factor all that into your thinking then the outcome of the tussle at the top may show a very different picture especially when you add the fact that there are three teams sat one point behind Golcar Lib A although they all three have away matches this week.

The bottom two teams are in danger of becoming seriously adrift of the safety marrk with Waterloo three points behind Meltham B who are 13 points behind Marsh United A who they visit this Tuesday. Lindley Lib A sit between these two rivals and they have a home match against Cowcliffe. The Lindley side are on a decnt run of form having won 3 of their last 5 fixtures, a run which includes matches against the current top three teams in the table.

After Division 2 leaders, Elland C&BC, went down at second-placed Elland WMC last week they have another difficult looking away encounter this Tuesday at 4th placed Shepley. However with only one win in their last three fixtures all against teams in the bottom half of the table, the Shepley side are not in the best of form but will need to raise the bar somewhat to get anything from this fixture to retain any realistic hopes of promotion.

Meanwhile the Elland WMC team also have an away match this week but that looks more straightforward as they play bottom-of-the-table Netherton Con A. With only two wins all season and a 20-points gap between the teams the outcome should be predictable but we all know that bowling doesn't work like that. Thongsbridge A remain in the promotion battle and a home fixture against Almondbury BC A should provide the platform for that interest to be maintained.

New Mill A are the only bottom four team with an away fixture this Tuesday adding to the pressure that losing all three of their June fixtures has placed on them. Denby Dale are in the last of a run of 3 home matches in 4 fixtures, with the previous two producing good wins for them. The final match in that sequence is this week when they host Milnsbridge A and by maintaining that level of form have every chance of adding to the winning sequence and continuing their upward escape from the dropzone.