Division 1 relegation dog-fight is on

Veterans League

Preview of the 10-Man League Divisions 1&2 fixtures scheduled for Tuesday 1 September

DIVISION ONE

Cowcliffe v Elland C&BC 

IT may be a bottom of the table clash involving the two bottom clubs but with the bottom half of the table – from seventh-placed Kirkheaton Con A downwards – now in the relegation mix every single point is now crucial.

Cowcliffe have picked up just seven points in their last three outings though their only home game in that period was against leaders Lowerhouses. All their five wins have been on their own green and a sixth can’t come soon enough! Elland C&BC picked up seven valuable points in their win against Kirkheaton Con A, their first success in their last eight encounters.

Both teams have still to play Elland WMC, Marsh United A and Lindley Lib A – it’s going to be an interesting run-in!

In-form: Cowcliffe have won five of their last six pairs matches; Adrian Kenyon had Elland C&BC’s best win last week.

Elland WMC v Lowerhouses 

The first of two top-of the table clashes for Lowerhouses who face third-placed Elland WMC and then on the final day of the season Golcar Lib A, both in their final three away games of the season.

Lowerhouses fell to a 7-2 home default to Marsh United last week, their heaviest setback of the campaign. But they return to league action in good heart after collecting the Bistro Shield following their success over Marsh Liberal A at Brockholes on Friday. Although Elland WMC picked up six points at Rastrick last Tuesday they fell to third in the league ladder. They have seven wins from their last eight and seem to have put their inconsistent early-season form behind them. For a neutral it is certainly the match of the day!

In-form: Melvyn Dunne heads the Division 1 pairs averages (+6.54); Whilst Lowerhouses dominate the singles averages Phil Hunter is their best in the pairs in 10^th spot.

Kirkheaton Con A v Rastrick

TWO consecutive 7-2 defeats have left Kirkheaton Con A in mid-table but firmly involved in the relegation battle. The same applies to Rastrick who are one place and one league point behind their hosts.

When the two teams met earlier in the season Rastrick recorded an 8-1 victory, the first of a run of three consecutive wins in which they accumulated 24 points. Their last five matches have seen them pick up just eight points. Kirkheaton need points ahead of games against Longwood and leaders Lowerhouses. Home advantage has to count for them.

In-form: Andrew Lumb and Garry Senior are neck-by-neck for most wins this season (10); David Wood (8) and Donald Booth (9) have most for the visitors

Lindley Lib A v Clayton West 

LINDLEY LIB are another side deep in the relegation mix and whilst they have actually won more games than any of the teams around them they will know that nothing is guaranteed against fourth-placed Clayton West.

The hosts will be looking at repeating recent home wins over Elland WMC and Lockwood Con, as well as repeating June’s 6-3 win over Clayton West. The visitors are the form team at the moment, having extended their unbeaten run to four following their 6-3 win over Lockwood Con A. With upcoming top of the table encounters in the diary against Golcar Lib A and Elland WMC they will want to gain as many points as possible at Lindley.

In-form: Peter Fuller missed out on a win by just one point a week ago; Tim Poulter has won three of his last four – and he was “all but” in the defeat.

Lockwood Con A v Golcar Lib A 

THESE match previews this week are very much word for word; a side finding themselves in a relegation battle up against a side who are going well.

That’s certainly the case at Lockwood who are seeking a sixth win of the season and recent form doesn’t arguer well for them. But if they look back and specifically analysis June’s win at Golcar they can take heart from a 7-2 success that saw them dominate proceedings.

Golcar have games against three high-riding opponents to look forward to as the season comes to a close. They are now the nearest challengers to leaders Lowerhouses following a maximum point win over Lindley Lib. That win saw them restrict their opponents to a sub-100 score for the second time this season.

In-form: Peter Kain has won his last two matches; Golcar Lib A had a full house last week but only one win to single figures.

Marsh United A v Longwood

BACK-to-back wins including an excellent 7-2 reversal of league leaders Lowerhouses have seen United ease their way out of the relegation dogfight.

However, they have not put a run of three league wins together all season. On the flip side they are on a run of six matches unbeaten on their home green. It is certainly a meeting of two in-form teams. Longwood have won six of their last seven matches and, after facing Marsh United A, they will have three of their final four games on their home green. Their excellent home record was highlighted in last week’s previews.

In-form: Marsh United won all three of their pairs matches at Lowerhouses a week ago; Ian Briggs won to single figures a week ago for Longwood

DIVISION TWO

Almondbury BC A v Milnsbridge A 

ALMONDBURY BC A’s 9-0 win at Netherton saw them jump into third spot – they have picked up 29 league points from their last four matches.

It is their second four-match winning run of the season, their first earlier in the year included an 8-1 away victory over Milnsbridge A. Milnsbridge A are looking to bounce back after consecutive defeats to Shepley and Denby Dale – their last game saw them win four games to three against Denby but lost the aggregate by 20 points.

The visitors have a 14-point safety net over the sides in the relegation zone.

In-form: Simon Neve has had wins in three out of Almondbury BC’s last four matches; Milnsbridge won three of their four singles last time out.

Almondbury Lib v Meltham A 

ALMONDBURY LIB are still winless since a run of three consecutive wins in May and June. They have since gone ten games without winning.

They have an outstanding game against Lindley BC which was the victim of the weather last week to rearrange. Leaders Meltham lost their encounter against Lindley BC a week ago but remain eight points clear in their quest for the Championship.

They have four matches remaining after Tuesday’s encounter including a mouth-watering encounter at Denby Dale on the penultimate Tuesday.

In-form: Andy Broughton had the Libs’ best win a week ago; Andy Mailer was one of only two winners for Meltham last week.

Denby Dale v Broad Oak A

SINCE a 9-0 defeat at Meltham in July Denby Dale have put together a run of seven wins, including a 5-4 success at Milnsbridge A last week. That run of results has made Denby Dale look likely to accompany Meltham A to Division 1 in 2027, they have lost just four time this season, a tally that looks unlikely to be extended this week.

Dale entertain a Broad Oak side that they defeated 7-2 on their green earlier in the season. The visitors are in a good run of form themselves having won their last three games and have overturned their poor start to the campaign.

In-form: Stuart England has won singles matches in his last two outings; Carl Taylor has won seven successive games for the Broad Oak team.

Lindley BC A v Hemplow A 

LINDLEY BC A have a match in hand on the clubs around them in the league table and know that a win over bottom club Hemplow A can enhance their outside chances of promotion.

Their remaining fixtures include meetings with those clubs around them in the league table but crucially they have played the two leading sides twice. It may be an outside chance but return of their form in June would be needed. Hemplow A picked up five points against fellow relegation threatened club Almondbury Lib a week ago but a third victory of the season looks unlikely. However, they are consistently picking points off their opponents and if they can change those 3-6 defeats into 5-4 wins it will see them finish the season with some confidence.

In-form:  All three Lindley BC A pairs had wins in their victory at Meltham; Bryan Cook and Ray Howard have won their last three matches for Hemplow (all 21-18 results!);

Shepley v Thongsbridge A 

SHEPLEY have a 13-point advantage over second bottom Almondbury Lib (who have a game in hand) but still need points in the bag to be certain of bowling at this level in 2027. Three out of their five remaining matches are at Lea Head and that home advantage should see them survive.

Thongsbridge should have cause for concern that their aggregate home victory last week was just be two points – they only had three players tasting victory for the third week running.

In-form: Pairs John Hewitt and Michael Hirst have had good wins on their last two outings; Ian Ross is “Mr. Consistency” for Thongsbridge and has accounted for 14 of their 84 league points (16%).

Waterloo v Netherton Con A 

WATERLOO fell to a 5-4 defeat at Thongsbridge a week ago but were only three points away from taking the aggregate and recording an away win. That is likely to give them confidence ahead of this encounter against Netherton Con, who have dropped to sixth in the league table and seen any chance of promotion evaporate in recent weeks.

The visitors are on a four-match losing run and have only picked up six league points in that time. They will be looking for a return to the form that saw them record a 6-3 home success over Waterloo in June.

In-form: Robert Mudd has wins in Waterloo’s last two outings; Robert Hirst is the only bowler to record a win in Netherton’s last two games