Winter League
A preview of the Divisions 1 & 2 fixtures scheduled for Wednesday 7 February
The table below shows the remaining fixtures for the top four teams all of who still have a good chance of winning the Division 1 title. This table indicates that the present leaders, Thorpe Green A, have the most difficult run-in with matches against two of their top 4 rivals, whereas reigning title holders, Lower Hopton, have the easiest climax with 3 of their remaining 4 fixtures are against the bottom three teams and they have one more match to play than any of their rivals for the title.
There is a top 3 clash this Wednesday as Thorpe Green take on 3rd-placed Lindley BC A who beat them 6-2 earlier in the season. All four of the top teams are in action this week with New Mill A and Lower Hopton taking on bottom three opposition with New Mill meeting Clayton West and Lower Hopton aiming to repeat a November whitewash 8-0 win over Lowerhouses A.
Lower Hopton also have the fate of the relegation battle within their hands as a big win this Wednesday could seal relegation for Lowerhouses and an instant return to Division 2 action next season. Golcar Lib are in a similar position and their Wednesday opponents, Meltham will be keen to secure their own Division 1 status by beating them to hasten their rivals drop through the relegation trap-door.
REMAINING FIXTURES FOR THE TOP 4 TEAMS Fixtures in RED are v top 4 rivals / Fixtures in BLUE are v bottom 3 opponents
THORPE GREEN A | NEW MILL A | LINDLEY BC A | LOWER HOPTON | |
February 7 | Lindley BC A | Clayton West | Thore Green A | Lowerhouses A |
February 14 | New Mill A | Thorpe Green A | BYE | Golcar Lib |
February 21 | BYE | Lowerhouses A | Meltham | Clayton West |
February 28 | Lowerhouses A | BYE | Golcar Lib | Kirkheaton Con A |
In Division 2 things are a little more clear-cut with a win this week for Cowcliffe A will secure their promotion to the top flight for next season and having already beaten their opponents, Lockwood Con A, this season they will be confident of finishing off their main target with a couple of matches to spare.
However the race for the 2nd promotion place is much tighter with four teams still in contention with Denby Dale holding the best chance being just 2 points from overtaking Lindley Lib A to snatch 2nd place with a match in hand. This week they take on relegation threatened Springwood A with Lindley Lib A having a bye week and the table could look very different come Wednesday tea-time.
Lindley BC B and Milnsbridge A will certainly include themselves in the promotion tussle with matches against the bottom two teams this week. They take on Huddersfield Recreation Club A and Brockholes A respectively and neither of these two will have given up on their sutvival hopes which, on paper, still look very doable.
The table below shows the remaining fixtures for the four teams competing for the 2nd promotion place.with the present occupier of that revered position, Lindley Lib A, having played one more match than any of their rivals. That table also shows that 5th placed Milnsbridge A have the easiest set of fixtures, on paper, of any of their rivals with 3 of their 4 remaining matches against bottom 3 opposition.
REMAINING FIXTURES FOR THE TEAMS IN 2nd to 5th PLACES Fixtures in RED are v top 5 rivals / Fixtures in BLUE are v bottom 3 opponents
LINDLEY LIB A | DENBY DALE | LINDLEY BC B | MILNSBRIDGE A | |
February 7 | BYE | Springwood A | Hudd Rec Club A | Brockholes A |
February 14 | Springwood A | Lindley BC B | Denby Dale | Hudd Rec Club A |
February 21 | Denby Dale | Lindley Lib A | Milnsbridge A | Lindley BC B |
February 28 | Lindley BC B | Cowcliffe A | Lindley Lib A | Springwood A |
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