Division 2 review and preview

Winter League

Review of the Division 2 matches played on Monday 15 December

Preview of the Division 2 fixtures at Cowcliffe on Tuesday 16 December

Footballers are protected from over-playing by an accepted gap of 3 days between matches. Bowlers would revolt against such a controlling measure and even in Winter, bowling on consecutive days is never considered to be a hardship. Division 2 teams played yesterday, catching up on the fixtures postponed on Tuesday last week when the top-of-the-hill green soaked by Storm Bram, was considered too slippery to be safe. And they will also play their usual Tuesday round of League fixtures today.

REVIEW

There are four scores possible in Winter League matches with 6-2 being the most common of those. This week in Division 2 there wasn't one 6-2 scoreline but the other three alternatives all featured. The 8-0 one seeing the leaders, Clayton West, overwhelm a top three rival in New Mill B. That was a second successive 0-8 defeat for New Mill B and is a serious setback to their Division 2 promotion hopes as they slip a place to 4th being overtaken by Lowerhouses A who lost 3-5 to Meltham A. That was a second consecutive win for the Meltham team who are suddenly having a wake-up call after a run of 5 opening defeats.

The other two matches ended in 4-4 draws with the most commendable one being Lowerhouses B drawing with Milnsbridge A but they remain in the second relegation place for now. Next week the bottom two go up against each other so that could prove interesting. Second in the table Lindley Lib A also had a 4-4 draw against Marsh United which ended a run of three straight defeats for the Marsh outfit.

The weather was mild but very wet as it rained incessantly throughout the session so photography wasn't up to much but I offer what I can salvage from a few more taken.

Use the side arrows to scroll through all 7 photographs

PREVIEW

There are eight points between the top two teams who meet up today so the target is obvious to 2nd in the table Lindley Lib A who are unbeaten in their last four fixtures. Whereas the Division 2 leaders, Clayton West, put their season-long unbeaten record on the line and look towards completing a League double over their prime rivals.

The bottom two teams face each other on the back of good results on Monday. Meltham A have won their last two matches and will fancy their chances against fellow strugglers Lowerhouses B. Seven points separate the two teams at present and Meltham cannot afford to allow that to get any bigger.

New Mill B have played the top two teams in their last two fixtures and lost them both by the same 0-8 scoreline. This week they play Milnsbridge A who are in danger of getting dragged into the nether regions and need a boost before taking on the top two teams in the table over the next two weeks.

The same could be said of Marsh United who haven't won any of their last four fixtures and are just one place and four points above the relegation places. Their Tuesday opponents are Lowerhouses A who are not in the best of form having lost to Meltham A 3-5 on Monday.

Coming Soon: Division 10 Monday results reviewed