Division 2 top two teams clash

Veterans League

Preview of the Monday fixtures in the 6-Man League

The teams in 3rd and 4th places in Division 1 face each other this week, wedged together on 66 points. The loser of this fixture will be eliminated from the title race, if they haven't already come to expect that for themselves. The gap to top spot is even wider than that, with a massive 21 points already the difference between the teams. The top two teams both have home fixtures this week. Clayton West A have a visit from Slaithwaite whilst 2nd placed Marsh United A host an improving Shepley A team.

There are home fixtures for the bottom two teams as Skel Windmill A host Netherton Con A and Thongsbridge A welcome Golcar C&BC to their green.

Big match coming up in Division 2 on Monday when the top two teams go head-to-head with only two points separating them. With both teams looking favourites for promotion this could almost be a title decider. The leaders, New Mill A, will need to improve on their form last time out when they suffered a first home defeat of the season, going down 2-5 to Marsh Lib A. Second-placed Brockholes A have home advantage plus the added protection of a 12-point lead over third-placed Holmfirth A.

The bottom three teams all have away fixtures against teams in the top half of the table so will do well to close the gap to safety that exists for all of them. Brockholes B (36pts) are at Almondbury Lib, Milnsbridge B (38pts) go to Lockwood Con and Denby Dale (40pts) have the most difficult looking challenge at third-placed Holmfirth A.

Division 3 leaders, Thongsbridge B, have only lost one match all season and have established an 18-point lead over their nearest challengers. They will expect to build on that record with an away trip to play lowly Lindley Lib B this week. Golcar Lib B look the team most likely to be promoted along with the leaders on the back of their current run of eight wins. They will need to be aware of the patchy form of third-placed Hemplow A, who have only won three of their last nine fixtures, which is not promotion form. There is still only a five-point difference between the two teams so fortunes can soon change.

Clayton West and Crosland Moor still harbour hopes of joining in the promotion race with the Clayton West team on their best run of form of the season with four straight wins including beating Crosland Moor last time out. The Crosland Moor team have a great opportunity to bounce back from that defeat with a home match against bottom-of-the-table Elland C&BC this week.

Things look bleak for the bottom three teams who all have away fixtures against top three opponents this Monday. It looks like they will be battling for scraps but they will be comforted by the fact that fourth from bottom, Lindley Lib B, although having home advantage have to face the Division 3 leaders, Thongsbridge B.

Netherton Con B will need to recover from last week's first Division 4 defeat in 14 matches when they host Skel Windmill B. Second-placed Meltham travel to play fourth-placed Greenhead Park and cannot afford to lose, which would threaten their promotion place. Hemplow B are on a run of four straight wins and are only a point off that second promotion spot with an away fixture at lowly Brockholes C.

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