Winter League
A preview of the Winter League fixtures scheduled for Monday 9 January
The first Division 3 matches of 2023 are set up for Monday at Thorpe Green and include a top-versus-bottom clash as leaders Brockholes 'A' go up against the Springwood 'B' side. Things are very tense at both ends of the table as Springwood aim to avoid a 2nd 0-8 drubbing against the leaders with only 2 matches still to go after this week's fixture programme.
Springwood cannot mathematically be relegated this week regardless of the results but another heavy defeat would certainly make their survival hopes drop dramatically.
Huddersfield Recreation Club 'A' have a key game against one of their prime rivals for promotion as they take on Thorpe Green 'B' who are only 8 points behind them and that difference could disappear in a single game so full attention called for if those promotion hopes are to be maintained. Thorpe Green are unbeaten in their last 5 matches but the Recreation Club did win the reverse fixture 8-0 back in November.
If Dalton are to make a bid for promotion then they are leaving things late but have proven that they are capable of beating any team in this division and did win the last time they faced this week's opponents Paddock I&C 'A'. Both teams are in good form with Dalton winning 4 of their last 5 fixtures and Paddock winning 3 of their last five with the two games they lost being against the division's top two teams.
The remaining fixture sees 6th-placed Rastrick 'B' facing 7th-placed Almondbury BC 'A' but with 10 points between them, the onus is very much on Almondbury to chase the points and narrow that gap although Rastrick won the reverse fixture 6-2.
Lindley Lib 'B' will be looking to bounce back from last week's setback when they were held 4-4 by bottom-of-the-table Recreation Club and lost the Division 4 lead in the table as a result and are now 1 point behind Milnsbridge 'B'. They play Marsh Lib this Monday and the match between the teams ended 4-4 in November so another close encounter can be expected.
Milnsbridge 'B' will be aiming to consolidate their position at the top of the table when they take on lowly Netherton 'A' who are in their best form of the season after beating Kirkheaton C&BC 8-0 last Monday and have only lost one of their last five matches. But Milnsbridge have only lost one of their last 8 fixtures and continue to meet every challenge head-on. When the teams met in November a 54-54 aggregate draw saw Milnsbridge just edge the points 5-3 but another strong challenge is expected from the Netherton team.
With successive defeats, Kirkheaton C&BC have dropped out of the promotion places and slipped to 5th place in the table some 10 points adrift of the path to Division 2. They really need a win this week against the lowly Recreation Club as their remaining three fixtures after this week are against the three top teams in the division. The Recreation Club could be officially relegated this week as they are already 19 points off safety with 3 matches left after Monday.
Lowerhouses 'B' had a big setback to their promotion hopes last week when losing 2-6 to rivals Milnsbridge 'B' and will need to start that recovery this week against Paddock I&C 'B' who themselves need points to ease their relegation worries.
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