Division 8 leaders intent on revenge

Winter League

A preview of the fixtures scheduled for Divisions 8&9 teams for Tuesday 2 December

Hemplow A sit proudly at the top of the Division 8 table at the halfway point of the season. However they cannot relax for this week's repeat of the opening day of the season fixtures when they lost 2-6 to Cowcliffe C. A repeat of that result would be a big blow to their title hopes but every team has a bogey opponent and maybe that is what the Cowcliffe C team are.

Lockwood Con C are 6 points behind the Hemplow team and the biggest threat to their title hopes. This week they have a tricky looking encounter with Mirfield B who have won their last two matches and are on an upward path. Golcar C&BC are still recovering from their 20 point penalty for declining promotion last season and that handicap seems to be too strong for them to repeat their achievement of last season. However they are still a formidable and dangerous opponent and they could overtake Linthwaite Hall B with a big win when the teams meet this Tuesday.

No team in Division 8 has a better win record than Broad Oak B. With only one defeat in the first half of the season they should be higher up the table than they are. Their solitary defeat came last week when going down 0-8 to Hemplow A. That makes them a dangerous opponent which is not what bottom-of-the-table Meltham B want to hear.

It is time for the second Kirkheaton C&BC inter-club derby match this week in Division 9 with the C team needing a repeat of their opening day of the season 6-2 win to maintain the pressure on the leaders Greenhead Park. The Kirkheaton C&BC B team have only lost to the leaders in their last 5 fixtures and will want to reverse the previous derby day defeat. The two top teams are starting to move away from the rest of the teams and that is likely to continue as Greenhead Park play lowly Almondbury BC C this week.

Marsh Lib B could gate-crash the promotion race with a match against bottom-of-the-table Brockholes C a good time to start such manouverses. Kirkheaton Con C have failed to win any of their last three fixtures which has seen them slide out of promotion contention. They really need to win this week's encounter with Mirfield C if they are to mount a second half of the season fight back.