Divisions 6&7 preview time

Winter League

Preview of the Divisions 6&7 fixtures scheduled for Thursday 11 December

Cowcliffe B have a 100% Division 6 win record and a 6-points lead at the top of the table. This Thursday all the teams in Division 6 will complete the halfway mark in the 14-week season so will have played all 7 of the other teams in the Division. Their opponents are mid-table Almondbury BC A who they will expect to beat and complete defeating all the teams in their Division. Second-placed Brockholes B will be hoping for a different outcome of that match but they will have to be focused on their own fixture as they play third-placed Springwood C who are just 4 points behind them and a major threat to their promotion hopes.

At the foot of the table the hosts from Netherton Con B have an important fixture against another team threatened with relegation, Outlane A. With the Netherton team having the back-up of playing the 'Avoid Relegation' card as a host green it is really important that any team in Division 6 steers clear of that 6th place which is again likely to become a ticket to relegation at the end of the season.

That same warning applies to other teams in confrontation this Thursday. Hanging Heaton B and Springwood B are both hovering in the drop zone, and both will be looking to secure some much-needed insurance when they meet up this week.

Kirkheaton Con B are the new Division 7 leaders, heading a group of four teams only separated by 4 points and all four will fancy their chances of clinching one of the two promotion places. We shall see. This week the leaders take on New Mill C and will be looking to confirm their current superiority over all the teams in the Division.

The Huddersfield RUFC are level on points with the leaders and will be keen to climb back on top of the table before the mad end-of-season rush to secure vital points. That will not be easy, as they drew 4-4 with their Thursday opponents, Marsh Lib A, earlier in the season and they have their own ambitions on the promotion front having already beaten the leaders once.

Third-placed Holmfirth play Huddersfield Recreation Club B this week and will be keen to get maximum points in the bag prior to a run of three matches against the other three teams in the top four. That run could determine not only their own chances of clinching a promotion place as the season progresses to a suitable climax. The final Thursday fixture in this division matches bottom of the table Broad Oak A against Lockwood Con B who are hovering just above the relegation places, so raising the importance of the result to both teams.