Dogfight at bottom of Division 4

Veterans League

Preview of the Tuesday matches in Divisions 3,4&5 of the Veterans 10-Man League

The top three teams in Division 3 all have Won-12 Lost-6 records but there are 15 points between them, emphasising the importance of picking up points even when losing matches. New Mill A continue to lead the title race and a home match against second-from-bottom Skel Windmill will only enhance their chances. With a 10-point lead and 3 of their last 4 fixtures against the bottom 3 teams they looked nailed on for the title. But which team will go up with them?

Fourth-placed Golcar Lib A still have to play the two teams above them, Linthwaite Hall and Brockholes A, and will need to beat both if they are to gatecrash the promotion places. The first of those key encounters is this week when Golcar Lib B have home advantage over Linthwaite Hall. With Brockholes A having a difficult-looking trip to play Lindley Lib B this could be the start of the shake-up that would change everything. Kirkheaton C&BC A have 3 of the top 4 teams still to play so could have a big say in who goes up. The only one of the top four they are missing is Brockholes A.

Only two points separate the bottom four teams, so plenty to play for here and it seems inevitable that the dogfight to stay up will go right through to the last day of the season. Of those four only Paddock I&C have a home fixture to look forward to this Tuesday when they host Kirkheaton C&BC A.

Kirkheaton Con B are in the driving seat for a second successive promotion, sitting at the top of the Division 4 table, and they do have home advantage over third-placed Thongsbridge B. Second-placed Marsh Lib A also have home advantage with Milnsbridge B the visitors who need to ruffle a few feathers if they are to join in the promotion race. This is the last chance they will get to do that this season, with this being the last match against a top four opponent.

The scrap to stay up is shown in detail below, with bottom-placed Brockholes B having to face top four opponents in 2 of their last 4 matches, making it the most difficult of the run-ins. That run-in almost confirms their relegation as they are already 12 points from safety but who will be going down with them? David Brown Sports are the only team involved who don't have to play a top four opponent in the run-in, but to counter that is the fact that 3 of their last 4 fixtures are away from home where they have only won once all season and that was against Brockholes B in June.

Lockwood Con's future looks assured with 66 points already and 3 of their last 4 matches being at home. That leaves Ravensknowle Park facing the most difficult future with 2 of their remaining fixtures being away from home and they are the only Division 4 team without an away win all season. That needs to change if they are to survive but as one of those opponents is the leaders, Kirkheaton Con B, it looks like a big ask to see them in this division next year.

It looks like a two-way race for the Division 5 title with Netherton Con B and Broad Oak B level on 97 points and 10-points ahead of their nearest rival, Lindley BC B. The Lindley Lib B v Netherton Con B is the top match of the day whilst Broad Oak B are also away from home but will expect to claim the majority of the points at bottom-of-the-table Almondbury BC B. Both teams in the Lindley Lib B versus Netherton Con B clash have lost 2 of their last 4 fixtures and the Netherton team came out on top 5-4 (121-120) when the teams met earlier in the season at Netherton. Surprisingly when you look at the Almondbury BC B v Broad Oak B clash and compare their league positions, both teams have similar recent records with the Almondbury team losing 2 of their latest 4 fixtures whilst the Broad Oak team have lost 3 of their last 6 matches.

Eight points separate the bottom 6 teams with considerable speculation about the final pecking order. As mentioned above bottom of the table Almondbury have won 2 of their last 4 matches which cannot be matched by either of the two teams immediately above them. In contrast the other three teams in that group all better the Almondbury record. Holmfirth B have the best record of the bottom 6 teams having won 5 of their last 6 matches whilst the only one they lost was at Almondbury BC B.