Final day of the Division 3 season

Winter League Preview of the fixtures in Divisions 3&5 for Wednesday 4 February

Mathematically, with only one round of Division 3 fixtures to play, there are still five of the teams that could be promoted. The advantage rests with Denby Dale who have a two-point lead at the top and play bottom team Lindley BC B in their final fixture. If we dismiss the chances of Lockwood Con A as being too unlikely, then that leaves three teams fighting for the 2nd promotion place with just two points between them.

They all avoid playing each other on the last day of action with 2nd placed Almondbury BC B taking on already relegated Springwood A and they are in prime position to take the next step up after a three-division leap last season. However that may be complicated by the fact that the Springwood A team come fr host greens. The League has a history of looking after host clubs who would have difficulty running a full hosting service without bowlers from their teams. That being the case hosting teams have been offered 'Decline Promotion' and 'Avoid Relegation' options over the years. If we don't have host greens we don't have a League so their involvement is key to the continuing success of the League. Springwood have made no indication yet whether they will ask for this option to be applied or not but I did warn all teams in each division at the start of the season that such situations could arise.

Slaithwaite have gone off the boil in the latter weeks of the season, not winning any of their last four fixtures to leave themselves a difficult route back, with their destiny not entirely in their own hands any longer. If we get down to comparing Aggregate For totals to separate teams then Lindley Lib B have the worst record of the top four teams and the highest placed opponents, Lockwood Con A, to overcome on the final day.

All the signs suggest that the running order is unlikely to change, but such matters are not so forecastable, and nerves come into play with so much at stake. No such concerns at the foot of the table with Springwood A and Lindley BC B already assured of moving base to Primrose Hill Lib for the 2026-27 season. However read the warning in the above paragraph about the option hosting club teams have to 'Decline Promotion' or to 'Avoid Relegation.'

The two Mirfield teams in Division 5 have already secured themselves promotion but the matter of which them of them adds the Champions title to their record is still to be decided. That is likely to be decided on Wednesday when the top two go to head-to-head. Will the two-point lead that Mirfield Old Bank have prove to be sufficient to be crowned the Champions as well, or will the uncertainty be taken through to the final day of the season next week? Only an 8-0 win will secure the title for the Old Bank this week.

Lots of uncertainty at the other end of the table with 8 points between the bottom four teams with two matches still to be played. The onus is on Dalton and Kirkheaton C&BC A to close the gap with neither in a run of form that points to them being able to do that. Dalton have lost their last 5 matches and only won two all season and may well be facing a second successive relegation. The Kirkheaton C&BC A team need to beat Milnsbridge C to make the first step towards their recovery as they are one of two teams in catchable range of them. With such a result behind them their final day match against Dalton will offer them their best hopes of avoiding the drop this year although when the teams met in December it was Dalton who came out on top.