Fireworks expected on Wednesday

Winter League

Preview of the fixtures in Divisions 3 & 5 scheduled for Wednesday 5 November

Denby Dale carry forward a 10-point penalty for declining promotion last season

Fireworks are expected on Wednesday which is not much of a forecast for Bonfire Night but the bangs and crashes could be coming from the Springwood green as the Division 3 fixture programme gathers pace. Almondbury BC B continue to lead the way and show no sign of hesitating in their bid for a second straight promotion. Their timing was good to become the first team to hit the 100-points marker in a 14-week season. Their reward was a three division uplift which they are fully justifying with their winning start to the season. The only 100% win record in the division shows that they were worthy of the rapid escalation and it may not stop there. This week they take on the homesters of Springwood A and anything other than another win for the Almondburians would be a surprise.

The rockets could start flying in the 2nd versus 3rd clash as Thorpe Green C take on a Slaithwaite side smarting from a first defeat last week when they went down to the Almondbury team. Nothing less than a win will pacify their thirst for further honours and who is to say that they cannot achieve that? More crackerjacks at the foot of the table as the bottom two face each other and both looking for a first win of the season. Lindley BC B face Lockwood Con A with both teams on the same 6-points mark so everything to play for.

Denby Dale are on that same points total but they were also carrying a 10-points penalty for declining promotion last season. With that deficit wiped out they can now cocentrate on cutting down the lead built up by the top two. Without that 10-points penalty the Denby Dale side would be sat in 3rd place with 16 points and a firm interest in another top two finish.

The bright start by the two Mirfield teams looks likely to continue as they face teams in the bottom half of Division 5 this Wednesday and both are looking for a first win of the season. Mirfield A are top virtue of a better Aggregate Difference score and they meet Paddock I&C who would welcome a first win of the campaign. Mirfield Old Banks first venture into the Winter League looks promising and a confrontation with bottom-of-the-table Milnsbridge should hold few fears for them based on the opening day results of both teams.

Just above bottom place sits Thorpe Green B and Dalton who both came down from Division 4 last season and are in danger of a second consecutive relegation. This makes the meeting of the two teams critical to any future hopes of climbing the table so no pressure there then! Jackson Bridge and Kirkheaton C&BC A finished in 4th and 5th places last season with the Kirkheaton team completing a league double over their rivals. That will count for nothing as the two teams meet up again this week.