First away win for 4 years for Division 5 team

Veterans League

Review of Divisions 3,4&5 in the 10-Man League after Tuesday's fixtures

The Division 3 clash between Brockholes A and Kirkheaton C&BC A did justice to my selection as the Match of the Day in that division and a 5-4 home win matched the forecast. It was one of two 5-4 scorelines on the day again with the home team coming out on top when Skel Windmill saw off Linthwaite Hall with a closer 124-121 aggregate difference. Those two results stopped any of the four teams involved in appearing in the top four positions with Holmfirth A seeing off Paddock I&C with the top score of the day, 8-1, to start the season top of the table.

Some teams signal the start of a period of decline after a relegation whilst others see it as a challenge to return to that former level. Golcar Lib B seem to be in that second category after losing their place in Division 2 when finishing bottom of the Division 2 table last season they regrouped and had a worthwhile 6-3 away win at Slaithwaite to open their season's account. A similar conclusion could be said of New Mill A who bounced back from relegation last season to post a 6-3 away win over Thorpe Green on Tuesday for an encouraging start to the new campaign.

I nominated Marsh United B versus Brockholes B as my Division 4 fixture to watch for a close result. It didn't work out like that as the visiting Brockholes team overwhelmed their hosts to win 6-3. A good start for the 2025 Division 5 Champions which was matched by the Kirkheaton Con B team who came up with them and started their season with a 7-2 home win over Marsh Lib A who came down from Division 3 last season.

Thongsbridge B were the top scorers of Day 1 to go clear at the top after an impressive 8-1 home win over Lockwood Con B who also dropped a level for this term and the signs are not promising as this result extended their winless run to six matches. The biggest win of the day came from Milnsbridge B who hit David Brown Sports for a 137-88 aggregate home win and a 7-2 match scoreline. That has set the standard for last season's third place finishers and another tilt at the title looks to be on the cards based on this result.

The closest result of the opening round of fixtures came in Huddersfield Recreation Club's 5-4 away win (126-120 aggregate) over Ravensknowle Park. The Rugby Club avenged a losing double last season to Meltham B by beating them this time around by 6-3.

The two teams dropping down into Division 5 this season as both had very different opening day experiences to start their seasons. Primrose Hill Lib recorded a satisfactory 7-2 win over Almondbury BC B whilst Netherton Con B lost out 2-7 at New Mill B.

Holmfirth B had an encouraging first day 7-2 away win at Kirkheaton C&BC B which included the top aggregate score of the day in this division of 142-115. That was a direct contrast on last season when the Holmfirth B team finished bottom of the table for a third consecutive season and only winning three matches all season, none of those being away from home.

In fact the last time they recorded an away win was 10 August 2021 when they beat Broad Oak B 6-3 then followed that up with 44 successive away defeats. Only three Holmfirth bowlers played in both of those winning matches. The signs are already promising better times ahead. For now they share 2nd place with three other teams who all scored 7-2 wins but all of them sit behind the early leader, Broad Oak B, who clocked up an 8-1 home win over Greenhead Park B.

The opening day table is split in half with the Day 1 winners having opened a 3 points gap between themselves and the six losing teams. Two of those defeats coming for the home teams for as well as Kirkheaton C&BC B going down to Holmfirth B, Dalton lost out on their own turf to relegated Hemplow B. That gap is likely to soon disappear as the home and away factor evens itself out but we are up and running for a new Summer season of crown green bowling. Enjoy it