First 9-0 whitewash win for Skel Windmill

Veterans League

Review of the 10-Man League Divisions 3, 4 & 5 fixtures played on Tuesday 8 July

Almondbury Lib show no signs of easing up in their quest to lift the Division 3 title this season. An emphatic 8-1 home win over Slaithwaite this week saw them widen their lead at the top from 4 points to 7 points with their three main rivals all having away fixtures this week. Three of those four teams won their matches to stay in contention for the second promotion place. Hemplow A pose the biggest threat and a 5-4 win at Holmfirth A confirmed that as Linthwaite Hall also racked up a 5th successive win at Lindley Lib B by 7-2. The opposite is true of Holmfirth A as they continue to slip out of the promotion picture with a fourth successive defeat.

The only top-four team to lose this week was Brockholes A who went down 4-5 at Lockwood Con which wasn't enough to lift the victors out of the relegation places. That mainly being due to Paddock I&C having a 7-2 home win over Thorpe Green. That lifted the Paddock team as they swapped places with Thorpe Green who now reside in the second relegation place. It is really close at the foot of the table with half the season's fixtures now completed and a few more twists and turns expected. This week's results did Marsh Lib A no favours as they suffered a whitewash 0-9 defeat at Springwood and are suddenly five points behind their nearest rivals.

Skel Windmill have now beaten all the other eleven teams in Division 4 in the most destroying manner with a first 9-0 whitewash win of the season and a home win over Meltham B. At this pace the leaders are probably going to be the first team in the League to confirm their promotion and possibly their Division title. However we have seen teams throw away similar advantages in the past and no doubt there will still be some challenges to be tackled along the way but they could hardly have done any better then 11 wins out of 11 matches played.

That result saw Meltham B drop two places to 9th position and flirting ominously with the relegation places. Only home defeats for David Brown Sports and Primrose Hill Lib saved them them from claiming one of those places this week. David Brown Sports going down 4-5 after a 118-118 aggregate draw with Milnsbridge B and Primrose Hill Lib losing 3-6 to Kirkheaton C&BC A who continue to retain the 2nd promotion place.

A Wednesday fixture for Netherton Con B gave them a second successive home win and raised hopes of an escape from the relegation race. The scalp was particularly noteworthy as it was at the expense of promotion-chasing Huddersfield RUBC. That was good news for Marsh United B who moved into contention after a resounding 8-1 home win over Huddersfield Recreation Club who continue to search for a first away win of the season. A close 5-4 scoreline did neither team any good in their battle to stay remote to the relegation battle as Thongsbridge B used home advantage over Ravensknowle Park and both teams remain in range of the dropzone teams.

Kirkheaton Con B bounced back to form with a 7-2 away win at Marsh Lib B which put them back on top of the Division 5 table. They passed Brockholes B who couldn't match that scoreline but a 6-3 home win over Holmfirth B kept them very much in the promotion picture. Dalton started the day level on points with the Kirkheaton and Brockholes teams but a 3-6 away defeat at Kirkheaton C&BC B saw them drop to 4th position after being overtaken by Hemplow B who had a 7-2 home win over bottom of the table New Mill B.

Greenhead Park ensured they stayed clear of the bottom places after a 5-4 home win over Almondbury BC A whilst a 5-4 home win for Lindley BC B over Broad Oak B wasn't enough to move them any closer to the top order.