Hemplow rejoin Division 3 promotion chase

Veterans League

Preview of the Tuesday fixtures in Divisions 3.4 & 5 of the Veterans League

With the top two teams in Division 3 both losing last week that has opened the door to Hemplow A to rejoin in the promotion party. Only one point keeps the top three teams apart and with the top two having home fixtures this Tuesday things could be reverting back unless Hemplow A get a big win at bottom team Lockwwod Con B.

Almondbury Lib are the leaders and with a home match against relegation-threatened Thorpe Green they will be aiming to extend that one point lead. Second placed Holmfirth A have been joined on 43 points by Hemplow A and their home fixture against 4th placed Linthwaite Hall could be the biggest challenge of the day for the leading bunch.

The Hemplow team have been buzzing around the top order all season without threatening to make a major impact but a last time out 8-1 home win over Almondbury Lib has set the benchmark for them if they are to become a more potent force in the top order. That has to start with an away win at bottom team Lockwood Con B.

There is a top of the table clash in Division 4 as the leaders Skel Windmill have home advantage over 2nd placed Kirkheaton C&BC A. The Skel side are defending the 10-Man League's only 100% win record which has resulted in a 10-points lead at the top of the table. They will expect to defend that admirable record and extend their lead whilst their visitors will be desperate to hang on to the second promotion place.

Third in the table Marsh United B have lost 3 of their last 4 matches although two of those were against the top two teams but they still feature very much in contention for a promotion place. A visit to play Meltham B should be viewed as an opportunity to step above their main rival for that coveted spot and anything less would be a setback to such ambitions.

Milnsbridge B have lost all four of their away fixtures this season and the same outcome from a trip to play second from bottom Primrose Hill Lib would seal any hopes they have of pushing themselves into the promotion race this season. Netherton Con B are the one team below them in the table and they are 10 points adrift of safety so a home game against a bottom half team has to be within their capabilities if they harbour any ambitions of escaping relegation thi season.

A congested mid-table sees 5 teams within 4 points of each other all with Won-4 Lost-4 records. When any two of those teams face each other then the result becomes key to which way their season is going. There is one such match this week as the Rugby Club host Ravensknowle Park with very different recent form results. The Rugby Club have lost 4 of their last 5 fixtures whilst the Park are on a run of 3 straight wins. Will form preside this week or not?

Thongsbridge B would love to join in that mid-table contest and a home game against one of those teams presents a good opportuniity for them to step up a level and eliminate that 4 points gap preventing them from moving into a more comfortable position. david Brown Sports are their visitors this Tuesday and they come with a poor away record which has seen them only beat bottom team, Netherton Con B, away from home this season.

The top two teams in Division 5 both have difficult looking away fixtures this week as the leaders, Kirkheaton Con B, travel to play 4th placed Dalton who have a 100% home win record. With 2nd placed Brockholes B having to play away at another team with an unbeaten home record, Marsh Lib B.

Third-placed Hemplow B could be the main beneficiaries of the fixture list as they are at home to lowly Holmfirth B who won their first game of the season last week and will be looking to build on that success.

All three of the bottom teams have away fixtures this week and track records indicate that wins on the road are rare indeed. Almondbury BC B have one such victory under their belts this season and have the added incentive of playing a Kirkheaton C&BC B team that has lost all four of their home fixtures this season. With fellow strugglers New Mill B having a stiff challenge away at Lindley BC B things may be about to change in the pecking order of the bottom half of the table.

Greenhead Park and Broad Oak B sit bang in the middle of that table and go up against each other this Tuesday. They have contrasting recent form records with Greenhead Park losing 4 of their last 5 matches and Broad Oak B winning 3 of their last 4 but they are still looking for a first away win of the season which should give the home team heart.