Holders go out of JFT in first round

Veterans League

New Mill A continued their miserable start to the 2025 season with a fourth defeat this time in the Preliminary Round of the Julie Fuller Trophy. This was a disappointing first defence of the title they won so handsomely last year going down to the Division 2 leaders, Holmfirth A at Almondbury Lib. Having finished last season with a run of 15 consecutive wins to take the second promotion place in Division 2 and lift the prestigious KO title, their dismal start to 2025 is not what was expected. In contrast the Holmfirth side have made an impressive start to 2025 in topping the Division 2 table after three straight League wins and putting last season's double defeat against the New Mill A side firmly behind them.

There was only one other Preliminary Round surprise defeat of a higher-placed team as Marsh United B from Division 4 saw off Division 3 team Denby Dale by 68-65. Some will point the finger at the new handicapping system for the dearth of surprise results with New Mill A being the sole Division 1 casualty but Division 3 high-flyers, Marsh Lib B, wouldn't agree with that as they were pushed all the way by Division 4 mid-table team Brockholes C before edging the closest result of the day 67-66. That win has set up an inter-club Round 1 confrontation with the two Marsh Lib teams facing each other on Monday 19 May. This is in addition to the Greenhead Park A v Greenhead Park B Round 1 meeting after both teams received Preliminary Round byes.

Waterloo were last year's beaten finalists in this competition and have made a good start in reaching a second successive final after beating the New Mill B side by 52-44 at Paddock I&C.

All the Preliminary Round results and the revised Round 1 draw are below.

Preliminary Round (Monday 28 April)

1. Brockholes B (+7) 50-59 Lockwood Con (+4)

2. Lindley Lib.A (+4) 67-45 Meltham (+14)

3. Marsh United B (+14) 67-66 Denby Dale (+10)

4. New Mill B (+12) 44-52 Waterloo (0)

5. Shepley B (+16) v Elland C&BC (+10) BYE

6. Holmfirth B (+11) 53-56 Primrose Hill Lib (+11)

7. New Mill A (+3) 47-57 Holmfirth A (+6)

8. Clayton West A (+3) 65-58 Hemplow B (+12)

9. Golcar Lib. (+6) 46-53 Netherton Con. A (-3)

10. Skel Windmill B (+14) 58-60 Slaithwaite (+1)

11. Skel Windmill A (0) 63-38 Clayton West B (+12)

12. Lindley Lib.B (+9) 40-57 Marsh United A (0)

13. Brockholes C (+14) 66-67 Marsh Lib B (+11)

Round of 32 (Monday 19th May)

Lockwood Con (+4) v Lindley Lib A (+4)

Marsh United B (+14) v Waterloo (0)

Elland C&BC (+10) v Primrose Hill Lib (+11)

Holmfirth A (+11) v Clayton West A (+3)

Netherton Con A (-3) v Slaithwaite (+1)

Skel Windmill A (0) v Marsh United A (0)

Marsh Lib B (+11) v Marsh Lib A (+6)

Brockholes A (+3) v. Broad Oak (+7)

Milnsbridge BC B (+9) v. Hemplow A (+10)

Crosland Moor (+4) v. Shepley A (0)

Greenhead Park A (+9) v. Greenhead Park B (+16)

Longwood (+6) v. Paddock I & C (+4)

Milnsbridge BC A (+1) v. Thongsbridge B (+7)

Thongsbridge A (+3) v. Linthwaite Hall (+10)

Golcar C & BC (+1) v. Thongsbridge C (+16)

Netherton Con B (+12) v. Almondbury Lib. (+9)