It's tough and tight at the top

Veterans League

Preview of the Veterans League 6-Man League matches to be played on Monday 6 June

There are just 2 points between the top five teams in Division 1 and all five have away matches this Monday. The leaders, Shepley 'A' have the best away points total clocking up a 50% win record this season and as they have to go to 6th placed Longwood they are going to need every ounce of that record to count. The top three teams are all on 30 points but it is fourth-placed Honley Con (on 29 points) that has the easiest looking encounter this week at bottom of the table and winless Linthwaite Hall.

Lindley Lib 'B' could do themselves a big favour in the relegation struggle by taking points off Brockholes 'A' who could get dragged into the drop zone should they suffer a heavy defeat. Lockwood Con are also in that mix and need to end their current 3-match losing run to ease their plight.

The top two teams in Division 2 both have Won-5 Lost-1 records and are separated by a single point with leaders Slaithwaite having to travel this Monday to play a Skel Windmill 'B' team that is among the relegation runners. Second in the table, Marsh United 'A', have a home match this week against Skel Windmill 'A' and would have to lose 0-7 to endanger that position this week although they will be looking upwards rather than downwards with a chance to go top very much within their grasp.

The bottom five teams only have four points between them and with Lindley Lib 'B' among them and without a fixture this week should be most worried about the outcome of those results. A good win for Meltham at Holmfirth 'A' could catapult them above their opponents and outside the drop zone altogether so a great incentive looms.

All three divisions have close situations at the top of their respective tables including Division 3 with 2 points separating the top three teams at present. Golcar Lib are in the middle of that trio despite winning all 6 matches to date. This week they go to Thongsbridge 'A' who have a better away record then at home whilst the new leaders, Almondbury Lib, have to travel to play fourth-placed Hemplow and their tenancy of the top spot may be short-lived. Should the top two struggle in their away matches then that would present third-placed Marsh Lib with the opening for a quick return to the top spot as they have a home fixture against mid-table Holmfirth 'B'.

Brockholes 'B' should be further adrift than the present 7 points after this week's fixtures as they are without a game and will watch the two teams immediately above them do their utmost to widen that gap as they go head-to-head. Marsh United 'B' collected their first win of the season last week and will have been heartened by that away victory when they have home advantage over Shepley 'B' who have lost their last four matches.