Julie Fuller Trophy gets interesting

Veterans League

Preview of the Last 16 in the Julie Fuller Trophy KO to be played on Monday 2 June

There is to be no fairy tale defence of their 2024 Julie Fuller Trophy success for New Mill A this season after being eliminated in the opening round by Division 2 leaders Holmfirth. Who themselves were then beaten by Clayton West A at the next stage. A strong start to being back in the top division sees them topping the current table with a handy +3 handicap to aid them and with a Last 16 tie against Primrose Hill Lib (+11 handicap) from mid-table in Division 3. The Division 1 leaders will expect to press on from that stage which may land them a mouth-watering quarter-final tie with 2nd in the Division 1 table Waterloo..

Waterloo were the 2024 beaten finalists and will take on Division 2 side Lindley Lib A on Monday who are making a strong bid for an immediate return to the top level and sit in the 2nd promotion place in Division 2 at present. This is a good test for both teams with Waterloo having to play off scratch against their +4 handicap opponents. Marsh United A are the other scratch team in the top half of the draw and they will meet fellow Division 1 team and three-times winner of this title, Netherton Con A. The Marsh side sit 2nd in the table having already beaten their Monday opponents in a league match so will be confident on progressing further.

Should they do that they could meet their Marsh Lib B (+11) neighbours in the quarter-finals if they can dispose of Broad Oak (+7). The Marsh side have made a good start to the league season currently sitting 2nd in Division 3 and eliminated their own A team clubmates (without needing their handicap advantage) in the last round. However their JFT opponents are a Division 2 side with promotion aspirations of their own with a current 4th place in the table and well positioned to build on that. This will be a good test for both teams.

There is just one scratch team in the bottom half of the draw and that is Shepley who have to face Division 3 side Milnsbridge B (+9). After a promising start to the season Shepley have recently lost to the top two teams in Division 1 but will still expect to make a big bid for knock-out glory and being three-times winner of this title know exactly what is required to do that. . The Milnsbridge side have only won on their own green this season and have never lifted this title so are in unchartered waters at present.

Greenhead Park B (+16) are another B team that has already eliminated their A team clubmates with a 65-62 success on their new home green at Thorpe Green. The reward for the Division 4 team is a tie against Division 2 strugglers Longwood (+6) at Golcar C&BC. The +1 handicap for Golcar C&BC reflects their 2024 standing which has not carried through to the 2025 season and with a tie against the unbeaten Division 3 leaders from Almondbury Lib (+9) could set up a surprise result. Almondbury were the first ever winners of this title back in 2001 but have never won it since.

An all-Thongsbridge tie completes the Monday programme with the club's A team (+3) meeting their B side (+7) on their home green. On paper this should be a formality for the A team who sit in 4th position in Division 1 whilst the B team are at the foot of the Division 2 table. However this is KO bowling with the added inter-club rivalry and with the B team having already eliminated scratch team Milnsbridge A to reach this point will be keen to claim the club bragging rites that a win would bring.