Leaders v Champions in Division 1 clash

Veterans League

Preview of the fixtures for Monday 5 May in the Veterans 6-Man League

Three very interesting fixtures this Monday in the Division 1 race for the 2025 title with the current table toppers, Shepley A, visiting the winners of the title for the last two years Marsh United A. The reigning Champions are still recovering from the opening day 1-6 defeat at Skel Windmill A and a big statement success this week would go a long way to recovering the situation and revise their ambitions. However, the Shepley team seem to have reawakened some of the spirit that saw them win the competition in both the 2021 and 2022 seasons and they will go to the Marsh United green determined to hang on to the division's only unbeaten record.

The interest doesn't stop there as the four teams immediately behind the leaders face each other as Skel Windmill A (2nd) host Waterloo (4th} and third-placed Netherton Con A visit Clayton West A (5th). It is days like this that often spur on teams for the rest of the season and so determine the direction of honours. Don't underestimate the importance of the Monday fixture programme.

That rule also applies equally at the foot of the table with the bottom four teams playing each other. New Mill A sit at the foot of the table having shown little of their promotion form so far and still seeking a first win of the season. A home fixture against Brockholes A who sit two places and three points above them in the table offers the best opportunity to open their season's account and reignite their 2024 form. Winless Golcar C&BC finished 5th in the table last year and completed a League Double over Slaithwaite who they meet again this week.

That just leaves the mid-table clash of two teams on the same 11 points total to meet, with Thongsbridge A having home advantage over Milnsbridge A.

The top two teams in Division 2 are locked together on the same 15 points total and both have home fixtures to look forward to this Monday. Holmfirth A entertain 4th-placed Lindley Lib A whilst Marsh Lib A face a visiting Longwood team still looking for a first win of the season.

Third-placed Broad Oak A have the day off presenting an opportunity to Lockwood Con A to move into contention as they host a Crosland Moor side still reflecting on their relegation from the top level after the reorganisation of the divisions last season. Both teams need to have that reality check very soon to appreciate that they could be in a second year relegation fight if they are not very careful.

Golcar Lib have a match in hand over the 6 teams above them in the table and if they continue their early season form can pass last season's 6th place finish in Division 2 which will be a real achivement seeing as there are four teams from last year's Division 1 among their numbers. This week they face one of those four away at Paddock I&C and this could be a good measure as to their potential.

Brockholes B have had a hard start to the 2025 season having lost to both of the top two teams and now those difficult fixtures are out of their way they need to concentrate on picking up wins against lesser opposiition such as Tuesday's opponents Thongsbridge B. With home advantage anything less than a good win will start the warning bells ringing.

Two teams that finished last season in 9th and 10th positions out of the 14 teams in Division 2 but still got relegated under the reorganisation can react in one of two ways. They can use that seemingly injustice as a spur to return to a level they believe that they should be playing at our they can feel sorry for themselves and expect to beat all before them at a level lower than they believe they should be operating at. Almondbury Lib are one of those two teams and their response has been exemplory with three big wins at this new Division 3 level. Monday's match away to Denby Dale will be a good gauge of that recovery plan as the Denby side just missed out on promotion to Division 2 last season and currently sit 4th in the table.

The other team to be surprised to find themselves in Division 3 are Milnsbridge B and their opening response to that relegation needs to improve especially as their next two matches are against the top two teams in the division starting with second-placed Marsh Lib B this week. That will be no easy task as the Marsh Lib side have won all their three fixtures to date and seem determined to improve on last season's mid-table finish.

Greenhead Park A seem to be enjoying life at their new Thorpe Green home having played both of their matches to date at home and winning both 6-1 to sit third in the table. A first away match of the season sees them travelling to play 5th-placed Primrose Hill Lib which will be a better measure of their potential at this level.

The three bottom teams are all winless and all on 3 points and two of those teams meet up this week. Holmfirth B have played one less game than their rivals Lindley Lib B but as this is an away match may not be able to assert their authority as much as they would like. Hemplow A are sandwiched between the other two teams in the bottom three and having a bye this week can expect to find themselves in the bottom spot come Monday tea-time.

The final fixture in this division is between two teams relegated from Division 2 last season. Elland C&BC recovered from their opening day whitewash defeat at Almondbury Lib to register two subsequent 5-2 wins and with home advantage will fancy their chances of reversing last season's double defeats against the same opponents from Linthwaite Hall.

The big match in Division 4 has to wait until Friday when the leaders Hemplow B have to travel to play Thongsbridge C. Every team in this division has won at least one match and no team has a 100% win record indicating that there are no teams that are way above this level or maybe it is the new Alternate Jacks rule that is evening out the differences at this level. Whatever it is Netherton Con B are likely to find themselves at the top of the table for a few days after their home Monday fixture against the new boys from Clayton West B.

Greenhead Park B will be looking to build on their earlier 7-0 win on their new home green at Thorpe Green when they host Skel Windmill B. The B teams from Shepley and Marsh United both have Won-1 Lost-2 records to date but still have a 4 points gap between them with the Marsh United team sitting in 5th place and Shepley in 9th. Brockholes C are one of three teams in mid-table on the same 10 points mark. They will expect to improve on that after a home meeting with bottom-of-the-table New Mill B this week.