Veterans League
Preview of the Divisions 1 & 2 fixtures for Tuesday 2 May 2023
The Division 1 leaders are the reigning Champions from Golcar Lib 'A' and they have to travel to Elland C&BC in the knowledge that their two nearest challengers, Cowcliffe and Rastrick, both have home matches this week and could be poised to take advantage of any slip up that the Golcar side may make.
Marsh United 'A' hold the Division's only unbeaten record but having played a game less than any of the top half teams. They will be looking to extend that sequence even further when they travel to meet lowly Waterloo on Tuesday.
Lockwood Con 'A' lost their unbeaten run last Tuesday and will be looking to bounce back from that when they take on bottom-of-the-table team Milnsbridge 'A' this week. Lowerhouses would hope to build on their first success of the campaign last week when they visit second-from-bottom Waterloo.
Kirkheaton Con 'A' play at home for the second time this Tuesday when Clayton West are the visitors whilst Cowcliffe entertain Meltham 'A' who have lost both their first two away matches of the season.
The Lindley derby match is the stand-out fixture in the Division 2 programme this week as it pitches first versus third. Top of the table Lindley Lib 'A' will walk down the road to play at the home of Lindley BC 'A' recalling that last year this was a Division 1 fixture. That will hold no fear for the boys from the Liberal Club as they completed a 5-4 win double over their neighbours last year and are currently setting the pace at the top of the table. Both teams have put last year's relegation behind them with good starts to the 2023 season and a growing belief that both could bounce straight back into the top flight.
A rejuvenated Netherton Con team may have something to say about that as they sit between the two Lindley teams in the table with a 100% win record to date. That is very different to last season when they lost 4 of their first 5 matches and then at the tail end of the season lost 4 of their last 6 fixtures to eliminate themselves from the promotion battle but still finished in 4th place. This week they visit promoted Linthwaite Hall who have had a satisfactory Won-2 Lost-2 start to life at this higher level.
The bottom four teams play each other which always concentrates the mind as such matches can begin the start of a revival or signal the start of a drop to lower levels. All four teams may be in that position as they are the four teams in the division that have played a game less than the other 9 teams or it may be because they are the teams destined to remain in a relegation fight all season. So all four will be keen to get some points on the board with Hemplow 'A' especially keen to clock up their first win of the season but have to travel to play Almondbury BC 'A' who are way off their 2022 form when they finished 3rd in the end of season table. Then Thongsbridge 'A' will be keen to see off their nearest neighbours Holmfirth 'A' and reverse places with them to kick-start a run up the table to at least the mid-table security that they enjoyed last year.
A good home win for 4th placed Shepley over Thorpe Green could elevate them firmly into the promotion tussle whilst Broad Oak 'A' will want a good win at home over New Mill 'A' to prevent any decline into the relegation mire.
The preview of the Divisions 3, 4 & 5 fixtures will follow here shortly
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