Veterans League
Cowcliffe will be looking to retain their lead at the top of the Division 1 table when they travel to play Lindley Lib 'A' this Tuesday. Last season they completed a league double over their opponents and it will probably take a win to keep them flying high. Champions Lockwood Con sat out last week's fixture programme and start the defence of their title at home to Kirkheaton Con 'A' who started life in the top division with a creditable opening day 8-1 home win but this is a totally different 'ball-game'.
Two opening day winners meet at Golcar Lib where the 'A' side host Rastrick who are level on points with them. The Golcar side had a strong opening day experience winning at Longwood and will fancy the chances of building on that at home this week.
Promoted team Lindley BC 'A' will be relying on their historically strong home form to consolidate their position at the top level this season and their first test of that comes this week when Waterloo come to visit. The visitors had a strong season last year and began this campaign in similar fashion when beating last year's runners-up Elland C&BC 'A' by 7-2. No chance for the Elland team to recover from that as they sit out this week's round of fixtures. Marsh United 'A' also started the season strongly and will expect to build on that when travelling to Meltham this week. That leaves the two opening day losers, Clayton West and Longwood to see which one of them is going to open their winning account when they meet each other as we move into week 2 of the season.
Five of last week's Division 2 fixtures went the way of the away side and those five winners are all at home this week. Bradley & Colne were one of the quintet of winners and they have drawn the short straw in this week's opponents as they entertain a Milnsbridge 'A' side that recorded the opening day's only 9-0 whitewash scoreline which sees them at the top of the early league table.
Last week's confrontation of the two promoted teams went the way of Lowerhouses away at Slaithwaite and they will be looking to build on that big win this week but will have it all on against an Almondbury BC 'A' side who also opened brightly with a win. An 8-1 away win at any time is a real boost especially when it is the first match of the season so Shepley's confidence will be sky-high when they entertain Slaithwaite this week. The Colne Valley side will be keen to bounce back from their opening day defeat and reassert their potential at this higher level.
New Mill 'A' will be keener than most teams to restart the season after suffering that whitewash defeat last week and get the opportunity to address that when welcoming Lockwood Con 'B' this Tuesday who also lost their first match of the season. Two teams who were expected to be among the division's front-runners this season both lost last week and both will be keen to quickly address that faltering opening to their seasons. Relegated Thongsbridge 'A' surprisingly went down 3-6 at home and Thorpe Green will be looking to bounce back from a defeat at Almondbury where the aggregate scores decided the outcome.
Huddersfield Recreation Club and Denby Dale finished the 2021 season last year as 1 and 2 in Division 4 and they have started the new season in exactly the same positions but in Division 3 this time. Both recorded 7-2 wins last week although Denby Dale's win was away from home at Skel Windmill whilst the Recreation Club were at home to Springwood. Both have difficult matches this week as both take on first week winners in Golcar Lib 'B' and newcomers Linthwaite Hall.
Paddock I&C started brightly last week and have a good chance of extending that winning start at home to Skel Windmill who faltered at home to Denby Dale in their opening match. Marsh United 'B' came up against formidable opposition last week at Golcar Lib and will be looking for a more straightforward encounter this week but their visitors, Holmfirth 'A', will be buzzing after a good 6-3 home win over Almondbury Lib last week.
Three 7-2 winners last week separated only by 2 aggregate points head the Division 4 table as we head into week 2 of the new season. Ravensknowle Park, New Mill 'B' and Lindley BC 'B' are all away from home this week and all play teams that lost their first fixture of the season so all three will be looking to extend those winning starts. Two first-day winners meet up at Thongsbridge 'B' where they will host Outlane in the most interesting encounter. Both teams finished last season as third-from-bottom in their respective divisions with Outlane being in Division 3 and relegated to balance the divisions whilst Thongsbridge 'B' just avoided relegation from Division 4.
The top two teams in Division 5 have all the credentials to be heavily involved in the promotion race after both posted convincing 6-3 away wins last week. Relegated Netherton Con 'B' and Marsh Lib who finished last year in 3rd position have started in a positive fashion as have Dalton who also won 6-3 last week although the two points for the aggregate win were only just enough with a 115-114 countback. David Brown Sports had an equally close aggregate win (124-123) last week to post a 5-4 away win at Green head Park and this week have to face a Dalton team certainly on the upward path.
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