Veterans League Review of the 6-Man League fixtures played on Monday 22 May
Marsh United 'A' and Netherton Con are level on points (26) and have the same 'Aggregate For' totals (479) and sit dead level at the top of the Division 1 table. The lesser 'Aggregate Against' column separates the two teams and after a good day for their 'B' team, Marsh United now have their two teams topping their respective divisions.
Things are very tight at the top of the Division 1 table after Thongsbridge 'A' beat the leaders Marsh United 'A' 5-2 to create a log-jam with the 6 teams in the top half of the table only separated by 5 points. Despite a first defeat of the season for Division 1 leaders Marsh United 'A' they hang on to top spot although they have the same points total (26) and same 'Aggregate For' total (479) as Netherton Con 'A'. The only way that the two teams can be separated is by the 'Aggregate Against' totals with the Marsh team's lower total of 387 against the 422 of Netherton Con the only deciding factor.
Reigning Champions, Shepley 'A', lost for the 2nd time this season going down 2-5 at Golcar C&BC that sees them drop a place to fifth and their hopes of completing a hat-trick of league titles diminishing all the time. They have now been overtaken by Skel Windmill 'A' who had a big 6-1 home win over a Lockwood Con side still seeking their first win of the season.
The Brockholes 'A' team also feature prominently in the title chase holding on to third spot and now only one point behind the leading pair after a 5-2 home win over a still winless Longwood team.
If Elland C&BC had fielded a full team then there is every chance that they could have recorded their first win of the season when playing Milnsbridge 'A' after winning 3 of the 4 games they contested. Being one short saw them lose the aggregate points and go down 3-4 and remain in the bottom three.
There was only one away winner in Division 2 and that was Denby Dale winning for the first time this season with a 6-1 away success at Linthwaite Hall and the two teams swapping positions at the foot of the table as a result. Paddock I&C, Lindley Lib 'A' and Salithwaite retained the same top three slots even though the Slaithwaite team went down 2-5 at Holmfirth 'A'. That result enabled the top two to open up a gap of 5 points between 3rd and 2nd and with Paddock I&C now clocking up their 5th straight win of the season and one of only two unbeaten teams in the league to look omminently superior. However none of the top three have played each other yet so that could well change the pecking order.
That defeat for Slaithwaite saw the two winners of the mid-table encounters move into closer contention and now Clayton West (7-0 winners over Skel Windmill 'B') and Milnsbridge 'B' (5-2 victors over Golcar Lib) are just one point behind them.
What a good day for Marsh United 'B' as they were the only top five Division 3 team playing at home and the only one to win with a commanding 7-0 win over promotion chasers Thongsbridge 'B'. That win sent Marsh United to the top of the table and saw the Thongsbridge side drop from 5th position and 4 points from the top right down to 8th place and 9 points off the pace. The previous leaders were Marsh Lib but a first defeat of the season saw them drop a place behind their neighbours and their 5-2 conquerers, Greenhead Park, move up two places to 4th position.
Holmfirth 'B' were another casualty going down 1-6 at Primrose Hill Lib and dropped a place to third as a result whilst Thongsbridge 'C' were the other top five team to lose when going down 3-4 at New Mill. Hemplow opened their first winning line for the season in emphatic style with a 7-0 away win at Shepley 'B' to double their season's points tally but haven't improved on their third from bottom league position. Meltham moved into the top half of the table after a tight 4-3 home win over winless Brockholes 'B'.
Comments