Meeting of the Division 1 strugglers

Winter League

A preview of Division 1 & 2 fixtures to be played on Wednesday 23 November

Two teams with identical records and both struggling go up against each other in this Division 1 fixture on Wednesday. Lindley Lib and Kirkheaton Con have identical Won-1 Drawn-1 Lost-2 playing records this season with similar aggregate records of 199-226 (Lindley Lib) and 199-221 (Kirkheaton Con). There is a difference in the points totals with the Lindley outfit shading that by 14-12.

Reaching the top division courtesy of claiming the second promotion place last season in Division 2 Lindley Lib started brightly with a draw and win in their opening two fixtures. They followed that up by taking points off two league leaders, Lower Hopton and Thorpe Green 'A'. The Kirkheaton side mirrored that start with a win and a draw to start their season but then lost the next two.

This Wednesday they meet up as they occupy 6th and 7th places in the table with only Lindley BC 'A' below them although they have a match in hand over both of them so, being realistic, we are looking at two relegation candidates based on results to date.

No such problems for Thorpe Green 'A' who retain the only unbeaten record in the top division after 4 matches. This week they take Clayton West who have just clocked up wins over last season's top two finishers in their last two fixtures. Such impressive form will alert the current leaders who follow up this week's fixture by playing Lower Hopton next week so we will know a lot more about their chances by the end of the month.

Meltham have settled really well into the level required to survive in the top division and a second place is testimony to that. This Wednesday they face New Millers who have already beaten last season's League Champions and Runners-up this season. They were the only teams to finish last season ahead of them so will be confident of progressing even higher this term. Lower Hopton have now lost more games in the first month of the season than they did in the whole of the 2021-22 season so need to stabilise their form and will be looking for a big win against the bottom team, Lindley BC 'A', to begin that return to normality.

The League's only surviving 100% win record belongs to Division 2 leaders Lindley BC 'B' who, looking at the current league placings, could be looking to swap places with their club 'A' team come the end of the season. Any real threat to that last 100% record would be a major surprise as their Wednesday opponents are Rastrick 'A' who are looking for their first Winter League win since 22 December 2020 but this is developing into a season of surprise results so maybe we are being a little premature in discarding such an outcome.

Lockwood Con will be looking to bounce back from their first defeat of the season but are expected to have a tough encounter against Milnsbridge 'A' who started the season so strongly with back-to-back 8-0 wins before losing their last two matches and in danger of losing contact with the leading teams.

Springwood 'A' and Lowerhouses 'A' both have Won-3 Lost-1 records this season and are in the slipstream of the top two teams with them firmly in their sights. A win for either will set the pulse rates and aspirations even higher. Lowerhouses are the form team having ended Lockwood Con's winning start to the season last week and are on a run of three straight wins whereas the Springwood three wins have come against the three teams currently filling the bottom three places in the table. Two of those teams meet this Wednesday with Denby Dale taking on Jackson Bridge with the Dale still glowing in the aftermath of their 8-0 thrashing of Milnsbridge 'A' last week which was their first win of the season.

All the Division 1 fixtures will take place at Milnsbridge BC on Wednesday (11.30am start)

All the Division 2 fixtures will take place at Springwood on Wednesday (11.30am start)