Veterans League
Preview of Division 1 & 2 10-Man League fixtures for Tuesday 18 July
Milnsbridge 'A' should prepare for the expected backlash from Golcar Lib 'A' after their surprise Division 1 defeat at Marsh United last week. A top v bottom clash offers few opportunities for a shock result especially when the top team are hosting the match. Despite that loss Golcar Lib 'A' continue to set a hot pace at the top with an eleven points lead and show little sign of easing up on their way to a second successive title.
There is a also a 2nd top v 2nd bottom encounter as well this Tuesday as Rastrick host relegation-threatened Longwood. The home team have won their last 5 matches whilst Longwood have lost six on the bounce so the eventual outcome would seem inevitable. Third-placed Kirkheaton Con will be striving to collect an eighth successive home win when Cowcliffe come looking to halt a 4-match losing run.
A good win for Marsh United 'A' last week may give them heart, although they may need more than that, when visiting the 'good home green' at Lowerhouses and Clayton West are on a run of three 8-1 wins and will be looking for more of the same when they entertain Elland C&BC this week. Waterloo will be looking to return to winning ways after losing their last two matches against the top two teams in the division but nothing can ever be guaranteed at Meltham where the home side has a good record and rely on it to keep out of the drop zone.
A Thursday rearranged fixture at Thorpe Green 'A' proved the launchpad for Lindley BC 'A' to leapfrog three teams locked together on 79 points and take over at the top of the Division 2 table. A 9th win in their last 10 matches with the latest 6-3 addition put last year's Division 1 dropdowns back in contention for an immediate return to the top table. The new leaders have another away fixture this week when they go to play Broad Oak 'A' who remain hopeful of crashing the promotion party. That match will be followed by another home fixture against a top-four side when Shepley come to visit. Two wins from those two matches plus the damage it would do to their opponents could provide the platform for a promotion push. Defeat could signal their downfall.
Last week's results left three teams locked together on the same 79-point marker with the Lindley BC team coming up on their blindside to pass them all. All three play at home this week with 3rd-placed Shepley seeming to have the best chance of moving ahead with bottom team Bradley & Colne their visitors. However the Bradley team did win their last match and clocked up a first win in eight so will be looking more positively towards the future whilst Shepley have lost 3 of their last 4 matches and need a win to re-establish themselves as serious title contenders.
Netherton Con 'A' and Lindley Lib 'A' are the other two teams in that trio and both play mid-table opposition this week with Thongsbridge 'A' going to Netherton and Almondbury BC 'A' visiting Lindley Lib. Thorpe Green keep flirting with the relegation places and have the opportunity to put such thoughts behind them this week when Hemplow 'A' are their guests. Thorpe Green are 8 points ahead of them in the table but only one place clear and they will be looking to improve on both fronts with this fixture.
The new leaders, Lindley BC 'A', have to play Broad Oak 'A' who are 10 points behind them in the table and a good win could shunt them into the promotion mix and with only one defeat in their last ten matches they are more than capable of doing that. Finally the New Mill 'A' v Linthwaite Hall fixture looks increasingly like a mid-table day out for both teams but if one of them should have a big win then the world is their oyster.
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