Monday 6-Man League Preview

Veterans League

Preview of the 6-Man League matches to be played on Monday 26 May

Division 1 leaders, Clayton West A, have a Won 4 Lost 1 record this season which is exactly the same as their Tuesday opponents Shepley A. The only difference being the four-position gap between them in the table created by a 6-points difference. That could change this week as the two teams go up against each other with the leaders having home advantage.

The top four teams all have home fixtures this week with 2nd placed Marsh United A hosting New Mill A (10th), Waterloo (3rd) v Netherton Con A (6th) and 4th placed Skel Windmill A at home to 2nd from bottom Golcar C&BC. All will expect to win but by what margins?

Bottom-of-the-table Brockholes A travel (not far) to play Thongsbridge A and Slaithwaite (9th) host mid-table Milnsbridge A.

Holmfirth A are the Division 2 leaders and they have a home match this Monday against third-placed Golcar Lib who are 5 points behind their rivals with a match in hand. With second-placed Lindley Lib A away to Crosland Moor it is a great opportunity for the leaders to push away from the pack.

Two points separate the mid-table pack of five teams and it seems unlikely that any of them are going to improve their promotion chances this week. Brockholes B have a bye week and could drop four places as a result with 5th-placed Marsh Lib A travelling to meet a Paddock I&C team still looking for their first win of the season.

Broad Oak host Longwood with both teams having Won-2 Lost-2 records. With home advantage the Oak will expect a good win to boost their chances of stepping up a place or two with both teams having played one match less than most of the teams above them in the table. Lockwood Con entertain bottom-of-the-table Thongsbridge B and will need and expect a big win to move into mid-table.

There is a top two clash in Division 3 as the runaway leaders, Almondbury Lib, have to go to play Marsh Lib B. There maybe only one position between the two teams but it is the 8-points gap that really counts which means that Almondbury Lib will still top the table regardless of the result of Monday's match. Marsh Lib B could retain 2nd place as 3rd-placed Primrose Hill Lib are without a match this week and are 4 points ahead of 4th-placed Greenhead Park A who are away to Milnsbridge BC B.

Hemplow A are struggling at the foot of the table having lost all four of their fixtures this season and they have Linthwaite Hall as visitors this week who are on the fringe of the promotion places with a match in hand over the top three teams so will be keen to keep the pressure on them.

Lindley Lib B will see this week's match at home to Elland C&BC as a great opportunity to move up the table and out of the drop zone. Just one place and two points behind their rivals and with their greatest threat coming from Holmfirth B who have to travel to play Denby Dale, a good home win could elevate them out of immediate danger and see them set course on better time ahead.

There is a 7-points gap between the top two teams in Division 4 with the leaders, Hemplow B, having played a match more than their nearest rivals Netherton Con B. With the Netherton team having a home fixture against bottom-of-the-table Meltham and the leaders also away at lowly Brockholes C things are likely to remain very similar after the Monday results are in.

However Marsh United B and New Mill B may have a different outlook on that scenario as they sit in 3rd and 4th positions and meet up this week. The New Mill team are only one point and one place behind their Monday opponents and crucially have a match in hand and with home advantage will fancy their chances of overtaking their Marsh opponents and still have a match in hand over them.

Shepley B and Clayton West B are both sat on the 13-points marker but are separated by 4 places in the table as they meet each other this week. The winner could move quickly up the table and two teams, Thongsbridge C and Brockholes C, who don't meet until Thursday could be overtaken.