Monday matches previewed

Winter League

Preview of the fixtures in Divisions 4 & 10 for Monday 5 January

The turn of the year and the Division 4 table looks to be dividing into two unequal halves with five contenders for the two promotion places. Four of those five teams meet up this week with the leaders, Primrose Hill Lib, taking on third-placed Milnsbridge B in the division's match of the day. The Milnsbridge team has the best Aggregate For score in the Division which is almost worth an extra point when point totals are close and they are close in Division 4. Only 6 points separate the top top five teams who all believe that they can clinch a promotion place with some justification.

This is the third season that Primrose Hill Lib has acted as a host green in the Winter League but the first time that they have pushed themselves into the promotion race. A four point lead needs to act as a platform for further wins and points. The other top five meeting of teams pairs 2nd-placed Elland WMC against Linthwaite Hall A. Elland joined the Division 4 challenge after finishing runners-up in Division 5 last season so they have done well to sit second in the table this season as well. Can they hang on to that second promotion place? They have lost twice to the leaders so that hurdle is behind them and the only other team to beat them has been Brockholes A who they still have to meet again.

There is an important fixture at the foot of the table as well with two of the bottom three facing each other when Brockholes A go up against Huddersfield Recreation Club A. There are three points between the bottom three teams with the expectation that two of those three will be dropping through the end-of-season relegation trapdoor. The outcome of this match could go a long way to determining the chances of survival of both teams. Lindley Lib C are also in that relegation mix and have to face a Netherton Con A team that beat them earlier in the season.

How do Skel Windmill find themselves only third in the Division 10 table despite having the only unbeaten record in the division? Well they have drawn more matches than they have won so that is the sole reason that they sit third in the table rather than in one of the two promotion places. It is OK to draw fixtures against the top two teams but when you do the same against the bottom two it asks questions about the team's ability to mount a true promotion challenge. The answer to that question could be forthcoming this week when they face the leaders, Thongsbridge, who cannot afford to drop any points without damaging their title hopes with Rastrick in their slipstream and capable of reproducing the form that saw them beat this week's opponents 8-0 on the opening day of the season.

There is a Brockholes derby match with the D team in urgent need of a relegation avoidance boost by beating their clubmates to kickstart a great escape. Bottom of the pile Outlane B welcome Skel Windmill B to the League with an intent to improve their chances of moving out of the dropzone by collecting a second win of the season. The third new team taking over a previous team's playing record is Holmfirth B who had a good win just before the Christmas break to set a standard that will be sorely tested by a title-chasing Rastrick team.