More of the same expected this week

Veterans League

Preview of fixtures in Divisions 1&2 of the 10-Man League scheduled for Tuesday 19 August

This week's Division 1 fixture list doesn't indicate a great opportunity for teams at the top or bottom of the table to change their situations significantly. The two runaway leaders both have away matches against bottom-four opposition where both will expect to collect the majority of the points. Lowerhouses are at Waterloo who are 17 points from safety and are counting down the days until their relegation is confirmed. Lindley Lib play the top two teams in their next two fixtures, starting this Tuesday with a home match against second-placed Longwood. They will be aiming to collect sufficient points before the final fixture of the season, home to Meltham, to make the outcome of that encounter meaningless but cannot expect to collect too many points from the Longwood team.

Meltham are still looking for their first away win of the season and go to play a Kirkheaton Con A side looking to avenge a May defeat at Meltham. Marsh United A are in that relegation mix and go to play a Cowcliffe team looking to complete a double over their Tuesday visitors.

Clayton West are looking to hit their highest position in the Division 1 table since pre-Covid when they finished third for four years (2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019) out of five seasons. A home win would set them nicely for the run-in which includes home matches against the top two teams. A mid-table clash between Golcar Lib A and Lockwood Con A completes the Tuesday programme.

A Division 2 bottom-of-the-table meeting of New Mill A and Golcar Lib B offers an opportunity for the home team to add to their points tally to close the gap to third from bottom Netherton Con A who have a tricky away fixture at Milnsbridge A. That five-point gap must be narrowed down if New Mill A are to stand any chance of staving off a nervous run-in to the end of season. Their fixture programme looks the easiest of the bottom four teams starting with a home win this week to end a 5-match losing run. Netherton Con A will be looking over their shoulders as will Denby Dale who entertain third-placed Shepley this week.

At the other end of the table the two Elland teams continue their personal battle for the Division 2 Champions title with Elland WMC having a 7-point advantage at present and an away fixture at Almondbury BC A on Tuesday. The Elland C&BC side have a home fixture against Broad Oak A whose mid-season climb up the table has petered out with defeats in their last two matches. The mid-table meeting of Lindley BC A and Thongsbridge A completes the Tuesday listing.