Veterans League
A review of all matches played in the Veterans 6-Man League on Monday 2 May
A Bank Holiday Monday of change in the Veterans 6-Man League with the lead in two of the divisions changing hands on the day. This includes Division 1 where Honley Con lost the top spot after going down 2-5 at home to 2021 Champions Shepley 'A'. There are now just 3-points between the top 6 teams in the division and all have played the same number of matches. Previous leaders Honley Con lost at home to Shepley 'A' by 2-5 but that win wasn't good enough to lift the Shepley side above the fourth position they occupied before this round of fixtures came into play.
It is Netherton Con's time for the top spot after a narrow 4-3 away win at Longwood gave them the momentum to assume the lead on a better 'Aggregate For' total over the previous leaders. The top two are both on 21 points and the 3rd and 4th teams are both on 20-points with a 3-point better 'Aggregate For' total giving Golcar C&BC the supremacy after a good 6-1 away win at Brockholes 'A'.
Completing the congestion in the top half of the table are Crosland Moor and Lockwood Con in 5th and 6th position. They both have 19-points after the teams clashed at The Moor on Tuesday and the home side ran out 5-2 winners.
Thongsbridge 'B' and Milnsbridge 'A' both clocked up 6-1 home wins on Tuesday to remain firmly in touch with the teams in the top half of the table. Thongsbridge moved up from 10th to 7th and Milnsbridge from 11th to 8th and just behind them is the Longwood side with a game in hand which they play on Friday at home to foot of the table Linthwaite Hall so will expect to climb a few places after that and could even go top by collecting 6 points from that match..
Marsh United 'A' have won all four of their Division 2 fixtures with the latest being a 5-2 away win at Lindley Lib 'B' which gives them a one-point lead at the top over Slaithwaite who edged their home game with Holmfirth 'A' by 4-3 and remain in 2nd place as a result. Previous leaders Clayton West were without a match this week and drop to third just ahead of the two Skel Windmill teams in alphabetic order who both won their latest matches. The 'A' team beat Meltham 4-3 away from home and the 'B' side condemned New Mill to another week in the relegation places after a 5-2 home win.
It was a testing time for the top four teams in Division 3 as they all had away fixtures this week and three of them won those matches including leaders Golcar Lib who retain their two-point lead as a result. They won 5-2 at Greenhead Park but whilst the 5-point aggregate advantage was never comfortable it was in the end decisive. Two points behind the leaders but with a match in hand are Marsh Lib who also won 5-2 away from home as the top two both retained their unbeaten records.
Primrose Hill Lib was the only top four team to lose this week but they did have the hardest looking fixture away at Almondbury Lib who beat them 5-2 to put the two teams level on points. Thongsbridge 'A' moved up to third after a good 5-2 away win at Holmfirth 'B' who, apart from a heavy pairs defeat, more than matched their opponents. Brockholes 'B' are still looking for their first win of the season after going down 1-6 at Hemplow who could still figure in the promotion challenge with a game in hand of three of the teams above them and only one good win off featuring in the promotion mix.