New Mill B hold key to Division 5 promotion

Veterans League

Preview of Monday's fixtures in the Veterans 6-Man League

Plenty of interest in teams at both ends of the Division 1 table this Monday. Clayton West continue to set the pace but cannot shake off Marsh United A who are just 5-points behind them. The Marsh team could chip away at that lead with a home match on Monday against relegation candidates Thongsbridge A, whilst Clayton West have to travel to play Golcar C&BC.

Two of the bottom three teams face each other as bottom team, Skel Windmill A, are away at Lindley Lib A with only 6 points between the teams and only three matches still to be played.

It looks like the Division 2 title is Brockholes A's to lose with an 11 point lead and only three more matches to be played. That grip on the title will be strengthened if they can come away from Monday's match at Marsh Lib A with a big win whilst their main rival, New Mill A, have an easier-looking encounter at home to Lockwood Con. The Marsh Lib A side and Longwood have not given up on claiming the second promotion place, with both being 7 points behind New Mill A and Longwood visiting a struggling Denby Dale team currently residing in the relegation places. The Longwood team have won their last four matches, the last two with 7-0 whitewash scorelines and will fancy their chances again this week.

A whitewash 7-0 home win for Thongsbridge B, will see them crowned as the Division 3 Champions with promotion already assured. Their opponents are Marsh Lib B who are fighting for an extension to their time at this level with the teams either side of them facing up to each other. Greenhead Park currently occupy the second relegation place and have a must-win home match against Lindley Lib A.

The top two teams in Division 5 cannot afford to slip up by dropping points from their home games this Monday. Hemplow B are leading the way but have the most difficult looking match this week with 4th placed New Mill B on a run of 6 straight wins and their last three matches are against the three teams above them in the table. They could have a big say on the destination of the title and promotion places.

Third-placed Meltham, apart from the away fixture at New Mill B, have home matches against two of the bottom three teams so expect to be in the final-day dogfight for a promotion place. That starts with a home match against a Shepley B side that have lost their last 8 matches and anything other than a good win will be a major setback to their chances.

Netherton Con B hold the 2nd promotion spot at present but have lost to Hemplow B and Meltham in the past month and need to recover from that to post two big wins and not rely on a final day home win over New Mill B to see them promoted. That starts this Monday with a home match against Brockholes C.