Preview of Tuesday's Division 8&9 fixtures

Winter League

A preview of the fixtures to be played on Tuesday 13 January in Divisions 8&9

Four points separate the bottom four teams in Division 8 and things are starting to look a little ominous for all of them as they are well adrift of the top four teams and it looks as if two of the four will be dropping down to Division 9 for next season. The two teams in prime position to suffer that fate are Linthwaite Hall B and Cowcliffe C and they both play top three teams this Tuesday.

Bottom of the table, Linthwaite Hall B, face up to 3rd placed Broad Oak B and an early season meeting of the two teams resulted in a 4-4 draw so something similar would suit the Linthwaite strugglers this around. No such memories for Cowcliffe C as they lost 0-8 to Lockwood Con C in November so will have to improve on that if they are to revive hopes of escaping the drop.

The leaders are Hemplow and they could build on their 10 points lead when meeting Meltham B this week and Mirfield B are one place and 10 points ahead of their closest rival in Golcar C&BC who continue to chip away at the 20-penalty they incurred after declining promotion from this division last season.

With the two teams in Division 9 holding down 1st and 3rd places meeting each other offers an opportunity to Kirkheaton C&BC C to chip away at that 2-points gap behind the leaders when they play bottom-of-the-table Brockholes C. The meeting of those top three teams will remind the leaders, Greenhead Park, that they beat Kirkheaton Con C 8-0 earlier in the season and a repeat of that would be a major setback to Kirkheaton's team's hopes of moving into the promotion places.

Almondbury BC C are sat in the second relegation place at present, 14 points off a safe position so will not erode that deficit this week when taking on Kirkheaton C&BC B whilst Mirfield C will hope to improve on the form that saw them lose 2-6 to Tuesday's opponents, Marsh Lib B, earlier in the season.