Setback for Longwood v bogey team

Veterans League

Review of results from Tuesday 6 May in Divisions 1 & 2 of the Veterans 10-Man League

Longwood's 5-points lead at the top of the Division 1 table disappeared on Tuesday when they suffered a 2-7 defeat away to Marsh United A who are becoming a 'bogey team' for the Longwood outfit. They did the same thing to their visitors last season and this year saw them climb two places as a result to 7th in the table. That defeat for the leaders coupled with a fourth straight win for Kirkheaton Con A sees the gap disappear altogether and only 2 Aggregate For points separate the two teams now. A 7-2 home win for the Kirkheaton team over Cowcliffe sealing that change.

Golcar Lib A suffered a second successive 4-5 defeat when going down at Clayton West and that saw them slip two places to fourth as a result. That sees the Clayton West team go level on points with the Golcar Lib team along with Lowerhouses who won 6-3 away at Lockwood Con A.

There are ominous signs for the bottom four teams with a gap starting to appear between them and the rest of the teams. Even more ominously it seems that these four teams will be relying on matches between themselves to determine the running order in the fight to stave off relegation. The only two wins for any of the bottom four teams have been matches involving fellow strugglers with the second such encounter this week saw Meltham A beat Waterloo 7-2 but that leaves both teams occupying relegation places for now.

The only other win by a bottom four team came last week when Lindley Lib A beat another bottom four opponent in Lockwood Con A. This week Lindley Lib A reverted to type when going down 2-7 away at a recovering Rastrick team who moved into the top half of the table.

One of the surviving Division 2 unbeaten records went west this week when Elland WMC lost at home to Lindley BC A by 4-5 and it could have been worse if it hadn't been for a saving of the two bonus points for the better aggregate scoreline of 123-117. They hang on to second place helped by third-placed New Mill A going down 2-7 away at the leaders Elland C&BC who are now 5-points clear at the top of the table and extend the division's only 100% win record to four matches.

Denby Dale are becoming seriously adrift at the foot of the table after a 1-8 away defeat at Broad Oak A sees them 7 points from safety already. A good 6-3 home win for Golcar Lib B over Thongsbridge A lifted them out of the relegation places for now and put Netherton Con A into the dropzone after losing at home to Shepley by 3-6 who go third.

Almondbury BC A beat Milnsbridge A by 5-4 to inch closer to their rivals in mid-table who both remain in a mid-table logjam of seven teams separated by just three points.