Veterans League
A review of all the 6-Man League matches played on Monday 16 May
After a slow start to the season the 6-Man League Division 1 Champions from Shepley have picked up the pace and this week hit the top spot after a third consecutive win. This one being a 6-1 away victory over lowly Lindley Lib 'A'.
It is amazingly tight at the top of the Division 1 table with just 3 points between the top 7 teams with the top 6 all having the same Won-4 Lost-2 records. There is considerable movement with only the bottom 3 teams in the division retaining the positions they were in last week.
It has been a bad 8 days for Netherton Con after being knocked out of the Julie Fuller Trophy last week by Second Division Skel Windmill 'A' that has been compounded by a surprise 2-5 home defeat to lowly Brockholes 'A' this week which sees them shifted off the top of the table and dropping to 6th place. That win for Brockholes didn't result in a position change but did widen the gap to the relegation places to 4 points.
Golcar C&BC scored a second win over Honley Con in 8 days to go 2nd and see their opponents drop from 2nd to 7th position. So tight are things at the top you only need one loss to lose several places as ably demonstrated by Honley Con's fortunes this week. Last week saw the Golcar side eliminate their Honley counterparts from the Julie Fuller Trophy but it was the League action this week that has rubbed salt into that wound.
Having completed a Division 2 League double over Honley last year but still only finished as runners-up to them in the final table confirms the firm grip they seem to have over these opponents. Even though Honley now rest in 7th place they are still only 3 points off the top of the table as the congestion continues to mount as the season progresses. Even the 2nd place that Golcar C&BC have contrived is only down to a 3-point aggregate advantage so there are bound to be some rocky roads for some of the candidates before any thoughts of dishing out the honours can be considered this season.
Crosland Moor are the latest team to beat Linthwaite Hall who seem out of their depth at this level and begs the question what prompted the League to place them in the top division on their return to the League. It certainly seems like a 'big ask' on results to date. A 6-1 away win for the Moor sees them move third up from sixth and passing Longwood on the way who did win their match at home to Milnsbridge 4-3 with the aggregate coming to their rescue to edge the points.
Thongsbridge are starting to show the form that kept them a serious title challenger for much of last season and they move up to fifth spot from eighth after a 6-1 away win at Lockwood Con which was a fourth 1-6 scoreline defeat in six matches for the Cons.
It is all change at the top of the Division 2 table as well with the top three teams swapping places. Slaithwaite knocked Marsh United 'A' off the top spot by inflicting a first defeat of the season on their opponents when beating them on their own green 5-2. Clayton West went second by clocking up a 7-0 home win over Skel Windmill 'B' and last week's leaders drop to third.
Skel Windmill 'A' remain in the promotion mix by hanging on to fourth place after a 5-2 home win over Paddock I&C and those top four teams have now opened up a 9-point gap to the rest of the table although there are only 3 points between the top four so things remain amazingly tight in this division as well. Not only at the top though as a match between the bottom two teams saw New Mill beat Lindley Lib 'B' 6-1 to climb out of the relegation places and overtake Meltham and Holmfirth 'A' who were both without matches this week.
Golcar Lib and Marsh Lib both retain their 100% league records and the two promotion places in Division 3 after comfortable home wins this week. Leaders Golcar Lib widen the gap to 3 points after a whitewash 7-0 win over Marsh United 'B' with Marsh Lib only dropping one point in overcoming Greenhead Park to stay second and extend their grip on the second promotion place to 3 points over a new rival as Almondbury Lib appear on the scene. A really good 6-1 away win at Thongbridge 'A' enabled them to swap 3rd and 5th places with their opponents.
Hemplow are wedged in 4th place between these teams after winning 6-1 away at Shepley 'B' and Holmfirth 'B' winning 5-2 away at Brockholes 'B' didn't result in any improvement on their league placing but did extend bottom team Brockholes 'B's losing run to a 6th consecutive defeat.