Skel Windmill could clinch first promotion

Veterans League

Preview of the fixtures for Tuesday 2 September in the 10-Man League Divisions 3,4*5

Four teams are packed closer together than sardines in a tin with just one point between them in the Division 3 promotion race. They are all behind the runaway leader, Almondbury Lib, who appear to have bounced back from their mid-season stutter that saw them lose 3 out of 4 matches and have collected a couple of big wins to reassert their dominance at the top of the table. This week they host one of that chasing pack, Hemplow A, who couldn't have picked a more difficult opponent on their own green, and they will need to be at their best to remain in contention for that second promotion place.

Two of the other chasing teams face each other with 2nd-placed Brockholes A at home to 4th-placed Linthwaite Hall. Both have lost 2 of their last 3 fixtures and neither can afford to slip up again. All that leaves the way open for third in the table Springwood to move into closer contention their 4 wins in their last 5 matches merit. A home match against a Thorpe Green team that has lost every away match this season should hold few fears for them.

It would be foolish to dismiss the promotion chances of 6th-placed Holmfirth A who are only 5 points off the coveted 2nd promotion place and a home match this week against a Marsh Lib A team sitting in the relegation places. As Marsh Lib A have won their last three home fixtures and with the teams either side of them going up against each other when Lockwood Con B host Slaithwaite, they have everything to play for.

There is every chance that the Division 3 leaders, Skel Windmill, will clinch promotion this week with a win at home to relegation-threatened David Brown Sports. If they collect more points from that fixture than 3rd-placed Milnsbridge B collect from their trip to play Thongsbridge B then they will become the first 10-Man League team to confirm their promotion this season. The title could feasibly follow this week as well but 2nd-placed Kirkheaton C&BC A will have other thoughts about such an outcome. They go to play bottom-of-the-table Netherton Con B needing a win to stay in the title race.

With the bottom two teams playing top three opponents, that could be good news for Primrose Hill Lib who could open a gap to the relegation places if they win their home fixture with Huddersfield Recreation Club. That may be bad news for Meltham B who have a difficult away match at the Rugby Club and a defeat could see them dropping down perilously close to the relegation places.

The top two teams in Division 5 both have away matches this week, with the trickier task facing 2nd-placed Brockholes B. They go to play 4th-placed Lindley BC B who have won 9 of their last 10 fixtures and only lost once on their own green all season. A win here would be quite an achievement. The leaders, Kirkheaton Con B, go to Thorpe Green to play the Greenhead Park side who have slipped down the table after losing their last six matches.

Third-placed Hemplow B are poised to take advantage of any slip-ups from the top two and a home match against an Almondbury BC B team that has lost their last six matches is a must win game if they are to retain any hopes of moving into the promotion places. The same applies to Dalton who need a big home win against Broad Oak B to stay in the running for any chance of gate-crashing the promotion race.