Veterans League
Review of the results of the 6-Man League matches played on Monday 6 May
Division 1 leaders Slaithwaite were beaten for the first time this season when their closest rivals, Lindley Lib A, thrashed them on their own green 1-6. That saw the visitors take over at the top of the table and really open up the title race. It really is a team effort from the Lindley side as the Averages table reveals that they don't have any bowlers in the top 30. Add to that the fact that Slaithwaite only have one bowler in the Division's top 20, Chris Sykes, and he wasn't in this week's team.
The Division 1 table shows that this is the closest fought division in the League at present with only 12 points between all 14 teams and with only 4 points between the top five teams and 2 points separating the bottom four. Three of the top six teams lost their matches this week, as well as Slaithwaite, Marsh United A and Milnsbridge BC A both lost their Monday fixtures and drop out of the top six as a result. Both were away from home as Marsh United A went down 2-5 at a Shepley A team that is starting to show some of the form that saw them win the title in 2023.
Milnsbridge A went down 1-6 at Golcar C&BC who may have got over the early season slump and may be returning to the form that saw them finish as runners-up last season. Neither of those two winners has managed to climb into the top half of the table yet but with it being such a close affair a run of good results will soon see that form reflected in the league positions.
Skel Windmill A returned to winning ways with a 6-1 home win over Lockwood Con who drop two places to the foot of the table as a result. Two points from their away match at Brockholes A enabled Crosland Moor to climb off the bottom of the table. Home wins for Netherton Con (6-1 v Paddock I&C) and Waterloo (6-1 v Thongsbridge A) saw them climb into the top half of the congested table.
The Division 2 leader also lost their top spot this week despite winning their match and extending their 100% win record. Clayton West won away at Marsh Lib A after an 85-85 aggregate draw saw the West nudge themselves over the line. However, Golcar Lib had a big 7-0 home win over lowly Hemplow which saw them take over at the top.
New Mill moved up a place to third after a good 5-2 away win at Milnsbridge BC B. Bradley & Colne continue their improved form with a 5-2 away win at Elland C&BC which made it three wins on the bounce as they continue to move up the table and are now in the top half of the table. A big 7-0 home win for Lindley Lib B over Linthwaite Hall pushed them up three places to 7th. There were 5-2 home wins for Longwood and Greenhead Park A which keeps both teams safely in mid-table.
There was only one away team winner in Division 3 this week and that was Brockholes B who saw off Holmfirth B and that was sufficient to protect their six-point lead at the top. Denby Dale, after a bye-week, resumed their stalking of the leaders with a 7-0 home win over Shepley B and return to second place, six-points behind the leaders with a match in hand. With the two nearest challengers to the top two both losing away matches 1-6 this week suddenly sees a five-point gap open up between the two promotion places and the chasing pack after Marsh Lib B lost the Marsh derby match and Skel Windmill B went down at Primrose Hill Lib.
Even though Greenhead Park B lost 2-5 at Thongsbridge B they still moved up two places to fourth spot which makes them part of the eight teams separated by only 4 points and chasing the two leaders. Thongsbridge C are also in that pack and will expect to feature more prominently in it after their Friday match this week at home to bottom team Meltham.