Things get hot at foot of Division 6

Winter League

Preview of the Division 6&7 fixtures scheduled for Netherton Con and RUFC this Thursday

9.30am Thursday 8 January The fixtures at Huddersfield RUFC scheduled for today have been postponed. The overnight rain on top of a frozen surface has made the green unsafe to play on.

The fixtures at Netherton Con go ahead. The surface is hard but safe and playable.

Big match for the Netherton Con B team this week in a key Division 6 fixture between two teams fighting against relegation. The Netherton team are 6 points from safety and meet the team immediately above them in the table, Springwood B. It is a match that neither side can afford to lose if they are to retain any hopes of avoiding relegation.

The situation for teams just above the relegation places can be worse than first viewed as the Netherton Con B team has the option to Avoid Relegation by applying to bid to miss the drop as a host club. They played this option last season when avoiding relegation despite finishing second to bottom. This is a special dispensation offered to host clubs to ensure that their support teams, primarily catering personnel, are available on matchdays. If they find them-selves in the same situation again this season and appeal for the same option then the team that finishes third to bottom could be relegated instead.

That brings Hanging Heaton B and Outlane A into the frame and both have difficult looking fixtures lined up this week. The Outlane team have to take on the leaders, Cowcliffe B, who are still unbeaten all season and Hanging Heaton B will play third-in-the-table Springwood C who beat them 6-2 earlier in the season. Meanwhile at the top end of the table Brockholes B will continue to track down the leaders when meeting Almondbury BC A.

Two points separate the top three teams in Division 7 and they are kept away from each other in this week's fixture programme when they all play teams on the same 42-points mark. Huddersfield RUFC are the table toppers and they face Huddersfield Recreation Club B which is a team they beat 8-0 earlier in the season. Second-placed Kirkheaton Con B have to take on Holmfirth A looking to do a double over them and stay firmly in the title chase. Then comes Marsh Lib in third spot and they face Lockwood Con B and both teams will recall their earlier 4-4 draw. All the top three will expect to, and need to, win their matches if they are to stay in the title chase.

The other fixture in the division sees the bottom two teams going head-to-head as New Mill C and Broad Oak A tangle themselves with both teams well adrift of safety at present and the Broad Oak team still looking for a first win of the season.