Title statement from Clayton West

Veterans League

Review of the 6-Man League fixtures played on Monday 7 July

If there was any doubt about Clayton West's credentials to win the 6-Man League Division 1 title then that must surely have disappeared after Monday's match result. A dominating 7-0 home win for the leaders over 2nd placed Marsh United A has certainly sent out a statement of intent to all teams in the division. That big win has opened up an 11 points gap between the teams and could have a longer term impact on Marsh United's chances of even a top two finish. Third-placed Waterloo are now only a point behind them with a match in hand.

Waterloo picked up 5 points from Monday's home fixture with Shepley A and remain serious challengers to the Marsh outfit and maybe even the leaders as well. The top four results opened up an opportunity for Milnsbridge A to join the honours-seeking quartet but they fluffed their lines when going down 3-4 at relegation-threatened Netherton Con A. Those three points still helped them climb a place to 4th position but they will need to be better than that if they are to retain that link in the race for recognition.

Skel Windmill were also 7-0 home winners with Thongsbridge A on the wrong end of that result. The Skel team were in the bottom four before that result and they shoot up three places to 6th position as a result passing the Thongsbridge team on their way. Golcar C&BC were the only other bottom-four winning team as they recorded a 4-3 home win over fellow-strugglers New Mill A. Brockholes A losing 2-5 away at Slaithwaite completed the scoring.

Only two teams in Division 2 moved positions in the table after Monday's results. They were Paddock I&C and Longwood who swapped 9th and 10th positions with all the other 9 teams remaining in the same places. Leaders, Holmfirth A, remain top with a 6-points lead now after a 6-1 home win over Paddock I&C. However they have played a match more than the other 10 teams in the division and that comes home to roost next week when they have a bye week as the teams reach the halfway point of the season.

With Lindley Lib A having a bye week on Monday and Broad Oak and Golcar Lib both suffering away defeats at Lockwood Con and Crosland Moor that enabled Marsh Lib to take closer order after a 5-2 away win at bottom team Thongsbridge B. A 6-1 home win for Brockholes B helped them move well away from fears of relegation but that put the losing team from Longwood firmly in the dropzone.

Although Denby Dale couldn't do any more than win their Division 3 home match against Lindley Lib B by the ultimate 7-0 scoreline it hardly dented the leaders hold on top spot which is down to 10 points after Almondbury Lib were without a fixture. That improved the Denby Dale's hold on the second promotion place although Milnsbridge B still feature in that race after a 6-1 home win over bottom-placed Hemplow A.

A 5-2 home win for Primrose Hill Lib over Linthwaite Hall saw them move up three places in the table to 4th position but still 11 points behind Denby Dale in 2nd place. Greenhead Park A were pushed all the way by Elland C&BC to retain their unbeaten home record on their new Thorpe Green home green before edging it 4-3 with an 87-84 aggregate scoreline.

Holmfirth B had a welcome first away win of the season at Marsh Lib B but they remain in the relegation places although now only one-point from safety.

The meeting of the top two teams in Division 4 produced a result which saw neither of the teams left holding top spot as that place was taken by Hemplow B as they smashed Meltham 7-0. A 5-2 away win for Skel Windmill B over the previous leaders, Marsh United B, leaves both teams trailing behind the new leaders but only just trailing. There are now just two points between the top three teams but with Marsh United B having played three more matches than either of the main rivals their long term involvement in the title and promotion races look doubtful.

Clayton West B made it 6 wins on the bounce when recording a narrow 4-3 away win at New Mill B to retain their interest in the promotion places. At the start of the day the bottom three teams were all on the 21-points mark. With Thongsbridge C without a fixture it was always likely that they would be left in bottom place and so it proved but the other two teams both lost 2-5 at home to make the difference a minimal two points. Those results saw Shepley B and Brockholes C go down to Netherton Con B and Greenhead Park B respectively.