Top 2 could clinch titles on Tuesday
Veterans League
Preview of the Tuesday fixtures in the 10-Man League Divisions 1&2
DIVISION ONE
Elland WMC v Clayton West
Elland WMC are 18 points in arrears of Lowerhouses at the head of the Division 1 table and that gap looks unlikely to be significantly reduced with just three league games remaining. With nine wins from their last ten league outings Elland WMC have proved to be an outstanding addition to this level of Veterans bowling in Huddersfield.
The visitors have been in relatively good form themselves with five successes from six, their aim now is surely to repeat their third-place finish of 2025. Any points picked up in Elland will be gratefully received.
In-form: Mick Hiscock has a winning percentage of 66% in the singles; Tim Poulter has Clayton West’s best singles average.
Golcar Lib A v Longwood
Another encounter at the top end of the table, with the hosts hoping to get revenge for a 6-3 defeat at Longwood earlier in the campaign. They now have won four on the trot at home since losing to Clayton West in June.
Longwood’s form has been excellent in recent weeks – eight wins out of their last nine games – so this will be an excellent encounter between two sides who have had excellent seasons of their own this year.
In-form: Nick Oddy’s win percentage for Golcar is 72%; Martin Skuse has 11 wins to his name for Longwood.
Kirkheaton Con A v Lowerhouses
When you are just nine points safe from relegation then the last team you would want to play with just three weeks of the season remaining are runaway league leaders Lowerhouses. That’s the task facing Kirkheaton Con A.
The league leaders finished 8-1 winners in the previous meeting this season, but they have suffered heavy defeats at Kirkheaton over the past two seasons. The hosts will be hoping that trend continues in 2026 whilst the visitors will be looking for points to nudge their way to another title.
In-form: Rosebowl winner Andrew Lumb has ten wins for the Con; the top four bowlers in the league averages continue to be from Lowerhouses.
Lindley Lib A v Cowcliffe
Lindley Lib are coming to the end of their second season at the top level since promotion in 2024 and need every point as their battle for Division 1 survival continues.
It’s the same for Cowcliffe; unthinkable for a side who have been in the top five for the last three seasons. Cowcliffe were 7-2 winners earlier in the season, can they repeat that at Lindley? Whatever the result it’s sure to be a tense affair near to the clock tower.
In-form: Peter Smith and Michael Ward stepped up to win their pairs match last week; Derrick Hewitt is top of Cowcliffe’s averages.
Lockwood Con A v Rastrick
If the Lindley Lib and Cowcliffe encounter is key to whoever gets relegated then so is this clash between second-bottom Lockwood Con and seventh-placed Rastrick. You would expect a seventh-placed team to be well clear of the relegation zone but the visitors are just nine points above the bottom three.
Those nine league points difference between the two teams could be traced back to the previous meeting between the teams when Rastrick took maximum points in a 9-0 success. Home advantage has to count for Lockwood, Rastrick will be trying to recall and repeat their tactics from the previous encounter.
In-form: Mick Cox lost by the narrowest of margins at Lowerhouses last week; Roger Stopford is chasing a hat trick of wins for Rastrick.
Marsh United A v Elland C&BC
Marsh United, 18 points clear of relegation and 30 short of the champions-elect are in a typical middle of the table scenario with just pride to play for until the end of the season.
Elland C&BC on the other hand need every point in the battle to avoid a quick return to Division 2. They travel to Marsh on the back of two wins in their last three outings with the defeat coming in their derby encounter with second-placed Elland WMC.
In-form: Tony Clegg and John Ollerenshaw are second and third in the league’s pairs averages; Adrian Kenyon has won his last four matches.
DIVISION TWO
Almondbury BC A v Meltham A
League leaders Meltham will be hoping that Almondbury’s dip of form continues. Consecutive defeats to Milnsbridge and Thongsbridge has taken the steam out of Almondbury’s good run of form and left them nine points adrift of the promotion race.
Meltham, hoping that two teams immediately below them will be taking points off each other, know that they could potentially guarantee promotion though will be equally aware that another challenger, Lindley BC, have their game in hand to play on Thursday.
In-form: Simon Neve has won his last three games; Meltham had a full house for the third time this season last week.
Almondbury Lib v Shepley
Almondbury Lib are the other club, alongside Lindley BC, playing catch-up with their fixtures and a good win against Shepley could put them in with an outside chance of avoiding the drop. But that is very much dependent on picking up a lot of points in two consecutive matches,
For Shepley any point they gain makes Almondbury Libs’ task much harder and will likely guarantee their survival in Division 2. However, they haven’t won a game away from home all season, but did beat second-placed Denby Dale 6-3 a week ago.
In-form: Peter McWilliam and Graham Shaw have a run of six wins in the pairs for Almondbury Lib; John Hodgson had Shepley’s best win last week (21-7).
Denby Dale v Thongsbridge A
This is likely to be the last chance saloon for Thongsbridge who could be calling time on their promotion aspirations. They are in good form though with three consecutive wins and a continuation of that form will be needed on a green on which they lost last season.
Denby Dale’s defeat at Shepley last week was their first setback after eight consecutive wins, and they need to rediscover that form with the visit of Thongsbridge being followed by league leaders Meltham calling in on their green. It looks like the game of the day in Division 2.
In-form: Dale have won 11 out of their last 12 pairs matches; Thongsbridge won two of their three pairs encounters last week, their best return since mid-July.
Hemplow A v Broad Oak A
Hemplow are heading in one direction only and that is to Division 3 after only picking up just two wins in their 19 games this season. As disappointing as the season has been they have only been on the end of two 9-0 defeats, the most recent being to league leaders Meltham a week ago.
Broad Oak, who are safely in mid-table with three of their eight wins coming on their travels, will be hoping for a fourth and a double on Tuesday. They had a comfortable 7-2 win when the two sides met in mid-season.
Lindley BC A v Netherton Con A
It will be an interesting week with a number of clubs looking at Lindley’s results with interest. Currently fourth in the table, they are only five points off the second promotion spot with Tuesday’s encounter against Netherton followed two days later with a trip to Almondbury Lib.
Netherton were one-time strong promotion contenders but their challenge has faded away following a run of six successive defeats. Those defeats were followed with a win at home to Almondbury Lib, trips to Lindley and then Meltham will be a more difficult task.
In-form: Alister Henderson has won in his last three pairs matches; Netherton won five matches last week, their best return since July.
Waterloo v Milnsbridge A
Waterloo entertain Milnsbridge in a true end-of-season mid-table tussle.
Waterloo have won their past two games so will be in good heart for the first of their final three games of the season.
Meanwhile, Milnsbridge are looking to add a fourth win of the season and will be encouraged by recent successes at Broad Oak and Almondbury BC.
In-form: Robert Mudd has won his last four for Waterloo; Milnsbridge pair Dennis Hirst and Roger Hallas have won their last three contests.
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