Veterans League
Review of the 6-Man league fixtures played on Monday 15 August
A 7-0 whitewash home win for Golcar C&BC against in-form Brockholes 'A' sent them to the top of the Division 1 table this week. The Brockholes team had only lost away at previous leaders Shepley 'A' in their last 9 fixtures but they were no match for the rampant Golcar team on Monday who skirted around Shepley 'A' who beat a fast-fading Honley Con 5-2 team. That gave the Golcar outfit a one-point lead and create a 5-point gap between the top two and the Honley side that has now lost their last three matches. Next week's meeting of Honley Con and Golcar C&BC could extend that lead even further and leave a two-horse race for the title.
Netherton Con missed the chance to go third when surprisingly beaten at home 2-5 by Longwood for a first defeat in five. That extended Longwood's gap to the relegation places to 8 points after Lindley Lib 'A' lost at home 3-4 to Thongsbridge 'B' who they now sit alongside on 50 points. An 88-88 aggregate draw between Lockwood Con and Crosland Moor enabled the away side to claim the 4-3 win and stay just above their mid-table rivals.
Second-placed Slaithwaite were the only top half team with an away match in Division 2 on Monday and saw them beaten 0-7 at mid-table Holmfirth 'A' and drop a place as a result. That was a run of 3 away games on the trot and proved to be one too many after winning the previous two. Being only able to field 4 bowlers being a strong factor in their loss.
They were overtaken by Skel Windmill who clocked up their own 7-0 scoreline as Meltham came to visit whilst the leaders Marsh United 'A' beat Lindley Lib 'B' 6-1 who remain in the relegation dogfight as one of 3 teams within 2 points of each other above bottom-placed Skel Windmill 'B'. The Skel side were involved in a bottom-two tussle at New Mill where a 92-86 aggregate deficit saw the visitors lose out 3-4 points-wise after winning the game count 3-2.
With Golcar Lib the only one of the top three teams in Division 3 with a home fixture on Monday there was a good opportunity for them to extend their lead at the top. They played their part by claiming a 6-1 win over visitors Greenhead Park but Almondbury Lib won 5-2 at primrose Hill Lib and Hemplow matched the leader's 6-1 win when playing at bottom-of-the-table Brockholes 'B'. The gap now being 12 points although Golcar Lib has played a game more than their 3 nearest opponents. Marsh Lib are very much in that chasing pack of three teams and a 7-0 home win over Shepley 'B' kept them very much in contention.