Winter League
A quick preview of the League matches scheduled for this week picking out the 9 Match of the Days in the 8 Divisions of the Winter League
MONDAY 9 December
Division 1 at Milnsbridge BC (rearranged fixtures)
Match of the Day: New Mill A v Lower Hopton
The set of Division 1 fixtures lost to the snow in November are rearranged for Monday with the New Mill A v Lower Hopton match attracting the most attention. New Mill A took over top spot from Lower Hopton last Wednesday and with only two points between them those placings could easily be reversed again.
The current top three teams are the same top three as finished last season but both of these two teams will be looking for a different finishing order and deposing Thorpe Green from the top spot this time around.. Last year this fixture resulted in both teams winning one of the two encounters showing how close they are in strength. So whose turn will it be this week?
Division 4 at Primrose Hill Lib
Match of the Day: Rastrick v Milnsbridge B
The new Division 4 leaders are Rastrick after last week's fixtures and they will be keen to hold on to that running order when they take on third-placed Milnsbridge B this Monday. Both teams are in top form and have both won their last four fixtures but it was Rastrick who took the points 6-2 when the teams last met in October.
TUESDAY 10 December
Division 2 at Cowcliffe
Match of the Day: Golcar Lib v Hanging Heaton
The top two teams in Division 2 are both unbeaten and go head to head this Tuesday in the first-ever Winter League encounter between the two teams. Golcar are recovering from a disappointing first season in the League last season where they were relegated from Division 1. They didn't do justice to their strong playing record and they have been keen to bring that form to the Division 2 programme this year and have started off in impressive style.
Quite the opposite first-season experience for Hanging Heaton who romped away with the Division 3 title and they are looking to build on that with another strong challenge for honours again this season. A fascinating fixture which will undoubtedly have a big impact on the race for honours this season.
Division 8 at Lockwood Con Match of the Day: Lockwood Con C v Kirkheaton C&BC B
No obvious contenders for the Match of the Day tag in Division 8 so I have picked an opportunity for bottom-of-the-table Kirkheaton C&BC B to register their first win of the season. On paper it looks fairly straightforward for third-placed Lockwood Con C playing on their own green to add to their points tally and put pressure on rivals Cowcliffe C in the race for the second promotion place.
Yet the Cricket Club team had drawn two on the trot prior to playing the top two teams in the table in successive matches where they were far from disgraced and it looks like a change in fortune is imminent but will it be this week or maybe next week when they take on fellow strugglers Broad Oak B?
WEDNESDAY 11 December
Division 1 at Milnsbridge BC
Match of the Day: Lindley Lib A v Meltham A
With a Monday round of fixtures earlier this week the Division 1 table could look very different by the time these teams get on to the green so I turn my attention to the lower regions of the table for my Wednesday Match of the Day. Avoiding the temptation to select the Thorpe Green A (2nd) v Cowcliffe C (4th) fixture to pick out the Lindley Lib A v Meltham A relegation battle as the top match of the Division 1 programme this Wednesday.
Lindley Lib A are desperate for a win and the points that go with that to kick-start their season. Having won promotion or been relegated in each of the four seasons that the League has been in existence gives the Lindley team the deserved title of a Yo-Yo team. They look to be on course for a third relegation in 5 years unless they start to turn things around soon. They are 14 points adrift of their two nearest rivals which includes the Meltham side and cannot afford to lose this match and any widening of that safety gap.
Early start time for the Kirkheaton Con A v Lower Hopton Division 1 fixture of 9.30am to enable Kirkheaton bowlers to attend a funeral.
Division 3 at Springwood Match of the Day: Denby Dale v Lowerhouses B
The obvious choice of the top two in direct confrontation is my Division 3 Match of the Day as the leaders, Denby Dale, take on 2nd placed Lowerhouses B. Two weeks ago the leaders were unbeaten and had a 13-points lead over the rest of the teams headed by Lowerhouses B. That difference disintegrated following two defeats against bottom half opponents and they are now shaking with only a three-points advantage. In contrast the Lowerhouses team have won their last three matches and a win this week would take them to the top of the table.
Division 5 at Lindley Lib
Match of the Day: Lindley Lib C v Milnsbridge C
If Milnsbridge C have any pretensions to be involved in the push for promotion they will need to take points off the top two starting with a fixture against the leaders Lindley Lib C this Wednesday. The Milnsbridge team lost their first two fixtures of the season against the top two teams and now must seize this opportunity to address the running order at the top of the table. They are unbeaten in five but come up against a Lindley team that has won all seven of its matches this season.
With Jackson Bridge wedged between these two teams it needs Milnsbridge need to start chipping away at that 4 points difference between the teams if they are to feature in the promotion run-in this time around.
THURSDAY 12 December
Division 6 at Netherton Con Match of the Day: Almondbury BC B v New Mill C
We have a top v bottom clash as our top choice in Division 6 as the leaders, Almondbury BC B meet New Mill C this Thursday in a match important to both teams for different reasons. The Almondbury team have an impressive playing record this season and remain unbeaten after eight matches, half of those resulting in the ultimate 8-0 winning scoreline and they look nailed on to replace their clubmates from Almondbury BC A in Division 5 next season.
New Mill C are still looking for their first win of the season after being promoted after finishing second to Linthwaite Hall in the bottom division last season so are disappointed not to be doing better to date. They are still within range of the two teams immediately above them and not without hope of a couple of good wins to reignite their survival chances.
Division 7 at Huddersfield RUFC
Match of the Day:
A 2nd versus 3rd fixture holds most appeal as Match of the Day in Division 7 despite a top v bottom alternative. Second-placed homesters RUFC have lost their last two fixtures after starting the season with 5 straight wins to head the table at that time. Whether they can address that dip in form in time to stop the promotion wannabies from swooping into contention may be answered by the outcome of this key fixture.
Kirkheaton Con A have won their last three matches to move quietly (if Kirkheaton Con B teams can ever be classed as moving quietly) into the promotion race and any drop in standards would see them edged out of the race with Hanging Heaton B and Marsh Lib sat smugly two points behind them and playing each other this week.
Comments