In the Shield, Lindley Libs (Richard Saunders, Daniel Bousfield, Robert Dickinson and Mark Sykes) just outside the top three played Clayton (Alan Peel, Hedley Kettlewell, Tommy Harney and Paul Gill) who were lying second. Saunders after a shaky start fell behind 11-8 and 16-12 in his game with Peel but finished the stronger as he levelled at seventeen and went on to win 21-19. In the second game Bousfield led Gill 10-7 but fell behind 12-18 where Gill looked to have the game sewn up. Bousfield had other ideas and even at 18-20 Gill looked the favourite but Bousfield prevailed for the narrowest of victories 21-20. Sykes never allowed Kettlewell in to their game and went on to win 21-9. The final game saw Dickinson and Harney exchange points right up to sixteen from where Harney went on to record a 21-16 win.
The Mixtures of Rastrick and Elland (Andy Balmforth, Roger Stopford, Viv Smith and Derek Hewitt) who have slipped in recent weeks looked for a turn round in this week’s game with Greetland (George Simpson, Pete Lea, Barry Sugden and Ken Fleming). Mixtures produced three of the winners with Fleming beating Hewitt for Greetlands only winner.
Hanging Heaton (Alan Thompson, David Armitage, Michael Armitage and Graham Hirst) who have lacked a bit of consistency this year had a close game with Cleckheaton Sports (Paul Fincher, Ian Poutney, Chris Bray and John Ineson). Two winners each, Sports just taking the game 17-15 with the better scoring losers.
This week’s final match was Mirfield Old Bank (Brian Scarth, Dave Sharp, Mel Stradling and Graham Sheard) against Crosshills (Barry McCourt, Rod Bastow, Kevin Burnett and Barry Turnbull) and it was Crosshills who hit a bit of form as they provided all four winners in their 20-12 victory.
The opening game in the Plate was Rastrick (Gary Shaw, Alan Standing, Terry Leach and Donald Booth) against Lindley B C (Simon Anderson, Michael Thornton, Linda Gledhill and Steve Haigh), two teams on similar points. Leach just got the better of Anderson in the opening game 21-18. Gledhill, only dropping one game so far this season, had a comfortable win, beating Shaw 21-8. Standing swung the match back in Rastrick’s favour with a 21-15 victory over Thornton and Booth put the icing on the cake with a narrow 21-17 win over Haigh.
Cleckheaton Sports (Joyce Ellis, Anne Watkinson, Dave Griffiths and Jayne Bradley) were paired with current leaders Spen Victoria (Kev Wood, Barry Firth, Gerald Bromley and Brian Thompson). The leaders provided all four winners with Bromley “back on the horse” after a recent run of bad form. Watkinson and Griffiths were best for Sports both carding eighteen.
Bronte’s (Fred Rothwell, Derek Pollard, Martyn Benson and David Hemsley) had three winners to one in their game with Silsden (David Beardsworth, Allan Hughes, Derek Metcalfe and R Ramsden) who had Metcalfe as their only winner.
Pellon (Paul Firth, Robert Walker, Mark Bolton and David Agnew) in the final game of the day with one winner lost out to Sowerby West End (John Sharp, Pat Skene, Geoff Price and Shirley Dillingham) 15-18. Firth 17, Bolton 18 and Walker 19 all contributed to Pellon’s score.