Preview of matches on 11/12 September

With the Premier Division campaign now completed, only Appleby Frodingham are in action from the top division. The champions now face Woodlands of the Bradford Premier League in what is sure to be a stern test. The prize for the winners is a trip to Headingley to play Castleford or Richmondshire in the White Rose Yorkshire Premier Leagues Championship final a week on Saturday, 18 September.  

 

It will be D-day in the Championship division with three issues to be settled – the divisional championship, the second relegation spot, and the second relegation place. At the top of the table, the big game is Cleethorpes against Whiston Parish Church. Whichever side wins will be crowned champions. If Whiston win, they will be promoted as champions, along with Cleethorpes; but if Cleethorpes win, the second place will depend on the result from the game at Houghton Main, where Rockingham are the visitors. Then, if Houghton Main win, they could move into second place ahead of Whiston; but if Houghton Main lose, Whiston will be promoted in second place. 

 

At the other end of the table, Oughtibridge are already relegated, but the situation for the second relegation place is similarly complex. If Barnsley win their game at Warmsworth, they will be safe. In that case, the second relegation place will depend on the outcome of Sprotbrough’s game against Collegiate 2nds – if Collegiate win, Sprotbrough will go down, and Sprotbrough win, it will be Warmsworth who drop back down. But if Barnsley lose, and Sprotbrough beat Collegiate 2nds, then Barnsley will be relegated; but if Barnsley lose and Collegiate 2nds beat Sprotbrough, then the latter will go down unless they accrue more losing bonus points than Barnsley, in which case Barnsley will go down. 

 

Elsewhere, there are two games where only pride and final league positions are at stake. Conisbrough and Aston Hall meet, where a win for the home side would see them leapfrog their visitors into sixth place. Whilst if Astom Hall win, they could move up to fifth if Rockingham lose at Houghton Main. Wath are at home to relegated Oughtibridge, and a home in will see Wath move above the losers of Consibrough v Aston Hall. 

 

In the final round of Division 1 fixtures, promotion is already decided, with Caribbean and Green Moor in the top two spots, but there are several teams that could still be dragged into the final two relegation places. Aston Hall are down, but their opponents this weekend, Upper Haugh, currently occupy tenth place, just inside the drop zone, and know a win would put them in with a big chance of staying up. Eleventh place is taken up by Hallam 2nds, but their game away at third-placed Rotherham Town will be an uphill battle. South Kirkby, Whitley Hall 2nds, Sheffield United and Treeton 2nds all sit above the dotted line, but all could mathematically go down. South Kirkby and Treeton 2nds both have it the toughest as they face the top two, Green Moor and Shiregreen, respectively. Whitley Hall and United will face off in a tense affair which could see one of them in an unfortunate position by the end of proceedings. Perhaps just playing for pride, Darfield travel to Wakefield Thornes 2nds in mid-table. 

 

Doncaster Town 2nds have achieved promotion and can wrap up the Division 2 title with victory on their trip to Thorpe Hesley & High Green. The other two promotion places have been secured by Coal Aston and Sheffield Collegiate 3rds; Aston play away to Monk Bretton, who narrowly missed on promotion themselves, whilst Collegiate play at home to Norton Woodseats. The relegation battle isn’t over, however. Either Worsbrough Bridge or Wickerley 2nds will be relegated along with Elsecar, Frecheville and Thorncliffe; Worsbrough Bridge currently occupy the fourth relegation spot, they need to beat bottom of the table Elsecar and hope Wickersley Old Village 2nds slip up against already relegated Frecheville. Elsewhere, Norton Oakes end a promising season at home to lowly Thorncliffe. 

 

There are only four fixtures on the final weekend in Division 3, with the two promotion places being secured by Penistone and Caribbean and the four relegation spots being decided. The top two face off at Penistone this time around in a game that should decide the championship. Penistone need only to get a point from the game to be crowned champions, but if they fail to do so, the two teams will finish level. Relegated Rockingham Colliery 2nds host Kexborough looking to finish a disappointing season on a high note; whilst second-bottom Maltby Miners Welfare welcome fourth-placed Wath 2nds hoping for a similar confidence boost. Silkstone United occupy the final relegation spot in the division after a poor run of form, they travel to Whiston Parish Church 2nds, who are now safe in eighth place. 

 

With two rounds of fixtures to go in Division 4, Penistone are promoted already, and Bradfield are odds-on to be promoted with them; the only team that could challenge them are Collegiate 4ths, who would need to win both their games and hope for Bradfield to lose both theirs in order to overtake them. Bradfield go to relegated Hallam; whilst Collegiate are at Higham, just one place below them. There is a huge game at Fishlake, where Millhouses Works are the visitors, with the two sides battling it out to avoid finishing in the final relegation place. Elsewhere, third-placed Cawthorne 2nds play bottom-of-the-table Barnsley Wooley Miners 4ths, and already-relegated Hampole & Skelbrooke are away to sixth-placed Shiregreen 2nds. 

 

Five teams can still go up on what promises to be a thrilling final round of fixtures in Division 5. Handsworth and Whiston Forge currently occupy the top two places and have their fate in their own hands; but if either or both slip up, that could let in Darfield 2nds, Upper Haugh 2nds or Conisbrough 2nds. All the sides with a chance of going up are playing sides lower than them; Darfield 2nds host relegated Kilnhurst Colliery; Upper Haugh welcome struggling Penistone; Whiston Forge are at home to eighth-placed Norton Oakes 2nds; Handsworth play Thorpe Hesley & High Green 2nds at home; and Conisbrough have perhaps the toughest task, as they visit a Coal Aston side who are engaged in a battle with Rotherham and Norton Oakes to avoid being relegated in seventh place. Rotherham visit bottom club Bradfield, whilst Oakes have that very tough trip to Whiston Forge. 

 

Division 6 champions Wombwell Main play their last game of the season away to Green Moor 2nds, who will finish third. Doncaster 3rds, who have secured second position and are promoted, play away at fourth-placed Handsworth on Sunday. Handsworth also play on Saturday at home to relegated Thorncliffe 2nds. Brookhouse, Sheffield United 2nds and Wickersley 3rds are fighting it out for the one place that will guarantee their safety; Brookhouse host Wickersley on Saturday, whilst United visit bottom club Wentworth on Sunday – the hosts having played Millhouses in a bottom-of-the-table battle the day before. 

 

Whitley Hall 3rds and Sprotbrough 3rds are guaranteed promotion from Division 7; but the large relegation zone has one place still to be filled from either Doncaster Town 4ths and Warmsworth 2nds. Warmsworth currently sit in pole position to avoid the drop, and will travel to bottom club Wath 3rds in good heart and with their fate in their own hands; while Town host ninth-placed Worsbrough Bridge 2nds, needing to win and hoping that Warmsworth lose. Elsewhere, Sprotbrough’s promotion party could well be dampened by a very good Harley side, and similarly Whitley Hall travel to third-placed Frecheville Community 2nds, who have only just lost out on promotion. In the other fixtures, Higham 2nds are safe and play away at relegated Scholes; whilst there are two battles between relegated sides - Silkstone United 2nds host Fishlake 2nds and Houghton Main 2nds go to Dearne. 

 

Monk Bretton 2nds go up as Division 8 champions from the bottom division but whilst Mexborough Athletic, who end their season with a home game against a good Adwick-le-Street side, are likely runners-up, Rockingham Colliery could sneak past them if they win at Kexbrough and Mexbrough fail to take any points. Elsewhere, in a clash of two bottom three sides, Sheffield United 3rds host Rockingham Colliery 4ths.