Preview of matches on 14 August

Premier Division leaders Appleby Frodingham have what looks on paper a fairly straightforward game against Tickhill, who have lost their last two, in which to bounce back from their defeat at Shaw Lane. The Barnsley ground hosts the game of the day, as second-placed Sheffield Collegiate, who have won their last five, are the visitors, and will be looking for a sixth to pile pressure on the leaders, just 12 points ahead. The Griffins, however, have claimed two good scalps in their last two, and will be looking for a third on the trot so they can take advantage if third-placed Treeton slip up at Whitley Hall, who have also won their last two. At the other end of the table, Wickersley will be relegated if they lose at home to Cawthorne, who are engaged in a battle with Hallam to avoid finishing in the second relegation place. Hallam face a hard game at home to Elsecar, despite the fact that they have won their last three and the visitors have lost their last two. In the other game, Doncaster, who host Wakefield Thornes, need another win to be mathematically safe. 

 

Cleethorpes have a 14-point lead at the top of the Championship Division, and with games to come against their two promotion rivals, have their future in their own hands. They will want to complete a double when they go to Conisbrough, to maintain their advantage over Whiston, who visit bottom side Oughtibridge. Houghton Main, in third, are at Wath, who until last week’s surprise defeat at Warmsworth, had been on a six-match winning run. They are still dangerous opponents though, and will want to bounce back on their own ground. At the other end of the table, Sprotbrough are on a five-match losing run and are now second bottom. They will want to arrest the slide at home to Rockingham, for whom three wins out of four have given them a safe mid-table position. Barnsley 2nds, third from bottom, visit Aston Hall, who have lost six on the trot, have slipped into the bottom half and need a win to settle any worries about being dragged into the relegation battle. Warmsworth, who endured a difficult first half of the season, have now won three out of four and are only two points behind Aston Hall in seventh, and are at home to fourth-placed Collegiate 2nds, who can still beat anyone on their day. 

 

Shiregreen made top spot their own in Division 1 last weekend ,when they took advantage of a slip up from Green Moor. They play Hallam 2nds this time around, looking to keep their new-found cushion against a side who claimed a huge win on Saturday in their own battle at the bottom. Hallam’s win was against Upper Haugh who, incidentally, travel to Green Moor, hoping to keep their top-half position intact. Perhaps the form team in the league right now is Darfield, as recent results have seen them surge up to fourth. They will be expecting a win against Aston Hall 2nds, dropped to bottom place after losing to former basement team, Treeton 2nds last weekend. Treeton, have seen an upturn in fortunes, moving up to ninth, and they play host to Whitley Hall 2nds on Saturday, a team they now sit just one place behind. Back near the top, Rotherham Town last week dealt a blow to Wakefield Thornes’ 2nds hopes in the promotion race, securing third spot for themselves, and they now face seventh-placed South Kirkby. Now in fifth place, Thornes play host to Sheffield United, who reignited their survival hopes by pulling off the surprise of the weekend last Saturday, beating Green Moor. 

 

Division 2 leaders Doncaster 2nds look to bounce back from their shock defeat last week against Coal Aston with a trip to the in-form side Norton Oakes. Doncaster have a game in hand over second-placed Coal Aston, who play strugglers Frecheville at home. Wickersley Old Village 2nds were also shocked last weekend by relegation-threatened Worsbrough Bridge, but they have chance to bounce back against next-to-bottom Thorncliffe at the Crucible Oval. The game of the weekend will come at the Castle Ground, where Monk Bretton in third host Sheffield Collegiate 2nds, who are fourth. Bottom-of-the-table side Elsecar 2nds are at home to Norton Woodseats in the remaining fixture. 

 

Penistone’s comfortable win last weekend saw them rise to top of the table as the form team of Division 3. Their latest fixture comes away at fourth-placed Kexborough, perhaps their toughest recent test, against a side who demolished Barnsley Woolley Miners 3rds last time out. Top spot in the league was surrendered by Caribbean, who have struggled for consistency recently. Their latest game comes away at sixth-placed Tickhill 2nds, who were well beaten by Sprotbrough 2nds last week. Sprotbrough, themselves, are nestled in third and will be expecting a win as they travel to Rockingham Colliery 2nds, who are rock bottom of the division. Also, near the bottom, it is the battle of the miners as Barnsley Woolley Miners 3rds host Maltby Miners Welfare; the latter climbed off the bottom last weekend with a crucial win, whilst the former seem to be struggling of late. Sandwiched in between these two sides are Silkstone United in tenth, who are also desperate for a win. They host Caribbean’s conquerors of last week, Wath 2nds. Lastly, seventh meet eighth as Oughtibridge 2nds look to continue a recent upturn in fortunes with a trip to Whiston Parish Church 2nds. 

 

Top play bottom in Division 4 this weekend, as Parkhead look to win at home to bottom side Hampole & Skelbrooke. Second-placed Bradfield Village Fellowship will be looking for a slip-up from the leaders but they face no straightforward task of their own as they travel to in-form Millhouses Works. Mid-table Cawthorne 2nds and Hallam 3rds go head-to-head with the visitors needing the win to climb out of the danger zone. Higham have lost their early season form and, with no wins in four games and, needing to arrest the slide and avoid dropping into the relegation zone, they are up against Barnsley Woolley Miners 4ths, whose position looks bleaker by the week. Third-placed Sheffield Collegiate 4ths are at home to Mexborough Athletic, who are all but relegated. 

 

Handsworth moved to the top of a wide-open Division 5 last weekend as their batting fired once again. A much sterner test is around the corner, though, as they face former leaders Whiston Forge, whose return to form has seen them back up to third in the table. In between the two sides are Kilnhurst Colliery, who capitulated against Conisbrough 2nds last weekend after surging into top spot in previous weeks. This time around they travel to an out-of-form Thorpe Hesley & High Green 2nds, who linger in tenth spot after their latest loss. Conisbrough, themselves, are another side who have accelerated up the standings into seventh with a string of wins, and their next opponents are second-bottom Penistone 2nds. The only team below Penistone, Bradfield Village Fellowship 2nds, haven’t been able to buy a win of late and face Norton Oakes 2nds, who moved up to ninth with a crucial nine points last time out. After being in and around the top, Upper Haugh 2nds now sit in fifth after two straight losses, and they host mid-table Darfield; whilst Rotherham Town 2nds and Coal Aston 2nds face off, still hoping to mount a charge up the division. 

 

There are just four games in Division 6 this week, but they could be crucial in the final shake-down. Top-of-the-table Doncaster 3rds host second-placed Wombwell Main, and with the two clubs well ahead of the rest, the game could decide the divisional championship. At the lower end of the table Brookhouse, who are one place from safety, host Millhouses Works 2nds, who face an uphill task to escape the drop; whilst Sheffield United 2nds, who are still in the danger zone, entertain bottom side Wentworth. In mid-table, Handsworth Junior Sporting Club 2nds travel to Wickersley Old Village 3rds, who cannot afford any slip-ups if they are to stay clear of relegation. 

 

Sprotbrough 3rds’ unwavering stranglehold on top spot in Division 7 continued last weekend but Whitley Hall 2nds kept up the pace behind them. The leaders’ latest fixture comes at home to tenth-placed side Worsbrough Bridge, while Whitley Hall travel to Warmsworth 2nds; both are fixtures the sides will expect to win. Below the top two, Frecheville Community 2nds have rather made third spot their own, and they host eighth-placed Scholes, who have been in decent form of late. Fourth-placed side Harley were their last opponents in a thrilling tie, and they host strugglers Silkstone United 2nds. After a hammering from thirteenth-placed Houghton Main 2nds, Fishlake 2nds find themselves in danger in eleventh. They will see their fixture against basement side Wath 3rds as a must-win, whilst Houghton Main will do well to keep up last week’s form as fifth-placed Higham 2nds come to town. Finally, two highly inconsistent teams face off, as Dearne host Doncaster Town 4ths in a mid-table clash. 

 

With Division 8 leaders Monk Bretton 2nds out of action this weekend, second-placed Mexborough can pile on the pressure by defeating Rockingham Colliery 4ths at home. Colliery 3rds, who still have an outside chance of promotion, travel to Whiston Forge 2nds; whilst fourth placed Upper Haugh 3rds host Brookhouse 2nds two places below them. Wombwell Main 2nds host Kexborough 2nds, with the sides lying ninth and eighth respectively; and bottom side Brodsworth Main 2nds host mid-table Eden Grove Parklands 2nds. Lowly Sheffield United 2nds host Adwick-Le-Street 2nds in fifth place in the remaining fixture in the division.