Preview of matches on 21 August

Tomorrow, Premier Division leaders Appleby Frodingham will visit relegation-threatened Cawthorne, who have won their last two games. Frodingham’s main challengers are second-placed Sheffield Collegiate, just 12 points behind the leaders, and they are at home to Hallam. The Crimicar side are battling with Cawthorne to avoid the drop, but are currently 12 points adrift of the Barnsley outfit. Third-placed Treeton are at home to relegated Wickersley; and Barnsley Woolley Miners in fourth place travel to Tickhill, who have lost their last three. Elsewhere, Doncaster Town, who are still not mathematically safe, travel to sixth-placed Elsecar; whilst Wakefield Thornes and Whitley Hall meet in a mid-table clash at Field Lane. 

 

Cleethorpes' surprise defeat at Conisbrough last week saw their lead at the top of the Championship Dvision cut to two points, and they have the chance to bounce back this week at home to Wath, who have now lost their last two after an impressive run. Whiston, in second, host an Aston Hall side that have not won since 19 June, and will be confident of extending their four-match winning run. Houghton Main, who have won five on the trot to keep up the pressure in third, are at home to Sprotbrough, with no wins in six and lying one place off the bottom. Rockingham, whose improved recent form has seen them move into the top half of the table, are at home to Oughtbridge, for whom defeat could spell relegation, dependent on results elsewhere. Barnsley Woolley Miners 2nds, one place above the relegation zone but with two wins from three, are at home to Sheffoeld Collegiate 2nds; whilst Warmsworth and Conisbrough meet, knowing that the winners will be virtually guaranteed safety. 

 

Shiregreen stayed top of Division 1 after last weekend’s results, with Green Moor keeping their place in the second promotion spot. This time around, both sides face relegation-threatened opposition away from home, with Shiregreen travelling to Sheffield United and Green Moor to Hallam 2nds, who sit in tenth and eleventh places respectively. The fixtures offer a glimmer of hope to Aston Hall 2nds, who currently lie rock-bottom and with a lot of work to do to move away from trouble, as they host eighth-placed South Kirkby. Perched just above the drop-zone, Treeton 2nds were blown away last weekend by Whitley Hall 2nds and things don’t get much easier, with their next match coming at third-placed Rotherham Town. Whitley Hall themselves, seem to be falling short in their top two hopes, currently being fifth, and face opposition in a similar situation when sixth-placed Wakefield Thornes 2nds come to town. Just above both teams, in fourth, Darfield are one of the form teams of the division, their next challenge comes in the form of mid-table Upper Haugh. 

 

It's top against bottom in the Division 2 as strugglers Elsecar 2nds travel to Doncaster, who look to bounce back from surprise defeat last weekend. It was Norton Oakes who gained that victory, and they now look to keep clear of the relegation zone by continuing in the same fashion when travelling to mid-table Woodseats; whilst Abbeydale Sports Club plays host to promotion-chasing Sheffield Collegiate 3rds and Worsbrough Bridge, the latter needing the points to escape the relegation zone. At the Hobson Bowl, Frecheville host Thorncliffe, with both sides trying to make a great relegation escape, and, finally, Wickersley Old Village 2nds, currently one place above the drop zone, host promotion hopefuls Monk Bretton. 

 

The title is Penistone’s to lose in Division 3 as we come towards the final few fixtures of the season. Their closest competitors are Caribbean, who continue to keep up the pressure in second, with both teams looking assured of a promotion place. This weekend, Caribbean’s fixture appears much tougher, as they travel to fifth-placed Kexborough, whilst Penistone host Barnsley Woolley Miners 3rds, who are one place below safety. In stark contrast to the high-fliers, Rockingham Colliery 2nds seem down and out at the bottom, and their latest game comes against an in-form Oughtibridge 2nds. Also currently in the relegation zone are Maltby Miners Welfare and Silkstone United, who have differing challenges ahead of them. Maltby will see their game at home to eighth-placed Whiston Parish Church 2nds as a winnable one, whereas United face an uphill battle against Sprotbrough 2nds, a side still well in the hunt for promotion in third. Finally, Wath 2nds, currently in fourth and with a rather slim chance of going up, play host to seventh-placed Tickhill 2nds. 

 

After picking up impressive back-to-back wins, mid-table Millhouses Works, who are one place above the Division 4 drop zone, will hope to maintain their form when they travel to fifth-placed Shiregreen, who were without a game last week. Leaders Parkhead face Hallam 3rds, who are desperate for points to climb the one place to safety, knowing that another win will bring them closer to promotion. Fellow promotion-chasers Bradfield Village Fellowship and Sheffield Collegiate 4ths, in second and third places respectively, face each other in a game that could decide who goes up. Barnsley Woolley Miners 4ths, all but relegated, are back in action after last week's conceded game at home to Fishlake, who are just two places above them but still with a chance of survival. Mexborough Athletic, who are third from bottom and looking in serious trouble, face in-form Cawthorne; whilst bottom-of-the-table Hampole & Skelbrooke are at home to Higham, who still need at least another win to ensure survival. 

 

Handsworth became the new table-toppers in an ever-changing Division 5 after last week’s fixtures. Several sides could still be promoted, with half of the division to be relegated to accommodate a new division. Handsworth’s efforts to keep hold of top spot will continue at sixth-placed Darfield; while Rotherham Town 2nds, who are second, travel to eighth-placed Conisbrough 2nds, who still have a chance of avoiding the drop. Whiston Forge and Kilnhurst Colliery, in third and fourth places respectively, still stand a real chance of going up and will fancy their chances against twelfth-placed Bradfield Village Fellowship 2nds and eleventh-placed Penistone 2nds. Below them, in fifth, Coal Aston 2nds may only have an outside chance of promotion, but they lie in a strange position, as relegation also remains as a real possibility; they face Upper Haugh 2nds, who currently occupy seventh spot. Towards the bottom, Norton Oakes 2nds and Thorpe Hesley & High Green 2nds are both in real danger, lingering in ninth and tenth respectively, and face off at Norton Oakes in a ‘now or never’ game for both. 

 

There are four games in Division 6 this weekend, which sees the top two sides out of action. Third-placed Green Moor 2nds host Caribbean 2nds, two places below them; both teams have had mixed fortunes this season but a win for either could precipitate a late promotion charge. Bottom side Wentworth look doomed; they play Wickersley Old Village 3rds at Clayfields Lane, with the visitors one place above then drop zone and needing the win to stay there. Millhouses Works 2nds have been struggling of late and are now next-to-bottom, but they have a chance to bounce back when hosting Sheffield United 2nds, just two places above them in the relegation zone. Another relegation battle takes place The Crucible Oval as Thorncliffe 2nds in ninth place host Brookhouse in seventh. 

 

It continues to be a three-horse race in Division 7 for the two promotion places. Sprotbrough 3rds and Whitley Hall 3rds are the current occupiers with Frecheville Community 2nds maintaining almost constant pressure in third. The league leaders going into the weekend are Sprotbrough, who face a far from straightforward fixture away at Higham, one place above the relegation zone, whilst Whitley Hall will be expecting a win at home to relegation-threatened Dearne. A slip-up by either will be good news to Frecheville, who travel to Doncaster Town 4ths, themselves just inside the relegation zone. Eight teams face the drop in an abnormal relegation zone and those towards the bottom of the division seem all but down. Out of those teams, tenth-placed Scholes host bottom side Wath 3rds; whilst thirteenth hosts twelfth as Houghton Main 2nds travel to Silkstone United 2nds. Still in a strong position to avoid the drop, fifth-placed Warmsworth 2nds play away at Worsbrough Bridge 2nds, while fourth-placed Harley, still with an outside chance of promotion, play Fishlake 2nds, who are two places from safety. 

 

Four fixtures will take place in Division 8 tomorrow. Second-placed Mexborough Athletic 2nd XI travel to play bottom-four side Kexborough 2nds; whilst fourth-placed Adwick-Le-Street 2nds are on the road to mid-table Brookhouse 2nds. The bottom two play each other as Sheffield United 3rds host Whiston Forge 2nds; whilst Eden Grove Parklands 2nds host Wombwell Main 2nds, with the two sides lying in sixth and seventh places respectively.