Preview of matches on 28 August

With only two games to go in the Premier Division, the title will be decided if leaders Appleby Frodingham beat their nearest challengers, Sheffield Collegiate, at Brumby Hall. If the Abbeydale side win, the destination of the inaugural YCSPL title will go right down to the last game of the season. At the other end of the table, next-to-bottom Hallam must beat third-placed Treeton at home if they are to stand a realistic chance of overhauling Cawthorne or Doncaster above them. Those two sides play each other at Town Fields, and Doncaster can guarantee their safety with a win. If Cawthorne win, and Hallam lose, then Hallam will be relegated. Elsewhere, fourth-placed Barnsley Woolley Miners will hope end their season on a high, starting by completing a double over Wakefield Thornes, who had won their last two before last week’s abandonment; Elsecar will want to ensure a top-half finish, starting by completing a double over Tickhill; and mid-table Whitley Hall will be favourites to beat relegated Wickersley at home. 

 

With three games to go, the position in the Championship Division is no less fascinating. Leaders Cleethorpes have the hardest run-in, but they made a good start to it last week by beating Wath; this week they travel to Abbeydale in search of a double over a Collegiate 2nds side that have won their last four. If Cleethorpes slip up, Whiston will overtake them if they can win at Wath. Third-placed Houghton Main will be favourites on their trip to Warmworth, who themselves need the points, as they are not mathematically safe from relegation yet. Both Houghton Main and Whiston still have Cleethorpes to play, so the promotion race is still very much wide open. 

 

At the other end of the table, bottom club Oughtibridge are at home to out-of-form Aston Hall; whilst third-from-bottom Barnsley visit second-to-bottom Sprotbrough. Barnsley have won three of their last seven games, whilst Sprotbrough have won none. If Oughtibridge lose, and Barnsley pick up any points at all, Oughtibridge will be relegated. Whatever their results, Barnsley and Sprotbrough will fight another day. The final game is Conisbrough against Rockingham – Conisbrough still need one more win to guarantee safty, whilst Rockingham have won four out of six, and are looking for a top-half finish. 

 

After last week’s disrupted programme in Division 1, Shiregreen stayed top of the tree, with Green Moor close behind in the second promotion spot. Rotherham Town also kept up their bid to go up as they won in the only other game to take place. This time around, there is a huge game as the first - and second-placed sides go head-to-head at Shiregreen. It is a match which could have massive repercussions for all the top three come the end of the season. Hoping to pounce on any slip-ups, Rotherham don’t have it much easier, as they play fourth-placed Darfield. Towards the bottom, ninth-placed Treeton 2nds host eleventh-placed Hallam 2nds; a ‘must win’ for both sides, especially Hallam, who will feel like it is now or never if they are to avoid relegation. Elsewhere, bottom side Aston Hall 2nds face a tough test at home to fifth-placed Whitley Hall 2nds and, in another massive game, tenth-placed Sheffield United travel to eighth-placed South Kirkby desperate for all nine points. Wakefield Thornes 2nds and Upper Haugh meet in the comfort of mid-table to round off the weekend’s fixtures. 

 

Doncaster 2nds could all but win Division 2 this weekend if they can secure victory against fourth-placed Monk Bretton. Home side Bretton desperately need to secure a win after not picking up results in the past two games. Elsewhere, Coal Aston have chance to strengthen their promotion ambitions when they travel to relegated Elsecar 2nds. Fellow strugglers Worsbrough Bridge are at home to Norton Woodseats, who are safe in mid-table; whilst in-form Norton Oakes are also at home to Frechville Community, in a battle that will be crucial to the survival hopes of both. Sheffield Collegiate 3rds will be looking to hold onto the last promotion spot when they travel to the Crucible Oval to face likely relegation candidates Thorncliffe; and mid-table sides Wickersley Old Village face Thorpe Helsey & High Green in the remaining fixture. 

 

Only one result was achieved in Division 3 last weekend, and Penistone opened up a gap at the top at the expense of second-placed Caribbean, whose match was abandoned. This weekend, Penistone appear to have much the tougher fixture as they host a solid Oughtibridge 2nds side; whilst Caribbean travel to second-bottom Rockingham Colliery 2nds, who are destined for the drop. In similar positions are bottom side Maltby Miners Welfare and tenth-placed Silkstone United; the pressure is now off Maltby who travel to fifth-placed Kexborough, whilst United still have a faint hope of avoiding the drop and play host to an out-of-form Tickhill 2nds. Contrastingly, Sprotbrough 2nds and Wath 2nds are in third and fourth respectively, although a promotion push now seems unlikely for both; Sprotbrough travel to Barnsley Woolley Miners 3rds, who desperately need the points to avoid relegation, while Wath visit Whiston Parish Church 2nds, one place above the relegation zone. 

 

Second-placed Bradfield Village Fellowship and Division 4 leaders Parkhead go head-to-head this weekend at Parkhead. The game could be the game of the season and could determine the title winners. Millhouses Works, one place above relegation, look to bounce back from defeat last weekend when they travel to fourth-placed Sheffield Collegiate 4ths; whilst third-placed Cawthorne 2nds welcome Shiregreen 2nds, three places below them. A huge game at the bottom end of the table sees Fishlake host Hallam 3rds ,with both sides just inside the relegation zone and looking to make late escape. The remaining fixture since Higham look for back-to-back victories when they host relegated Mexborough Athletic. 

 

Handsworth’s abandonment away at Darfield 2nds last Saturday means that the league leaders still don’t have a firm grasp on promotion in the ever-unpredictable Division 5. Rotherham Town 2nds are currently the second-placed side, but the race remains, realistically, between four sides. Town’s home game against fifth-placed Darfield is a tough one; whilst Handsworth host relegation-threatened Kilnhurst Colliery, a team who can pose problems, as they rose to the top of the division earlier in the season. Below the top two are Whiston Forge and Coal Aston 2nds, whose chances of promotion probably rest on a the huge fixture between the two at Stonelow tomorrow. Towards the bottom, where a lot of teams are in relegation danger, eighth-placed Conisbrough 2nds and seventh-placed Upper Haugh 2nds will give themselves a real chance if they beat Bradfield Village Fellowship 2nds and Norton Oakes 2nds respectively. To round up the weekend’s fixtures, Thorpe Hesley & High Green 2nds and Penistone 2nds are all-but down as they play in what seems to be a dead rubber. 

 

Promotion is Division 6 seems to be going the way of current leaders Wombwell Main, who travel to Sheffield United 2nds, a side needing the points to get out of the relegation zone. Second-placed Doncaster Town 3rds are also on the road to Wickersley Old Village, just one place above Sheffield United. Two teams near the bottom and all but relegated are Millhouses Works 2nds, who travel to fourth-placed Green Moor 2nds, and Wentworth, who away to Caribbean Sports 2nds. In the remaining fixture, third-placed Handsworth 2nds are away to mid-table side Brookhouse. 

 

It is still all to play for in Division 7, as mid-table teams fight it out to be in the top six and remain in the league next season. Sprotbrough and Whitley Hall seem to be winning the promotion race, particularly after Frecheville Community 2nds lost to Doncaster Town 4ths last time out. Sprotbrough 3rds also lost but, such is their dominance this season, stayed top by a margin. Meanwhile second-placed Whitley Hall 3rds stayed second with a routine win. This time around, Sprotbrough will host Warmsworth 2nds, who need the points to ensure survival in the division; whilst Whitley Hall face second-bottom side Houghton Main 2nds, who are as good as relegated. There is an interesting game between seventh and ninth as Doncaster Town 4ths host Fishlake 2nds, with both teams still in the hunt for survival, while Higham 2nds will hold onto sixth spot with a win at already relegated Wath 3rds. Sandwiched in between Doncaster and Fishlake are Scholes, who will look to keep their survival hopes alive away at Dearne. Two teams, however, that are all but down are eleventh-placed Silkstone United 2nds and twelfth-placed Worsbrough Bridge 2nds, who face tough games away at Frecheville and fourth-placed Harley respectively. 

 

There is a crucial game in the battle for the Division 8 title this weekend, with second-placed Mexborough Athletic 2nds hosting third-placed Rockingham Colliery 3rds. Both are hoping to chase down leaders Monk Bretton 2nds, who haven’t played since July but face lowly Whiston Forge 2nds away from home. The Colliery 4ths are also away this weekend at Eden Grove Parklands; whilst Upper Haugh 3rds host Adwick-Le-Street 2nds at Rawmarsh St Josephs.