Bittersweet win for Halifax

It still wasn’t enough to give them the Division One title, however, with the honours going to Leeds A, who they had beaten in June.

Leeds were also playing on Sundaye, against Fylde A, and won 25-7 to claim top spot by a margin of four points.

The significant facts were that Leeds won 59 of the 96 individual games played by each team during the summer. Halifax won only 52, although they did pick up three more aggregate points than Leeds.

The home leg against Airedale and Wharfedale, who themselves still had plenty to battle for, was played at Brighouse Sports Club. Halifax achieved their best result of the season with 10 winners from 12 games played.

They picked up the two aggregate points by a 243-205 margin for a 12-2 result.

Anchor man Mark Regan (Brighouse Sports) had the best Halifax result of the day, winning to nine, and Gareth Nicholson (Mytholmroyd BC) limited his opponent to 13.

The away leg at Farsley BC in Leeds produced a mixed bag of results for Halifax.

The first four jacks all lost, the second four all won and then there was only one success from the last four.

However, the away aggregate loss was restricted to 14 (194-208) meaning the overall aggregate four points also went to Halifax (432-413) for an overall success by 21 – 11.

Debutant Nigel Bloomer (Brighouse Sports) had the best result from the first four, being the eighth Halifax player this season to lost 21-20.

Clive Austin (Mytholmroyd BC) was the best of the second four jacks, winning to 10.

Tom Gasson playing at number 12 and paired against a former Yorkshire county player, led 15-1 at one stage and finished with a 21-10 result to share the sweep with Austin.

The result meant that Airedale & Wharfedale failed by one point to retain their Division One status with Middleton retaining their spot despite an inferior chalks difference.

For 2017 a resurgent Barnsley and Bury will be promoted to Division One.

At Brighouse Sports: P Ingleby (Elland WM) 21 C Daysh 19, M Steels (Clayton Vics) 21 D Carter 19, S Haynes (Hill Crest) 21 L Teale 19, R Hitchen (Elland WM) 19 M Benson 21, A Bray 14 D Upton 21, R Holmes (Elland WM) 21 S Morris 15, G Nicholson (Mytholmroyd BC) 21 J Teale 13, P Demetriades (Elland WM) 21 R Benson 18, J Summers (Asa Briggs) 21 D Teale 17, G Bradford (Greetland) 21 N Bastow 18, D Clare (Clayton Vics) 21 I Kemp 16, M Regan (Brighouse Sp) 21 M Barker 9.

At Farsley BC: T Riley (Brighouse Sp) 10 N Nicholson 21, K Bannister (Mythoolmroyd BC) 18 G Wike 21, K Hatzer (Hove Edge) 5 J Hanson 21, N Bloomer (Brighouse Sp) 20 T Cater 21, J Abdy (Elland WM) 21 A Hodgson 11, C Austin (Mytholmroyd) 21 D Beardsworth 10, D Radcliffe (Hove Edge) 21 I Matthews 18, A Tate (Brighouse Sp) 21 T Lawrence 12, D Fountain (Brighouse Sp) 15 J Stockdale 21, R Hobson (Brighouse Sp) 12 C Hight 21, T Bannister (Mytholmroyd BC) 9 J Benson 21, T Gasson (Hove Edge) 21 R Stockdale 10.

Final points: Leeds 82, Halifax 78, Middleton 61, Aire & Whrafe 60, Fylde A 39.