EVEN during a comparatively mild winter, it seems that the Craven & District Football League schedule cannot survive intact, with mid-week cup ties now an essential tool of the fixture making system.

The diversity in league matches played in some divisions also underlines how variable the influence of the weather can be, with some teams having played six more than others in the same division.

In The Premier Division, unbeaten Oxenhope Recreation are in pole position and with a lead of 14 points hold the top cards. They have only eight matches still to play, three at home and five away, with two of the three at home being against title contenders.

Barring any lapse in form, they should collect the title, but with second-placed Skipton LMS having three matches in hand, they cannot afford any slips.

LMS have lost three league games and have 11 matches to play in the league and at least two cup semi-finals and a quarter-final to fit in, so their match at Oxenhope tomorrow week is a 'must win' affair.

Embsay have played the same number of matches as the leaders, but trail by 16 points so need a major fall from grace by the leading pair to have any hope.Lothersdale Athletic head Division One with seven matches still to play having dropped just four points all season. They have vital home matches against the chasing pair of Bradley and Embsay Reserves.

Bradley have played the same number of matches and are four points adrift having lost three matches and their trips to Lothersdale and Embsay Reserves need to yield maximum points. Embsay Reserves have too few matches left to be serious contenders, but they could upset the applecart if they were to defeat the teams above them.

Division Two has been neck and neck all season, with Chatburn now having a two-point advantage over Barrowford United, both having six games still to play. Chatburn's are mostly from the bottom end of the table, with two at home and four away.

Barrowford have a hard match ahead in Skipton LMS Reserves, but the rest are also from the lower reaches of the table.

Chatburn have to visit Gargrave, who are on the same number of matches, but eight points behind Chatburn and six behind Barrowford, but a win against Chatburn could put them in the picture. LMS Reserves have a match in hand on the leading teams, but seem to have dropped off the pace recently.

Division Three has been chopping and changing all season. Cononley Sports Reserves, with eight matches to play, lead Bradley Reserves by five points and have five home matches remaining.

On the organisational front, the League Management Committee, in their search for a new secretary, have decided to streamline that post by allocating parts of it to current officers and creating a fixture secretary post which will take work off the general secretary.