Bowling and Hill on collision course

2:40pm Tuesday 13th May 2008

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West Bowling and Bradford Dudley Hill are looking on the positive side as they prepare for next season's National Conference Division One campaign.

Bowling, who struggled all season in the Premier Division, have reappointed coach Richard Heseltine to lead the fight to regain their top-flight status.

Hill, meanwhile, are still convinced that a blip in form during the Christmas period and not the deduction of two points was the main reason they failed narrowly to swap places with their local rivals.

One thing for certain, however, will be the prospect of two mouthwatering local derbies in front of big crowds as both clubs go head to head once more.

The local Pennine League clubs had mixed fortunes.

Queensbury hung on to their Premier Division place with a last-match success at Drighlington but failed to retain the Jack Senior Memorial Cup against neighbours Clayton at Grattan Stadium.

Clayton finished mid-table in the Premier as well as Bradford Cup winners In Division One, West Bowling A lost out on promotion on points difference while Birkenshaw will be disappointed with their slump in form after starting out like a house on fire.

Victoria Rangers are relegated after struggling all season. The Vics should be given a huge pat on the back for completing all their fixtures and sticking to their difficult task, despite winning only three of their matches.

Wyke followed up two previous successful promotion seasons by winning the Division Two championship.

The black and whites are now a formidable outfit under wily young coach Jason Hirst and will certainly make their presence felt next term.

Bank Top Harriers go up from Division Three after quietly sticking to their task to overhaul main rivals Lindley Swifts on points difference and Odsal Sedbergh are back on song playing good rugby in mid-table.

Undercliffe Wildboars keep their status with a four-point margin over Littleborough.

The youngsters of Wibsey Warriors have taken up open age rugby in fine style.

The jump from junior to senior level is always a huge step but the Warriors have not only finished as unbeaten Division Six champions with over 1,000 points in the plus column, they also won the Hudson Foster Supplementary Bradford Cup in a cracking match against Dudley Hill A.

A special mention must go to Thornton, who have kept the flag flying despite a number of setbacks and now look to have turned the corner in Division Four.