Riddlesden Cricket Club are using solicitors to appeal against a decision by the Craven League to dock them points which has seen them relegated to division four.

The club were asked to attend a disciplinary meeting after the league received a complaint from Gargrave regarding the behaviour of some spectators at a match between the two sides last season.

At the meeting, the league's disciplinary committee decided to dock Riddlesden all of their final points tally from last season. They also decided to dock 24 points off next season's tally and fined the club the maximum amount.

Riddlesden appealed against the decision, but the league committee upheld the penalty. The matter is now being dealt with by Riddlesden's solicitors and the league's solicitors, J P Mewies & Co.

Following the match at Riddlesden against Gargrave on Saturday July 9, Gargrave skipper Ray Jones complained at the next league monthly meeting that a small group of spectators had been exposing themselves and using bad language .

He also said that the Gargrave umpire had been sworn at during a drinks interval.

According to the league's disciplinary rules, it is a disciplinary offence "for any club to fail properly to control or discipline its players or to act in a manner calculated to prejudice the good name or interests of the League".

The rules also state "for the purpose of these rules the expression "the player" shall be deemed to mean and include not only the player, but also any member or official of any club or, if appropriate, any other person involved in any incident of possible misconduct occurring on the field of play, or on the premises of the club."

The dispute means that the Craven League is currently unable to begin processing its fixtures for next season.