LAST YEAR’S champions Newsome head Division I for the first time this season.

There were only two games last week and one had to be abandoned due to an injury.

The Berry Brow v Diggle game was 2-2 with 15 minutes to play and it’s more than likely that at the next Council Meeting the decision to replay the game will be made.

With the rest of the teams in cup action or an open date, a 2-0 win over Shelley puts Newsome top for the first time.

Newsome led by two goals after only 10 minutes, the first was set up by Mark McSherry for Jamie Jobarteh to score from six yards and Joel Bryce made it two when he scored at the far post.

Hepworth are just a point behind, while Diggle are a further three points adrift with both sides having a game in hand on Newsome.

Division II leaders Scholes were without a fixture and Holmbridge and Slaithwaite took advantage, with both enjoying narrow one-goal victories.

Holmbridge beat Royal Dolphins 2-1 with Elliott Wills scoring both of Holmbridge’s goals, Liam King replied for Dolphins.

With ŠSlaithwaite United beating Westend by the odd goal in nine, both now sit just three points off Scholes – Holmbridge with two games in hand and Slaithwaite with one, but the side that can still challenge is Skelmanthorpe.

A narrow 3-2 win at Kirkheaton puts Skelmanthorpe on 21 points which may seem that they have plenty to do, but it’s possible if they can take advantage of their home games.

They have only played two games at home which means that, of their last nine games, eight are on home soil.

In Division III Shelley are neck and neck with Heyside, who were both comfortable winners.

Their nearest challengers are Dalton Crusaders who are having a good season but, despite winning frequently, they never seem to close the gap on the top two.

They have lost to Shelley twice and once to Heyside – if the Crusaders are to have any chance of promotion they must beat Heyside when they next meet.

In Division IV, going into last week’s game, AFC Waterloo led the table by four points from Holmfirth Town – and the gap is still four points as they drew 1-1.

A Brian Maulds’ 12-yarder into the roof of the net gave Holmfirth Town the lead but some sloppy defending allowed AFC Waterloo to draw level before the break.

Both sides went for the winner in the second half and both had the chances but it remained 1-1 at the end.

A point each was no good to either as Linthwaite, 4-0 winners at Spotted Cow, can pass the pair of them if they win their games in hand.

A feature of the last two weeks is the number of unfulfilled fixtures.

The normal outcome is that the offending club is fined and the points awarded to their opponents.

It’s a problem that occurs towards the end of a season and the more games that are crammed into April seems to have an increase in the number of offences.

Last season there was a total of some 20 unfulfilled fixtures but already the number on the last two Saturdays have reached six, and last season’s record might be broken.