BROCKHOLES Bowling Club are on the up!

The team, which finished fifth in last year’s Drayton Cup are leading the way at the top of the Slawit and Golcar Cars Huddersfield Bowling League’s second flight.

The Holme Valley-based outfit had a seven-point lead from Golcar Lib A at the top of the Drayton ahead of last weekend’s matches.

But Brockholes signalled their eager intentions of bagging an automatic promotion place to the top flight with a 12-4 win against second-placed Golcar.

The victory increased their lead to eight points from Elland CBC, who were relegated from the Subscription Cup along with Golcar last season, after they picked up a big 14-2 win against Thorpe Green at Blakeborough Albion.

Almondbury BC A ensured it remains tight at the top after they kept the heat on the leaders with an 11-5 victory against Linthwaite CBC at Elland.

In the Subscription Cup, third-placed Longwood, who are chasing leaders Netherton Con and Thongsbridge, earned a rare 8-8 draw against Cleckheaton Sports at Cowcliffe Lib.

Both teams could not be separated, sharing 209 points each and six winners apiece.

In the Littlewood Cup, leaders Slaithwaite CBC beat Shepley 14-2, while Paddock CBC, in second, beat struggling Huddersfield RUFC BC 13-3.

Almondbury Lib C had a 10-point lead at the top of the Bamforth Cup from Farnley Tyas BC at the start of play and they backed up their promotion credentials with an 11-5 victory against Thongsbridge CBC C, while Farnley Tyas beat third-placed Skelmanthorpe Windmill 9-7.

Moldgreen Con B are taking the Ingham Cup by storm and their latest victims were third-placed Lindley Lib C who ended up on the wrong end of a 14-2 scoreline.

The Beaumont Cup is a much more closely-contested affair.

Lindley WMC and Skelmanthorpe Central were level at the top on 96 points, but the balance has swung in Lindley’s favour after they beat Marsh Lib 11-3 and Skelmanthorpe were rocked by a 10-4 defeat by third-placed Lowerhouses, who now move into second.

In the Binns Cup, leaders Jackson Bridge won 6-4, while second-placed Almondbury Lib D slipped to an 8-2 defeat by Netherton Con and were overtaken by Marsden Park who won 8-2 against Golcar CAC.

Qualifiers from the first three nights in the Mirfield Old Bank Autumn Double – Monday, July 28: Chris Brown and Matt Bower (Sheffield), Thursday, July 31: Darren Pitchforth and Danny Sillitoe (Morton House), Monday, August 4: Darren Plenderleith and Ian Nicholson (Sheffield/Kendal).

Lower Hopton beat local rivals Longwood 10-4.5 in the Manchester Premier League.

Lower Hopton’s Graeme Wilson and Craig Newton recorded big wins to secure the aggregate 194-160.

Longwood names first: R Mozley 16 R Hitchen 21, R Sutton 21 N Ewart 14, I Briggs 18 L Lawton 21, P Ingleby 19 G Nicholson 21, R Crowther 21 G Smith 18, D Hennessey 18 C Mordue 21, F Greenwood 17 R Nicholson 21, D Beeby 7 G Wilson 21, R Whitwam 2 C Newton 21, M Bramall 21 D Scott 17.