Hopton draw the short straw

The Mirfield club were last night drawn away to Jer Lane on Sunday, May 10.

Lane have been champions for the last two years and have reached the last two cup finals, beating Booth at Blackley in 2013 but surprisingly losing to hosts Copley last August.

In last year’s first round Jer Lane were also paired with league newcomers, on that occasion Cullingworth,who were beaten by Lane and went on to finish fifth in Division Two.

The first two rounds of the Parish Cup and Crossley Shield competitions were drawn at last night’s league meeting.

Bridgeholme and Triangle got first round byes while the pick of the May 10 games appears to be the Walton Street clash of Sowerby Bridge and Warley.

The sides finished fourth and sixth in the Premier Division last season.

There should also be a good battle between the clubs at second team level in the Crossley Shield. Bridge have a good record in the competition while Warley are the holders.

Cup holders Copley have been drawn away to Bradshaw, who were relegated from the top flight by the narrowest of margins last September.

Toby Thorpe, who scored a century for Copley in last year’s final, has since joined Bradford League newcomers Scholes while cup-winning captain James Clarke has retired.

If Copley win their opener they are then likely to have to go to Jer Lane in the second round.

Parish Cup, first round (May 10): Great Horton PC v Low Moor, Northowram HT v Queensbury, Oxenhope v Booth, Cullingworth v Old Crossleyans, Jer Lane v Upper Hopton, Southowram v Outlane, Bradshaw v Copley, Stones v Thornton, Shelf v Blackley, Mytholmroyd v Greetland, Sowerby Bridge v Warley, Old Town v Luddenden Foot, Sowerby St Peters v Denholme Clough, SBCI v Clayton. Byes: Bridgeholme, Triangle.

Second round (May 31): Northowram or Queensbury v Bridgeholme, Stones or Thornton v Oxenhope or Booth, Old Town or Luddendenfoot v Great Horton PC or Low Moor, Shelf or Blackley v Sowerby Bridge or Warley, Triangle v Southowram or Outlane, Mytholmroyd or Greetland v Cullingworth or Old Crossleyans, Sowerby St Peters or Denholme v SBCI or Clayton, Jer Lane or Upper Hopton v Bradshaw or Copley.

Crossley Shield, second round (May 31): Bridgeholme v Outlane or Southowram, Warley or Sowerby Bridge v Clayton or SBCI, Booth or Oxenhope v Luddenden Foot or Old Town, Queensbury or Northowram HT v Low Moor or Great Horton PC, Copley or Bradshaw v Triangle, Greetland or Mytholmroyd v Thornton or Stones, Denholme or Sowerby St Peters v Blackley or Shelf, Upper Hopton or Jer Lane v Old Crossleyans or Cullingworth.