Elland resign from Conference

Elland have withdrawn from the Kingstone Press Cider National Conference League.

The Halifax outfit confirmed today that their involvement in the competition is at an end after failing to fulfil Saturday’s home Division Three fixture with Woolston Rovers.

Only six players turned up for the match, leaving Woolston staging an impromptu nine-a-side game among themselves.

Elland, who were bottom of the table with one win and a draw from 14 fixtures, have struggled for numbers throughout the campaign. However, that draw – against leaders West Bowling in the early stages of the season – indicates what might have been achieved if a full squad had regularly shown up for games.

The episode represents a remarkable fall from grace. Elland won the BARLA Yorkshire Cup in 2001-2 and 2003-4, and were runners-up in 2004-5, and featured in Division One last season before dropping two sections through being sanctioned for non-fulfilment of fixtures.

Their results for the 2017 season are being expunged by NCL bosses.

Elland, meanwhile, are holding a meeting tonight to discuss their future at Open Age level; the club, however, boasts a healthy youth and junior section.

Division Three
	P	W	D	L	F	A	Diff	PTS
West Bowling	15	12	1	2	651	317	334	25
Stanningley	15	11	0	4	393	311	82	22
Gateshead Storm	15	11	0	4	428	364	64	22
Eastmoor Dragons	14	10	0	4	468	316	152	20
Woolston Rovers	15	9	0	6	504	332	172	18
Dewsbury Moor	15	8	0	7	407	324	83	16
Rylands Sharks	14	7	1	6	426	398	28	15
Oldham St Annes	14	7	0	7	360	354	6	14
Clock Face Miners	13	5	1	7	233	283	-50	11
Barrow Island	15	5	1	9	360	382	-22	11
Dewsbury Celtic	14	2	2	10	227	427	-200	6
Stanley Rangers	15	2	0	13	215	598	-383	4
Waterhead Warriors *	15	3	0	12	342	558	-216	2
(*) Points deducted