HAVING lost three in a row, Horsforth travel to Pool tomorrow keen to get their Aire-Wharfe League season back on track before they lose touch with Otley and Beckwithshaw at the top of the table.

Having stormed to two promotions in successive years, Horsforth started their Division One campaign as though they intended to make it three titles in a row, only to be brought up short in recent weeks.

On paper, they should be too strong for a side stuck in the bottom two, but Pool have shown some grit and seem like a team who could test any side if only their batting and bowling would click on the same day.

Rawdon are level on points with Horsforth, and will be full of confidence when they entertain Steeton, who are only one point above the drop zone.

Ilkley were the latest side to beat Horsforth and opened up an 18-point gap between them and the bottom three.

But they face a sterner test with the visit of leaders Otley, who have Jamie Pickering needing just 38 runs to pass 500 for the season, and Ricky Halloran and Chris Thompson menacingly filling two of the division’s top-three bowling spots.

Burley travel to Collingham, looking for a fourth win in a row – a run which included toppling then-leaders Beckwithshaw.

Division Two is in danger of developing into a two-horse race for promotion, unless the chasing pack can start making inroads quickly.

It’s hard to see leaders Guiseley, for whom Mike Truswell is closing on 500 runs, slipping up at Adel, and the pressure will be on Addingham to halt second-placed Colton’s charge.

Having lost their last two games, fourth-placed Addingham are already 30 points behind their opponents and this already feels like a must-win match for them.

Calverley have won three in a row and, with Ben Waller in sparkling form with the bat, they should be far too strong for struggling Follifoot

With only eight batting points so far and already 23 points off safety, it is hard to see bottom side Harden denting Knaresborough’s promotion hopes.

Having made short work of Follifoot last week, Ben Rhydding will be expected to do the same to Illingworth, but it would be a brave punter who decided which way the bet would go on an intriguing clash between Thackley and Skipton, who are just four points apart and scrapping to stay clear of the relegation zone.

Having opened up a 12-point lead in Division Three, and with Mark McEneaney second in the division’s batting stats and third in the bowling, it is hard to imagine Hall Park will have too many problems against an Alwoodley team that are again struggling to avoid facing a re-election vote.

Tong Park Esholt are currently third and also have a match they should win comfortably against bottom club Upper Wharfedale.

They will then hope fourth-placed Green Lane can dent the impressive charge being made by Leeds Modernians. Lane are already 32 points off the promotion places, so victory is essential.

Olicanian will seek to bounce back at home to Menston after being skittled out for 69 last week by Green Lane, while struggling Silsden entertain inconsistent New Rover.

Bolton Villas, who have won just one of their last six, take on Bardsey in a tussle that is likely to turn on which of two strong bowling line-ups comes out on top.

On Sunday, Otley travel to Beckwithshaw for the only Waddilove Cup quarter-final between Division One teams, and they will be hoping for a re-run of their league encounter last week when they won quite comfortably.

The other three ties see Division Three sides – Menston, Green Lane and Tong Park Esholt – trying to pull off a giant killing against teams from the top flight in Burley, North Leeds and Rawdon respectively.

The odds are stacked against all three but a big day from one of their star performers might just cause a shock.