'Fortress' Farsley awaits Keighley

4:13pm Thursday 21st August 2008

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Keighley may be second in the JCT600 Bradford League Division Two table, but they face a daunting task on Saturday.

They are at leaders Farsley, who have won all eight of their completed matches at Red Lane this season, the other one (against Spen Victoria on August 9) being abandoned because of rain.

Another telling statistic is that Farsley’s average runs per wicket at home is 42.30, while away from ‘fortress’ Red Lane it is only 21.67. That figure is backed up by the Rams scoring 1,819 runs at home in eight matches, while only managing 1,517 in nine matches away from home.

And if Keighley aren’t quaking in trepidation, Farsley already have ten more points (277) with three matches left than last season’s Division Two champions Yeadon managed in the whole of the campaign.

Farsley are 39 points ahead of the Lawkholme Laners, and Gomersal will be hoping for a Rams victory as the third-placed club are only two points adrift of Keighley.

Rob Burton’s team are at bottom club Hartshead Moor, while the main alternative to Farsley v Keighley is Idle at home to Undercliffe.

Idle have slipped to fourth from a promotion berth, while Undercliffe’s uneven campaign has left them in fifth.

However, neither can yet be ruled out for promotion as they only trail Keighley by nine and 15 points respectively.