Woodlands lost for the first time this season in the JCT600 Bradford League last Saturday at Lightcliffe.

This reduced the defending champions’ lead from 45 points to 32 points with six matches remaining.

Does that defeat therefore offer a glimmer of hope to the chasing trio of East Bierley, Lightcliffe and Cleckheaton?

Not a bit of it according to Lightcliffe’s cricket chairman Chris Taylor.

He said “We played well last weekend but the title is done and dusted.”

Having conceded that Woodlands will win the crown for the fifth time in eight years, however, Taylor has his eyes on second.

The 31-year-old former Yorkshire and Derbyshire player added: “We might have to win five of our last six games to do it but that is our ambition.”

Only four years ago, the Wakefield Road club finished third from bottom in the Second Division.

Taylor says: “I didn’t come here to finish bottom of the Second Division.

“I could have gone to some of the bigger clubs, such as Pudsey Congs or Woodlands, but I came here as cricket chairman.

“We are a small village club with no bar, a red shack at the side of the field and limited resources but we want to finish second this season, and, with more recruitment over the winter, our aim is to win the league next season.

“Our ambition at the beginning of the season was to finish in the top half of the table but we have surpassed ourselves.”

Junior talent is obviously a key area for Lightcliffe, and Taylor does not like to single out people for praise but did mention Josh Wheatley and Yorkshire second-teamer Alex Lees.

He said of the latter: “He is 18 and has found it difficult to break into Yorkshire’s first team but he has the potential to go to the very top.”

Lightcliffe are at home to second-from-bottom Farsley on Saturday, while Woodlands are at Priestley Cup finalists Manningham Mills.

Top match of the day, however, is the battle between second-placed East Bierley and fourth-placed Cleckheaton at South View Road.

The Pudsey derby has interest at the bottom of the table for once.

Congs, who are just above the relegation places, host St Lawrence, who are fifth, almost 50 points behind the leaders.

Tension is also likely to be high at fourth-from-bottom Saltaire, who host cellar dwellers Undercliffe, while Hanging Heaton, who are one point better off than Saltaire, are at Bradford & Bingley.

It is difficult to see Second Division leaders Baildon slipping up at second-from-bottom Idle, but second-placed Yeadon have a much stiffer task at home to fifth-placed Spen Victoria.

Fourth-placed Keighley have a similarly tough test at Gomersal, who are 11 points and two places below them.