The Aire-Wharfe League’s practice of mirroring fixtures in the two halves of the season gives clubs a chance to assess their progress – or lack of it – as they start the second half of the campaign.

Harden always knew stepping up to Division One for the first time would be challenging, and that view was reinforced on the opening day when Guiseley skittled them out for just 48.

It took four matches to win their first point and was the end of May before Richard Wear steered them to their first top-flight victory with an unbeaten 47 against Steeton.

There have been a couple of near misses since but as they travel to face Guiseley again on Saturday, Harden are stuck in the bottom two with Follifoot, 13 points adrift of their nearest rivals Pool.

Guiseley led the table for the first few weeks before slipping down as far as ninth but back-to-back wins have seen them return to the top half of the table, and the consistent form of players like Dave Pennett and Harrison Durkin should see them add to Harden’s woes.

For Burley, Otley and Ben Rhydding - three sides with the best chance of hauling back Beckwithshaw’s massive advantage at the top - it is just a question of amassing as many points as possible and hoping the leaders start to show a vulnerability that has been completely absent so far.

All three have winnable matches. Burley have what looks like the easiest task when they entertain Pool. 

Otley will hope to repeat their early-season win over Kirkstall, who were dismissed for 60 when they met, but the Eddies have shown improve form recently.

Ben Rhydding face the toughest task, against last season’s champions Collingham, but four wins in their last five starts suggest Rhydding should come out on top.

Meanwhile, Steeton have the unenviable task of trying to bring down Beckwithshaw on their own patch.

The Division Two promotion race is a much tighter affair with 11 points covering the top five clubs.

There’s no doubting the top match - third-placed Tong Park Esholt take a three-match winning run, including against promotion rivals Thackley, against leaders Knaresborough, who came unstuck against Ilkley last week.

The rest of the chasing pack have very winnable matches against struggling sides: Rawdon entertain Colton, Ilkley are at home to North Leeds, while Thackley travel to Bardsey, who they bowled out for 65 on the opening day.

Bolton Villas can move into the top half by beating an Adel side that have gone off the boil in recent weeks, while Calverley will hope Jamie Chapman and Jonathan Hudson can maintain recent good form when they take their bid to escape relegation to Green Lane.

When Steve Carling (102), Arshad Latif (75) and Richard Nichols (5-32) helped Skipton blitz Illingworth on the opening day, few would have predicted that when they meet again on Saturday, Illingworth will be Skipton’s closest rivals at the top of Division Three.

With the top seven still close enough to harbour promotion hopes, Horsforth and Addingham will seek to take full points from struggling opponents Silsden and Menston.

Olicanian have a much tougher task against Upper Wharfedale, whose recent good form has seen them climb to third.

Hall Park need to have their A-game with them when they travel to Woodhouse, whose place at the bottom owes more to a 12-point deduction than to weakness.