Castlefields to start title defence at Hanwood
Champions Castlefields will start the defence of the crown in a rudderless Salop Leisure Shropshire Premier League with a tricky trip to Hanwood.
Fields will travel on Friday, April 7 – hoping to improve on a 10-4 defeat at Hanwood last season – after the 2018 fixtures were drawn at Tuesday’s league AGM.
And should they pull off a shock aggregate away win they will be rewarded with double the points – four instead of two – after the vast majority of proposed rule changes were passed at the meeting.
“Four points for an away win will reward teams who enjoy good away form, and with nearly all teams winning away last season then it allows teams who earn a surprise victory somewhere to gain a bigger reward,” said a Premier spokesman.
But the annual gathering at Meole Brace BC in Shrewsbury ended with Shropshire’s elite league of 14 clubs still without people in two key roles.
“We are still looking for a president and a chairman, but Rob Burroughs took on vice-chairman and welfare officer, and is sharing the competitions secretary role with Martin Gaut,” said the spokesman.
Player match fees have gone up to £2 instead of £1.50 and dthat will allow the league to pay the champions of 2018 £1,400, with even the bottom club receiving £150.
Other opening night fixtures are: Burway v Ifton, Bowring v Sir John Bayley, Chester Road v Hanmer, Wrockwardine Wood v Bylet, St Georges v Wem USC, Meole Brace v Newport.
