SNCL Split Saturday Looms – A Statistical Preview
August 8, 2011| SNCL at close of play SAT 6TH AUG | As at Close of play SAT 13TH AUG | ||||||
| After a | After a | After a | |||||
| 10pt WIN | 0pt LOSS | 2pt LOSS | |||||
| PLACE | CLUB | PL | PTS | % | % | % | % |
| 9 | Dunfermline Knights | 12 | 53 | 44.17 | 48.46 | 40.76 | 42.30 |
| 10 | Tunnocks Uddingston | 10 | 44 | 44.00 | 49.09 | 40.00 | 41.81 |
| 11 | McCrea FS West | 9 | 38 | 42.22 | 48.00 | 38.00 | 40.00 |
| 12 | Long Life Ayr | 10 | 38 | 38.00 | 43.63 | 34.54 | 36.36 |
| 13 | Stoneywood Dyce | 9 | 32 | 35.56 | 42.00 | 32.00 | 34.00 |
| 14 | Stirling County | 10 | 34 | 34.00 | 40.00 | 30.90 | 32.72 |
| 15 | Drumpellier | 8 | 24 | 30.00 | 37.77 | 26.66 | 28.88 |
| 16 | Greenock | 8 | 22 | 27.50 | 35.55 | 24.44 | 26.66 |
Saturday 13th August 2011 creates a bit of history in the SNCL. For the first time the 16 teams in the Premier League, having splashed their way through the first 15 Saturdays of the 2011 Season, split into 4 mini-leagues for the remaining 3 league matches after this Saturday’s results have been finalised. I suppose a summit meeting will decide over the weekend who plays who where in the respective mini leagues. Apart from the Top 4 and the Bottom 4 there will be little to play for in the coming weeks. But despite the controversial set up of a 16 team league where initially teams only play each other once, Saturday should prove a nerve wracking experience for a number of Clubs in deciding their successes or fate.
One thing is for sure – McCrea FS West MUST beat Clydesdale at Hamilton Crescent to be sure of avoiding a trip into the bottom 4 because IF Ayr, Stoneywood Dyce and Stirling County all win their games and West lose, we could be 14th. The table above shows just what can happen. (Errors and Omissions accepted). A West victory will mean safety from the 2011 relegation battle and we can enjoy the “Not The End of Season” Party scheduled for Saturday Evening when the 2011 Grand Summer Draw will be made.
It is tight at the top, too. Carlton, Arbroath and Forfarshire are secure in reaching the Top 1-4 Group. If Aberdeenshire win, they will join that group, but if they lose, Watsonians and Grange can overtake Aberdeenshire depending on how they perform on Saturday.
So it is all to play for to decide on what happens from Sunday 21st August to the following weekend. Can we be certain that the rains will abate or will the elements and/or Duckworth Lewis be the final arbritors in setting up the concluding matches of West’s 150th Anniversary Season? Ask me on Sunday!!
