Golcar Cricket Club stalwart Steve Whitwam believes his team need to win two of their last four games to stave off relegation from the Huddersfield Cricket League Premiership.

With three clubs being relegated this season and the fact the two promoted clubs in Almondbury Wesleyans and Skelmanthorpe have put up such a big fight to stay in the top flight, it has left more established clubs like Golcar and Moorlands fighting for their lives. 

Golcar, a Premiership club since 2005, start their four-match run-in at home to Barkisland. They then make the trip to relegation rivals Broad Oak who were only five points above Golcar going into this weekend.

The final two games are against the two best performing sides this season in Honley and Hoylandswaine. Both matches are at home and that might just give Golcar the inspiration they need.

On what could be a tense end to the season Whitwam said: “We have been in the Premiership for a number of seasons now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get relegated and this season there is a possibility of that happening. We know we haven’t performed this year in the league like we know we can. It has been very difficult.

Golcar Cricket Club’s Band on a Trailer returns on Sunday and promises the biggest beer garden in the village!

“We haven’t had an overseas player this year and most teams have one if not two. Those players make a big difference, they bring real quality and so to not have them can make the difference in games. 

“Personally I think we have to win two out of the last four to give ourselves a chance of staying up. We play Hoylandswaine on the final day but hopefully they’ve wrapped up the league title by the time we play them so they won’t be on it. 

“People ask me all the time if the league is stronger now or when I first began playing in it 20 years ago. To me it’s always been strong.

“This season has been particularly tough due to the structure and a third team being relegated. Everyone wants to be in that 12-team Premiership next season. Whoever goes down it will be so tough to get back up. 

“We just need to go into these last few fixtures believing we can get the points we need and hopefully how we perform will be enough.”