Hoylandswaine, who won the Paddock Shield for their second time in 2019, hit the road to begin their defence with a short away trip. 

The depth of resources at Hoylandswaine was deeply illustrated last season as they made an undeniably successful step up to compete with 1XI teams by winning the Conference along with a straightforward Paddock Shield victory. Their first engagement in 2020 will see them make a relatively short journey to Cumberworth United who finished mid-table in Championship Two.

Premiership Two champions Honley will be involved in the only all-Premiership Two fixture after they were drawn away to neighbours Armitage Bridge. Their runners-up in Premiership Two, Almondbury Wesleyans will be at home to Thongsbridge from Championship Two.

Delph & Dobcross enjoyed a positive Premiership Two campaign and will fancy their chances of their first ever Paddock Shield success but will first have to negotiate past the winners of Cartworth Moor and Emley Clarence on Lancashire soil. Skelmanthorpe, runners up in last season’s Shield, lost their Premiership Two status and open their Shield campaign with an away tie at the team that replaced them; Slaithwaite.

The preliminary round is to be played on Sunday 19 April with the first round scheduled for Sunday 3 May. The full draws are:

Paddock Shield Preliminary Round

Lepton Highlanders v Rastrick
Hall Bower v Meltham
Holmbridge v Shelley
Upperthong v Kirkheaton
Thurstonland v Mirfield
Nortonthorpe v Marsden
Almondbury v Flockton
Lascelles Hall v Denby
Cartworth Moor v Emley Clarence
Holmfirth v Edgerton & Dalton

Paddock Shield First Round

Lepton Highlanders or Rastrick v Broad Oak
Almondbury Wesleyans v Thongsbridge
Slaithwaite v Skelmanthorpe
Hall Bower or Meltham v Holmbridge or Shelley
Upperthong or Kirkheaton v Shepley
Thurstonland or Mirfield v Nortonthorpe or Marsden
Denby Dale v Almondbury or Flockton
Cumberworth United v Hoylandswaine
Golcar v Mirfield Parish Cavaliers
Linthwaite v Birkby Rose Hill
Scholes v Lascelles Hall or Denby
Kirkburton v Elland
Armitage Bridge v Honley
Delph & Dobcross v Cartworth Moor o Emley Clarence
Moorlands v Holmfirth or Edgerton & Dalton