DIVISION ONE

Harrogate 1’s lead at the top is as slender as a supermodel’s thigh after they survived a big scare at home to Otley 1 this week.

A nervy evening for the title front-runners began when third string Mark James went 2-0 down to Phil Davies before battling back to win 12/10 in the fifth. The discomfort then continued when Olly Hotchkiss lost for the first time this season, going down 3-1 to Mark Swift at No.2.

It all came down to the top string tete-a-tete between Simon Myring and Rick Saunders which the former won in straight games.

Chapel Allerton 1’s 12-1 win over whipping boys Aireborough brought them within two points of top spot. Phil Young and Ross Williamson won with minimal sweat after Randolph Victor had ground out a tough four-setter against rapid Ric Greenbank at No.3.

There’s an 18-point gap back to Harlow 1 in third even though they won 10-3 at lowly Chapel Allerton 3 thanks to straight-games wins for Richard Leonard and John Simpson.

The night’s other clash saw fifth-placed Chapel Allerton 2 slip to a tight 10-6 defeat at Adel, with Danny Groom and Kieran Wardman bringing home the bacon to drag the hosts out of the bottom two.

DIVISION TWO

Ladbrokes have stopped taking bets on Collingham after they sauntered through a tricky looking fixture with Harrogate 2. Paul Fothergill came in at No.1, enabling James Rollinson and Dan Adams to drop down the order. They conceded only two games between them.

Chapel Allerton 5 keep plugging away though and remain just two points behind. There wasn’t much sophistication about their 12-4 win at Skipton – or their greasy kebab/chicken and chips tea on the way home – but they got the job done and will spend this weekend preparing for Monday’s big derby with Chapel A 4.

Mark Taylor’s troops warmed up for it nicely by beating Adel 2; the skipper winning at No.3 and Bobby Pearson at No.1, although Dave Hendry nabbed three points for Adel at second string having recently recovered from the 856th injury of his career.

Dunnington’s promotional credentials took a battering, meanwhile, as they fell to a shock defeat at home to Chapel Allerton 6, with Matt Johnson recording a fantastic and pivotal victory over Darren Mould at No.2.

DIVISION THREE

The top three – Adel 3, Ilkley 1 and Otley 3 – all won 2-1. Adel obviously spent a week in deep reflection and remorse after last week’s shock first defeat of the season, as Jonty Hodgson sealed their home success over Chapel Allerton 8 by beating Dan Tanham at top string.

Ilkley 1 beat bottom side Harlow 2 with Andy and Matthew MacGregor both victorious, although there was a rare defeat for Ben Bearpark at top string – 10-9 in the fifth against Martin Jefferson.

Otley 3 won at second-from-bottom Harrogate 3 thanks to No.1 Michael Bryant, who after seven defeats in a row has now won in two successive weeks. He obviously got something good for Christmas!

DIVISION FOUR

Ilkley 3 are four points clear at the top after victory in the Moor-Chevin derby. Oli Comyn actually gave hosts Otley 4 the lead with a straight-games win at No.3 but Ben Marquand and James Sellers dug their team-mate out further up the order.

The only other result currently entered into the system (it’s Friday night at the time of writing – disgraceful!) is Chapel Allerton 9’s victory at David Lloyd, earned via Martin Holland and the old bespectacled warhorse Simon Child, who has lost just once in eight games in Harrogate League all season.