Less than two months left in the 2017/18 Kall Kwik Harrogate League and with every rolling nick and clipped tin the tension goes up a further few notches.

DIVISION ONE

Harrogate 1 have been knocked off top spot after defeat in the big cross-Stray derby at Harlow. Mark James got the leaders off and running with his third straight victory, but Harlow’s Richard Leonard handed Olly Hotchkiss a rare defeat at No.2 and Tom Wake ensured an ‘L’ went next to Simon Myring’s name for only the second time this season.

Chapel Allerton 1 are the new leaders after Otley 1 could raise only two players. Skipper Ross Williamson thrashed Matt Wood and Phil Young won in the fifth against Phil Davies to card a 12-2 win.

Chapel Allerton 2 and Collingham will be on the fringes of the title race when they sort out the scorecard from Monday’s game. Stephen Kettlewell’s apparent win at No.3 over Ian Hogg hasn’t been registered properly (possibly due to an incorrect score in the fifth game?) so the hosts’ 12-5 win is yet to be added to the league table. Richard Hinds and teen talent Ben Merchant will have wins on their personal records when the administrative red tape is unwound.

In the night’s other fixture, Aireborough 1’s wait for a top-flight triumph goes on after their 12-2 trouncing by sixth-placed Adel. One fears their relegation will soon be mathematically confirmed.

DIVISION TWO

It’s building very nicely to a crescendo in the second tier. Leaders Collingham 2 survived an almighty scare against lowly Chapel Allerton 6. After Matt Johnson’s 3-0 win at third string for Chapel, Tom Nichols held a match-ball in the fourth, but let Collingham’s Dan Adams wriggle off the hook. The hosts paid the price, with James Rollinson’s nicks and flicks (and tennis-style serves) frustrating James Steingold at No.1.

On the next door court, Chapel Allerton 4 won the derby with second-placed Chapel A 5. Mark Taylor firstly held off a Mike Dale comeback from two games down to win in the decider, then stand-in No.2 Thomas Whiteway won a looooong five-setter with Julian Gorton, in which the first game alone lasted longer than ‘Titanic’. Bobby ‘The Metronome’ Pearson won the decider in four against Dave ‘The Bearded Brummie’ Stannard.

Chapel A 5 remain just five points off the lead despite that loss, with Harrogate 2 13 points adrift in third following a 12-3 thrashing of Otley 2. Notably, Peter Hotchkiss ended a run of six losses by beating tricky Hayden Stewart at top string, backed up by team-mates Paul Ryan and Lee Scott lower down the order.

Dunnington are just about still in with a shout in fourth, with Jermaine Manners and Joe Cybaniak – both unbeaten all season – posting quick victories. Meanwhile, in the battle of the bottom two, wins for Jack Pearce and Daryl Ley gave Skipton just a second win of the season.

DIVISION THREE

Adel 3 now have 11 wins in 12 games, but because 10 of those wins have been by a 2-1 margin their lead is still a fairly slender eight points. Tuesday was yet another 2-1 victory, with wins for John Bickley and Jonty Hodgson enough to secure another three bonus points, but Kevin Jackson losing 3-1 to John Knight at No.2.

Ilkley 1 are in hot pursuit with a 3-0 whitewash of Adel 4 thanks to Andy and Matthew MacGregor and Ben Bearpark. Third-placed Chapel Allerton 7 are just four points further back after overturning Rowan Robinson’s early loss to Abi Milner through Sam Smith and Lloyd Palmer.

Harlow 2 won a close mid-table duel with Collingham 4 and the battle of cellar-dwellers Ilkley 2 and Harrogate 3 went the latter’s way, leaving the bottom five teams separated by only eight points. A tight, tense relegation battle awaits.

DIVISION FOUR

Just three matches in the fourth tier this week. Ian Lee and James Sellers kept leaders Ilkley 3 ticking along nicely with wins at home to second-from-bottom Harrogate 4, for whom No.2 Marcus Lynn grabbed a consolation win, his fifth in a row.

Collingham 5 are second despite having a game in hand, and also despite losing 9-6 at Chapel Allerton 9 on Tuesday. Simon Child, despite being in the midst of a ludicrous run of 19 games in 17 days, beat Michael Odling-Smee and Dan Greengrass backed him up at second string.

In the night’s other game, third-placed Adel 5 thrashed bottom side David Lloyd 12-2.

Apologies for the disgraceful tardiness of this week’s update and best of luck to all next week!