The battle for the Harrogate League Division One title is like one of those old-fashioned (and clearly rigged) horse racing machines you find in a seaside funfair.

Week 15 saw the lead change hands yet again and as we head into the final straight, five teams are still in with a mathematical chance of breaking the tape.

This week saw leaders Chapel Allerton 1 deposed from top spot via a 10-5 defeat at lowly Adel. Kieran Wardman and Danny Groom did the damage, with Ross Williamson’s reply (his eighth Harrogate League win in a row) ultimately in vain.

That allowed Harrogate 1 to get their noses in front by a mere two points by winning 10-4 at Collingham 1, Olly Hotchkiss and Simon Myring atoning for team-mate Mark James’ 3/1 loss to No.3 Stephen Kettlewell – his 11th win in 12 games this campaign.

Third-placed Harlow 1’s title chances are fading after a costly defeat to Chapel Allerton 2, who now trail them by two points. Both sides have a game in hand over the top two, but are hoping for a mathematical miracle now.

Ian Hogg and Richard Hinds both won in straight games in the leafy ‘burbs of north Leeds although John Simpson’s 3/0 win over John Riley restored some pride for the visitors.

Chapel Allerton 3’s relegation odds grew ever shorter with a 9-4 home defeat to Otley 1 which leaves them 11 points shy of Adel 1 just above the dreaded dotted line of doom with three games to go.

Into Division Two and with three games to go the title race comprises no fewer than five teams.

Three of the contenders won on Tuesday night, leaders Collingham 2 trouncing lowly Skipton through Dan Adams and Nick Williams, with the visitors not able to raise a third player.

Chapel Allerton 5 clung on to second place by a single point by just about winning at Otley 2. Mike Dale produced the easily most pathetic of a growing catalogue of execrable performances this season and the nerves really were jangling when Dave Stannard went a game down to Stephen Zsigmond.

The bearded wonder hit back by dropping just three points in the next three games though, and it was all down to Tim Manuel who quickly found himself 2/0 down to Hayden Stewart. He clawed it back in typically gutsy style before finding himself perilously close to defeat in the fifth.  The eventual 9/7 triumph could be absolutely vital in the final reckoning.

Dunnington’s quest for promotion remains relentless as they picked up an 11th win in their last 12 games. Andy Tuck and Joe Cybaniak had too much for Chapel Allerton 4’s Mark Taylor and Nick Bond respectively to claim the three bonus points although Chapel A’s Bobby Pearson won a cracker with Jermaine Manners at top string.

Attention now moves to Monday night where four of the top five will be playing on adjacent courts at Chapel Allerton. Should be a fun night.

There was a blow for fourth-placed Harrogate 2 as they crashed at home to Adel 2 by virtue of Richard Greenhalgh and Raj Achuthan’s wins at the bottom of the order. Elsewhere, bottom side Collingham 3 are as good as down after losing 9-5 to Chapel Allerton 6, who should now be safe.

Into Division Three we go and Adel 3 are in the driving seat by four points after a 2-1 win at third-placed Chapel Allerton 7 courtesy of John Gifford and David Bickley, with Lloyd Palmer responding with a straight-games win for the hosts at No.1.

Second-placed Ilkley 1 kept the pressure on by taking care of business against Harrogate 3, although they had to hit back from an early loss by Andy MacGregor to Steve Ross. Ben Bearpark and Matthew MacGregor dug him out with straight-games wins though.

Otley 3 aren’t quite out of the promotion equation yet with John Knight and Gareth Needham wins enough to earn a 9-4 away win at Collingham 4.

Fifth-placed Adel 4 pushed Ilkley 2 closer to the trap door with a 12-2 tonking and second-bottom Harlow 2 were whitewashed by Chapel Allerton 8 to leave them a tantalising one point from safety.

In Division Four the battle of the top two went emphatically the way of leaders Collingham 5. Maximus Cooke, Michael Odling-Smee and James Dodwell dropped just the one game between them to extend their lead to a surely-unassailable 15.

With two games to go, Adel 5 could yet sneak into second place but they didn’t do that cause any favours by losing 10-5 at home to Chapel Allerton 9, for whom Simon Child and Martin Holland were the heroes.

David Lloyd look destined to finish bottom of the pile after Harrogate 4’s Ben Ferguson and Alex Hope ensured they slipped to their 10th defeat of the season.