Welcome to the first of your Harrogate League weekly (or at least 'fairly regular') round-ups for 2018/19. This one is only four weeks late, so apologies for the gaping hole in your lives that this absence has no doubt caused. Here's a review of the highlights so far...

Division One

With many teams having played five games, and some only three, Divsion One is yet to fully shows us its true colours. However, Harlow top the nascent table, having won their opening four clashes (all 2-1), although they were given a spanking by a ruthless Chapel Allerton 2 last Tuesday, led by England-ranked tyro Ben Merchant.

Chapel Allerton 1, last year’s runners-up, have dished out three sound thrashings to Collingham, Harrogate and Adel, but lost a nail-biter against defending champions Harrogate 1 in week two, with Joe Williams’ late-night five-setter against Matty Powell clinching victory.

Those two look likely title contenders again, but Harrogate 1 will surely trade blows with them. They are only currently down in fifth as they’ve played just three games so far.

Newly-promoted Collingham 2 are adjusting to life in the top tier very nicely indeed. They were clearly still getting their bearings when they lost to Adel on the opening day, but have won three in a row since then to climb into third place. Dayglo-string-vest-wearing No.3 Dan Adams has been the heartbeat of the side so far with four wins out of four (including two walkovers but, hey, they all count).

Dunnington, the other side promoted from Division 2, have won just one of their opening four and lie in sixth, while Collingham 1 – who finished third last season – are really suffering in the early stages. Two shellackings in the first two weeks leave them bottom of the pile.

Division Two

There’s been an about-turn in the pecking order between Chapel Allertons 4 and 5. Whereas back in the Halcyon days of 2017/18 the 5ths were the dominant force, Mark Taylor’s 4ths have clearly spent the summer in the gym and have asserted themselves, winning four of their first five games to top the table.

Aireborough 1 are the only team to have defeaed Chapel A 4 so far and they lie in second place, just a point behind Taylor’s crew. The boys from Guiseley tonked fourth-placed Skipton 12-2 this week.

Harrogate 2 are in third despite only playing four games (and are yet to enter the score for their third on the website!), and Chapel Allerton 5 are suffering from the loss of last season’s star turn Tim Manuel, whose promising career has been severed in its prime by fatherhood (a familiar story, alas).

Dunnington 2, the new additions to the Harrogate League, are still finding their feet. They lost their opening four games but belatedly put a ‘W’ on the board this week by beating Aireborough 2.

Division 3

Collingham 3 were relegated last season but already look good for an immediate return to the glamorous environs of Division 2 having won four of their opening five tete-a-tetes. A 12-3 tonking of Harlow 2 this week was their latest success.

Chapel Allerton 7, led by the redoubtable Ronny Dahele, lie in second place and beat Adel 5 in a tense battle this week. Just behind them are Collingham 4 and 5, giggling like two naughty siblings, waiting to jump out and scare the top two. The 5ths are actually better placed as they have played a game less.

Ilkley 1 won the title last year but remained in the third tier due to administrative reasons. It’s a blow they obviously still haven’t recovered from as yet, because they’re wallowing in mid-table with a W3L2 record.

The early-season cellar-dwellers are Skipton 2 and Chapel Allerton 8, with the former the only team in the top three division not to have won a match yet.

Division 4

Chapel Allerton 9 have puffed their chests out and come out swinging in the early rounds. They are the only team in the entire Harrogate League with a perfect 5/5 record so far (Harrogate 2 haven’t lost yet in Division 2, but they’ve only played three games).

Martin Holland has been the 9ths’ star performer so far with wins in all five matches, while Tom Beeson has lost just the once.

Otley 4 and Ilkley 2 are the nearest challengers to the all-conquering 9ths, and they face each other next in the infamous Moor-Chevin derby.

Bottom of the entire pile are Harrogate 5 who have taken four thrashings thus far and their meagre total is not helped by this week’s opponents David Lloyd (just one place above them) still not having entered the result of their match this week.

This week it’s the Five-Man Cup so stay tuned for another round-up soon (probably).