Boroughbridge could be heading for their first top flight title.

Their 7.5-1.5 away win in Division One over fellow title challengers Thirsk was just the tonic Boroughbridge needed as they head into the final lap of the season.

Boroughbridge top the table with 16 points from 10 matches, ahead of Thirsk on a better rubbers' average. But Thirsk have played a match more.

Boroughbridge fielded a strong side for the key top-of- the-table clash and were well served by their second pairing of former Yorkshire player Ian Grasby and Kathy Farrand who won all three matches without dropping a set.

Thirsk, however, lacked some key players and had to call in three second teamers for the crucial clash.

Match scores - Thirsk 1.5 Boroughbridge 7.5 (Thirsk names first): Graham Parker and Carol Collinson lost to Graeme Campbell and Gayle Partridge 2-6, 1-6; lost to Ian Grasby and Kathy Farrand 4-6; beat Ashley Cope and Suzanne Lodge 6-2, 6-0.

Nick Hatch and Tes Williamson halved with Campbell and Partridge 2-6, 6-3; lost to Grasby and Farrand 2-6, 2-6; lost to Cope and Lodge 1-6.

G Read and Debbie Williamson lost to Campbell and Partridge 0-6; lost to Grasby and Farrand 3-6, 2-6; lost to Cope and Lodge 1-6, 5-6.

Third placed Harrogate Racquets, who also have a match in hand on Thirsk, and The Academy are still in with a chance of taking the First Division crown.

Twice within a week The Academy defeated Harlow and are just two points from the leaders, but have played a match more.

Perhaps the most significant point about The Academy's late push for the championship is that they have recently fielded Yorkshire senior county play Jane Donald, coaching professional at the club, and Doug Keen, beaten finalist in last week's Yorkshire Championships.

The Academy's double over Harlow came with a 7-2 away success and a closer fought 5.5-3.5 home win.

Meanwhile the first promotion and relegation issues of the season have already been decided.

Peter Lawley has successfully skippered Starbeck to promotion from Division Six, his side rattling off 10 straight victories. Northallerton B seem likely to join Starbeck in Division Five next term.

West Tanfield A are the first side to be relegated this season. They will go down into Division Six, having won only one of their 11 clashes.

Thirsk B are already assured of promotion from Division Five and are likely to win the title. Their nearet challengers Ripon B also seem destined for promotion.

Division One: Thirsk 5.5 Harrogate Racquets 3.5; Bedale 3.5 Harlow 5.5; Harrogate Racquets A 1 Boroughbridge 8; Harlow 2 The Academy 7; Thirsk 1.5 Boroughbridge 7.5; The Academy 5.5 Harlow 3.5; Spa 5 Harrogate Racquets A 4.

Division Two: Harlow B 4.5 Raskelf 4.5; Harrogate Racquets B 2 The Academy A 7; Raskelf 2 Ben Rhydding 7; Dacre 5.5 Harlow B 3.5; Harlow A 3.5 Knaresborough 5.5; The Academy A 7.5 Harrogate Racquets B 1.5.

Division Three: Wetherby 2 Thirsk A 7; Masham 4 Ripon 5; Northallerton 8 Harlow C 1; Thirsk A 9 Starbeck 0; Wetherby 2 West Tanfield 1.

Division Four: Harrogate Racquets C 6 Northallerton A 3; Knaresborough A 3.5 Ripon A 5.5; Dacre A 2 Boroughbridge A 7; Harlow D 0.5 Wetherby A 8.5.

Division Five: Bedale A 2.5 Ripon B 6.5; Birstwith 3 Thirsk B 6; West Tanfield A 4 Wetherby B 5; Masham A 4.5 Spa A 1.5; Ripon B 2.5 Bedale A 3.5; Wetherby B 4 Masham A 5.

Division Six: Raskelf A 5 Dacre B 4; Burton Leonard 6 Harrogate Racquets D 3; Starbeck A 6.5 Bedale B 2.5; West Tanfield B 1.5 Dacre B 7.5; Ripon C 3 Birstwith A 6; Spa B 3 Raskelf A 6; Knaresborough B 4 Thirsk C 5; Starbeck A 8 Harrogate Racquets D 1.

* At 34 Doug Keen made a dream debut for Yorkshire in their bid to regain the top-flight prize in County Week at Eastbourne this week where the final matches are being held today.

The super-fit Harrogate-based American pastor, only selected last weekend after reaching the Yorkshire Men's Championship final at Chapel Allerton, partnered Scarborough's Ben Riby to three straight set victories.

It paved the way for a 7-2 Yorkshire win against Cheshire, giving Steve McLoughlin's side just the seaside tonic they needed on the event's opening day.

On Saturday Keen and Riby faced each other across the net as the White Rose lowered Uncle Sam's colours in the Yorkshire final.

But this week they were a dream partnership on the well-tended grass courts, playing as if they had been together for years.

A delighted Keen, who comes from New Mexico, said: "It was just great. The partnership just clicked straight away and we had a great understanding with each other.

It was just great making my debut for Yorkshire and going on to win all three opening matches."

Keen, who has been in Harrogate just over three years at the evangelical Calvary Chapel, could only stay at Eastbourne until Wednesday night when he had to return to Harrogate to catch up on religious duties.

Keen is the current Harrogate and District Open champion and plays in the Harrogate-based league for The Academy when pulpit duties will allow. He first made his mark on the regional scene by reaching the last eight on the British Tour at the Ilkley Open, despite being unseeded.

Yorkshire were runners-up last season after making a stuttering start. This time they are hoping the winning opening will propel them to the title with more than a little divine intervention from their new-found player.

Heaton's Gary Henderson played at first string with a heavily bandaged ankle injury as Yorkshire avoided a potential banana skin against Cheshire ahead of facing Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Surrey and holders Kent.

Match scores in the 7-2 victory over Cheshire:

Gary Henderson (Heaton) and David Sherwood (Sheffield) lost to Simon Jackson and Simon Dixon 6-7, 6-7; beat Mark Hilton and Chris Hampson 4-6, 7-6, 6-4; beat Nick Beglin and Andrew Stakowski 6-2, 6-2.

Doug Keen (Harrogate) and Ben Riby (Scarborough) beat Jackson and Dixon 6-3, 7-6; beat Hilton and Hampson 6-4, 6-3; beat Beglin and Stakowski 7-6, 6-3.

Richard Crabtree (Queen's, Halifax) and Jonathan Marray (Sheffield) beat Jackson and Dixon 4-6, 6-3, 6-4; lost to Hilton and Hampson 6-7, 6-2, 4-6; beat Beglin and Stakowski 6-4, 6-1.