A week after being knocked off the stop spot Bedale have bounced back as leaders in Division One.

Bedale's swift return came when they beat Harrogate-based Harlow 3-0 to regain the leadership by just one point over nearest rivals Harrogate Squash first team.

While Bedale were securing their victory Harrogate Squash failed to gather full points in their 2-1 away win over Wensleydale.

Meanwhile Bedale were also relishing news that Harrogate Squash second team, who won the title last season, had suffered a 2-1 home defeat by Wensleydale II. Victory lifted Leyburn-based Wensleydale from one of the two relegation hot spots for the first time this season.

Bedale currently head Division One on 92 points with seven wins in nine matches.

Harrogate have 91 points with eight wins in nine fixtures.

In third placed Harrogate Squash II have 79 points with six wins in nine.

Scores - Bedale 3 Harlow 0 (Bedale names first): Phil Martin beat James Hannaway 9-0 9-2, 9-5; Dave Smiley beat Rob Cunningham 9-4, 9-0, 6-9, 9-4; Alan Peirson beat Barry Carter 9-5, 10-8, 9-6.

Harrogate Squash II 1 Wensleydale II 2 (Squash names first): Bob Peacock lost to Keith Parlour 7-9, 9-4, 6-9, 5-9; Nicola Pratt beat Robert Dent 1-9, 9-6, 10-8, 4-9, 9-1; Sam Peacock lost to Jim Forbes 4-9, 1-9, 2-9.

Wensleydale 1 Harrogate Squash 2 (Wensleydale names first): Nick Brown lost to Paul Hotchkiss 9-5, 5-9, 6-9, 9-7, 2-9; Gary Hynes beat Mark Harding 4-9, 9-6, 9-7, 6-9, 10-9; Dave Booth lost to Colin Wilding 9-2, 8-10, 4-9, 0-9.

Division One: Northallerton 2 (Peter Pinkney, Ian Hounsome) Otley 1 (Matt Wood); Bedale 3 (Phil Martin, Dave Smiley, Alan Peirson) Harlow 0; Harrogate Squash II 1 (Nicola Pratt) Wensleydale II 2 (Keith Parlour, Jim Forbes).

Division Two: Harlow II 1 (Dan Lupton) Thirsk 2 (Paul Goacher, Derrick Jenkinson); Thirsk II 2 (Steve Whiteley, Steve Snodgrass) Bedale III 1 (Andy Sedgwick); RAF Leeming 1 (Phil Hopkins) Pateley Bridge 2 (Chris Lennox, Dave Mann).

Division Three: Pateley Bridge II 3 (James Gaston, Bill Hannay, Bob Spain) Harrogate V 0; Catterick Garrson 3 (Jason Hughes, Brian Atherton, Joe Rawthorne) Harlow III 0.

Hambleton Ales Individual Championships

Holder Paul Hotchkiss faces a tough challenge in his bid to retain the title this season.

Hotchkiss (Harrogate Squash) is seeded No 3 in the event which runs from January until April, the finals being held on April 2, possibly at Leyburn.

Favourite for the title is Martin Wickenden (Harrogate Squash) with second seed Bedale's Phil Martin. Ivan Patchett (Harrogate Squash) is seeded four.

Meanwhile the North Yorkshire and Harrogate Leagues now have a joint web site for league tables. The North Yorkshire listings are available on: www.chrislennox.co.uk/nysl.htm

The Harrogate ones are on: www.chrislennox.co.uk/hsl.htm

Kall Kwik Harrogate and District Championship

A 20-year-old newcomcer won the championship at his first attempt, beating the holder in straight games.

Nick Murrills, 19 years younger than his rival Ian Cawthorne, looked every inch a lean and hungry competitor the moment he stepped on court. He took the match 10-8, 9-6, 9-6 and once he had overcome the tight first game the odds always seemed to favour him.

Murrills, a student at Leeds University, was aided in his victory march by a string of unforced errors from the former Yorkshire county player.

But there was a bigger variety of shots from Murrill's racket, which included some accurate dropping.

Because of the age gap Cawthorne, who plays for Scott Hall, obviously wanted to complete the match in a hurry and it was played at a high speed pace. But that did not seem to ruffle Murrills.

Murrills, who is playing in the Yorkshire League for Chapel Allerton and making his debut in the Harrogate League this season, had reached the final at Harrogate Squash Club by defeating club colleague Nick King 9-5, 9-6, 5-9, 9-2.

But Cawthorne's semi-final against Harrogate Squash Club player Tony Nowakowski was called off after Nowakowski suffered a back injury in a previous encounter.

In the B group final Simon Robinson (Boroughbridge) triumphed unexpectedly after last season winning the C event.

Unseeded Robinson waltzed through his semi for the loss of only seven points against Harlow's James Hannaway. Robinson hit back to beat Ilkley's Jonty Hawkes in the final 1-9, 9-5, 9-4, 9-2.

The C group final was won by Pateley Bridge player Ben Bolton, defeating Harlow's Paul Fairhurst 9-0, 9-7, 9-10, 9-5.

But that victory only came after an internal club battle with his Pateley team colleague Chris Lennox. Bolton dispatched Lennox 3-1, but it was never all plain sailing.

A Group Semi Finals: Nick Murrills (Chapel Allerton) beat Nick King (Chapel Allerton) 9-5, 9-6, 5-9, 9-2; Ian Cawthorne (Scott Hall) beat Tony Nowakowski (Harrogate Squash) walk-over.

Final: Murrills beat Cawthorne 10-8, 9-6, 9-6.

B Group Semi Finals: Simon Robinson (Boroughbridge) beat James Hannaway (Harlow) 9-6, 9-0, 9-1; Jonty Hawkes (Ilkley) beat Tom Songhurst (Ilkley) 9-2, 9-4, 9-2.

Final: Robinson beat Hawkes 1-9, 9-5, 9-4, 9-2.

C Group Semi Finals: Paul Fairhurst (Harlow) beat Dave Flintoft (Boroughbridge) 8-10, 9-3, 9-0, 9-7; Ben Bolton (Pateley Bridge) beat Chris Lennox (Pateley Bridge) 9-6, 1-9, 10-8, 9-2.

Final: Bolton beat Fairhurst 9-0, 9-7, 9-10, 9-5.

Veterans Semi Finals: Anthony Kettlewell (Collingham) beat Jonty Hawkes (Ilkley) 9-2, 9-6, 9-4; Bob Peacock (Harrogate Squash) beat Andy McGregor (Ilkley) 9-4, 9-3, 5-9, 9-2.

Final: Kettlewell beat Peacock 9-7, 9-7, 9-2.