Squash

There was a tense finale to a top of the table clash. Bedale went down 2-1 at home to Harrogate Squash II, but still kept their place at the head of Division One with Harrogate yapping at their heels with a match in hand.

The outcome hinged on the last match on court when Bedale's Phil Martin went down to Mark Wickenden in a clash of see-saw fortunes. At the end of a five game thriller only two points separated the pair.

Martin, who had an 8-6 lead in the showdown fifth game, held just one match ball but could not press home the advantage.

Martin lost the cliff hanger 9-4, 6-9, 9-0, 0-9, 8-10.

In the other clashes Bedale's Dave Smiley beat Bob Peacock 5-9, 9-4, 7-9, 9-7, 9-6 while Dave Horner (Bedale) lost 9-6, 5-9, 7-9, 9-7, 6-9 to Dave Dodwell.

The current position at the top of Division One sees Bedale on 43 points from four matches with their setback against Harrogate their only defeat of the season.

Harrogate II have 35 points but have a match in hand on the leaders.

Otley and Knaresborough are both tied on 32 points in third place with Wensleydale just a point behind.

Harrogate Squash first team are still unbeaten in three matches, beating Otley 2-1 at home in their latest clash.

Former Ripon player John Bailey made his debut for the revamped Otley side, taking their lone victory.

Division One: Bedale 1 (Dave Smiley) Harrogate Squash II 2 (Mark Wickenden, Dave Dodwell); Knaresborough 2 (James Lambley, Ian Webber) Wensleydale II 1 (Robert Dent); Harrogate Squash 2 (Simon Myring, John Alderson) Otley 1 (John Bailey); Wensleydale 3 (Alex Laing, Nick Brown, Gary Hynes) Bedale II 0.

Division Two: Pateley Bridge 2 (Steve Ball, Steve Terry) Harlow II 1 (Dan Lupton).

Division Three: Harrogate Squash IV 0 Harrogate Squash III 3 (Ian Woodhead, Bruce Ramsey, Andy Winspeare); Wensleydale IV 2 (Jamie Iveson, Sally McGregor) Pateley Bridge 1 (Chris Lennox).

Kall Kwik Harrogate and District League's

Collingham's revival was been brought to an abrupt halt in the First Division.

They lost their first match of the season, steamrollered aside 3-0 by Nomads.

Victory on their own courts would have put Collingham up with the front runners, but they have now slipped to fourth.

Nomads' new signing Mike Weston made his debut at first string, defeating Anthony Kettlewell 3-1. In fact Kettlewell was the only Collingham player to take a game.

Scores - Collingham 0 Nomads 3 (Collingham names first): Anthony Kettlewell lost to Mike Weston 9-5, 7-9, 7-9, 6-9; Andrew Gardiner lost to Joe Wilson 1-9, 1-9, 8-10; James Turley lost to Neil Turnbull 0-9, 1-9, 2-9.

Unbeaten teams Adel (54 points) and Ilkley (53) lead the way in Division One. Adel maintained their 100 per cent record with a 2-1 victory over Harrogate Squash II, while Ilkley beat neighbours Otley 3-0.

Current champions Scott Hall, who have made a poor start to the season, bounced back to life with a smart 3-0 away win at former title holders Moortown.

Meanwhile Harrogate Squash, who have lost just one match in five outings, beat Chapel Allerton 2-1, Harrogate's home victory putting them in third place on 45 points.

Scores - Harrogate Squash 2 Chapel Allerton 1 (Harrogate names first): Adam Nowakowski beat Nick King 9-6, 9-4, 6-9, 9-3; Martin Wickenden beat Richard Jefferies 9-2, 9-0, 9-3; Nicola Pratt lost to Miles Goodman 1-9, 3-9, 8-10.

Division One: Harlow 3 (Tom Ellis, Steve Smith, Nigel Chambers) Collingham II 0; Collingham 0 Nomads 3 (Mike Weston, Joe Wilson, Neil Turnbull); Adel 2 (Steve Glynn, Jon Hodgson) Harrogate II 1 (Simon Myring); Ilkley 3 (Gareth Hutchinson, Andy Hutchinson, Phil Maunsell) Otley 0; Harrogate 2 (Adam Nowakowski, Martin Wickenden) Chapel Allerton 1 (Miles Goodman).

Division Two: Harlow III 0 Ilkley III 3 (Jonty Hawkes, Neil Cowan, Roger Goodwin-Jones); Ilkley III 0 Harlow II 3 (James Hannaway, John Graham, Steve Ingram); Harrogate IV 3 (Ian Berril, Andy Winspeare, Ian Woodhead) Knaresborough II 0.

Division Three: Harlow IV 3 (Sophie Jacob, Dan Lupton, Paul Fairhurst) Bedale 0; Ripon 1 (Neil Jackson) Collingham IV 2 (Ed Dabrowski, Toby Morton); Army Foundation College 1 (Pam Buttifant) Moortown IV 2 (Steve Holroyde, Tom Bell); Pateley Bridge 2 (Ben Bolton, Chris Lennox) Boroughbridge II 1 (Colin Leftly); Otley II 2 (Paul Hickman, David Scarborough) Knaresborough III 1 (Phil Smelt); Moortown III 2 (Phil Maher, Mark Westmancoat) Harrogate Squash V 1 (Peter Cronin).

* IT Sports Yorkshire Men's League

Emma Parke, sister of England international Simon Parke from Harrogate, chalked up her first victory of the season for Collingham in Division One.

Her 9-4,9-7, 9-3 win over Andy Stott helped Collingham take a 4-1 win over Hull side Anlaby.

Emma, an ex-Harrogate player who is also a coach, is appearing for Bradford side Heaton in the Yorkshire Women's League.

Heaton currently head the single division and Emma's 9-0, 9-0, 9-2 win over Katie Watson gave them a 4-1 win over York. The team led by Parke is now 20 points ahead of nearest rivals Chapel Allerton.