Hambleton Ales North Yorkshire League

A club's second team has taken over from its first squad as the new champions.

Harrogate Squash Club's second team clinched the First Division title thanks to a 2-1 victory over Ripon.

So how did the second team finish well above the first? That was the question being asked this week.

League secretary Chris Lennox explained that originally the two teams had played under different banners - the first team as Waifs the second as Strays.

But when the teams both became members of Harrogate Squash Club the league insisted they must play under the club banner as first and second teams.

"There is demarcation by numbers but in fact they are basically two separate sides," said Lennox.

The so-called second team clinched the title with the following scores against Ripon.

Scores - (Harrogate squash names first): Martin Wickenden beat John Bailey 9-0, 9-0, 9-0; Bob Peacock lost to Matt Wood 5-9, 5-9, 10-9, 6-9; Nicola Pratt beat Steve Thackwray.

Pratt's victory underlines a remarkable record this season in the largely male league. She has won nine of her 10 matches this term and is the only female member of the side.

Team colleague Bob Peacock has also returned a fine record, losing just two of his 12 matches.

Victory against Ripon gives Harrogate Squash II 135 points with 12 wins from 13 matches. The win pushed Bedale, for so long leaders, into second spot on 128 points.

Northallerton have won the Division Two title by a big margin, but it is a race involving Thirsk, Bedale II and Pateley Bridge for the second promotion spot.

Division One: Harrogate Squash II 2 (Martin Wickenden, Nicola Pratt) Ripon 1 (Matt Wood); Harlow 2 (Tom Ellis, Nigel Chambers) Wensleydale II 1 (Dave Booth); Wensleydale 3 (Alex Laing, Nick Brown, Gary Hynes) Knaresborough 0.

Division Two: Pateley Bridge 1 (Chris Lennox) Northallerton 2 (Steve Hodgson, Peter Pinkney); Thirsk 2 (Paul Goacher, Steve Lacey) Bedale II 1 (Dave Wheatley); Harlow II 1 (Dan Lupton) Thirsk II 2 (Steve Snodgrass, Nigel Laws); RAF Leeming 1 (Phil Hopkins) Wensleydale III 2 (Ian Garth, Tony Warrington).

Division Three: Wensleydale IV 1 (Peter Brown) Bedale IV 2 (John Abbotson, Andrew Hawkswell); Thirsk III 0 Thorp Perrow 3 (John Hart, John Watson, Richard Meeres); Bedale III 3 (Andrew Sedgwick, Andrea Offord, Geoff Coles) Harrogate Squash V 0; Knaresborough III 3 (Adrian Forge, Phil Smelt, Phil Strong) Harlow IV 0.

Whitfield's Building Services Durham and Cleveland Men's League

Division One

Nunthorpe I, the defending champions are now almost assured of the title again, as currently they have 193 points and a lead of seven over chasing Norton I. They have two to play compared to the latter's one only.

But Norton have closed the gap recently, with a 3-2 home win against third placed Guisborough I which realised some fourteen points; and a 5-0 whitewash of Sedgefield I, fourth. Andy Cross, Mark Hockburn, and Andy Wesson won in both matches, whilst Stuart Spavin and Gavin Stevenson contributed in the second. Guisborough had Jason Youdale and Graeme Williams successful.

Yarm I beat bottom team Aykley Heads I to send their victims back whence they came and enable themselves to swap places with Sunderland Racquets I. The Durham City club produced their best form of the season in acquiring eight points with Gary Armstrong a winner.

Norton I 3 (10) Guisborough 1 2 (8), G Stevenson lost to J Youdale 1-3, A Cross bt S Heatley 3-1, M Hockburn bt A Staley 3-1, S Spavin lost to G Williams 0-3, A Wesson bt W McDouglas 3-0.

Yarm I 4 (13), Aykley Heads 1 1 (8), S Calvert bt N Johnson 3-0, T Clarke bt J Slee 3-2, J Buckton lost to G Armstrong 1-4, R Perrie bt K Whitfield 3-1, C Shields bt M Lawler 3-2.

Norton I 5 (15), Sedgefield 1 0 (1), G Stevenson bt I Douglas 3-0, A Cross bt J Larcombe 3-1, M Hockburn bt S Toes 3-0, S Spavin bt D Collins 3-0, A Wesson bt J Pell 3-0.

Nunthorpe I 5 (15), Aykley Heads 1 0 (2), N Harrison bt C Gillespie 3-1, I Williams bt J Slee 3-1, G Lewis bt G Armstrong 3-0, K Andrew bt M Lawler 3-0, M Leech bt P Rockett 3-0.

Division Two

Bannatyne's HC of Durham have 2-6 points from 11 wins and one defeat to need only 18 points from two remaining fixtures to earn promotion. Yarm seconds were hammered by the division leaders to be relegated with their programme completed. Bottom team Bedale 1 are the other candidates for the drop though they have still have a small lifeline with matches in hand.

Division Three

Darlington thirds beat Durham University I away 3-2 to improve to 170 points with one to play, while Guisborough seconds had a similar result at Aycliffe I to stand three points behind. But Redcar II have 20 points lead and should take the honours, but then second promotion spot is wide open.

Women's League

Division One

Darlington I recently overpowered Darlington II and Sunderland I to take the title, with one to play, standing with a lead of 65 points. They are unbeaten in 11 fixtures and have dropped three games only all season.

The interest now in the group rests with which team will finish runners-up. Norton I helped themselves with a 3-1 win at Sunderland Racquets, got some points in a defeat by Durham, and stand 16 points ahead of Bedale I.

This team has three fixtures to make up. Meanwhile Durham are just one behind, on 87, with three to play. But Bedale are the most likely to make it.