Slazenger Harrogate and District League - Harlow cut the lead of table topping Academy to two points.

A 6.5-2.5 away win over Knaresborough and a 7-2 victory against bottom of the table Dacre put Harlow within two points of The Academy, who had earlier held a four point advantage. The Harlow side has a match in hand on the leaders.

Current champions Harrogate Racquets, four points adrift of the top and with a match in hand, appear to have ended Thirsk hopes of the title by defeating them 7-2.

The Academy stayed out in front thanks to their following scores in the 6.5-2.5 win over Harlow A (Academy names first): Ross Leventhal and Sue Stothard beat Richard Pegg and Julie Bradley 6-3, 6-2; beat Sam Woollard and Rosemary Carter 6-2; beat Jim Reed and Helen Flynn 6-1, 6-1.

Harry Worthington and Julie Abbott halved with Pegg and Bradley 1-6, 6-4; halved with Woollard and Carter 5-6, 6-4; beat Reed and Flynn 6-1.

David Whitelaw and Sue Rutherford lost to Pegg and Bradley 4-6; halved with Woollard and Carter 3-6, 6-4; beat Reed and Flynn 6-3, 6-5.

Harrogate Racquets 7 Thirsk 2 (Racquets names first): Jonathan Smail and Kate Needham beat Graham Parker and Carol Collinson 6-3, 6-5; beat Nick Hatch and Tes Williamson 6-3; beat R Abel and Debbie Hannam 6-2, 6-2.

John Hargreaves and Cath Varley lost to Parker and Collinson 5-6, 3-6; beat Hatch and Williamson 6-2, 6-4; beat Abel and Hannam 6-2.

Oliver Scaife and Gillian Smail lost to Parker and Collinson 4-6; beat Hatch and Williamson 6-4, 6-4; beat Abel and Hannam 6-4, 6-5.

In Division Six West Tanfield pulled off a surprise when they ended the eight match unbeaten run of leaders Northallerton.

Second from bottom Tanfield has to thank the first paring of Ron Ransome and Irene Almack who won all three rubbers.

Tanfield took the match 5-4 as Northallerton suffered their first defeat this season.

But their first team are still undefeated in 21 matches. Their latest triumph was chalked up by defeating Knaresborough 7.5-1.5

Scores from Tanfield's surprise victory against Northallerton in Division Six (Tanfield names first): Ron Ransome and Irene Almack beat Bill Charlton and Marion Archer 6-5, 6-0; beat Simon Quarmby and Pam Moffatt 6-4; beat Richard Owen and Helen Coulthard 6-3, 6-5.

Robin Mitchell and Amanda Chapman halved with Charlton and Archer 1-6, 6-4; halved with Quarmby and Moffatt 6-4, 2-6; lost to Owen and Coulthard 4-6.

Tony Douglas and Lesley Chadwick lost to Charlton and Archer 4-6; halved with Quarmby and Moffatt 2-6, 6-3; halved with Owen and Coulthard 6-4, 3-6.

Division One: Knaresborough 2.5 Harlow 6.5; Harrogate Racquets 6.5 Dacre 2.5; Harlow 7 Dacre 2; Knaresborough 4.5 Bedale 4.5; Harrogate Racquets 7 Thirsk 2; The Academy 6.5 Harlow A 2.5.

Division Two: Thirsk A 4 West Tanfield 5; Boroughbridge 9 West Tanfield 0; Ben Rhydding 6 Spa 3.

Division Three: Dacre A 6.5 Birstwith 2.5; Harrogate Racquets B 4.5 Raskelf 4.5; Birstwith 2 Knaresborough A 7; Dacre A 2 Masham 7; Starbeck 3.5 Harlow C 5.5.

Division Four: Harlow D 4 The Academy A 5; Bedale A 0.5 Ripon A 8.5; Harrogate Racquets 4 The Academy A 5; Wetherby A 7 Boroughbridge A 2; Harlow D 2.5 Ripon 6.5.

Division Five: Starbeck A 5 Birstwith A 4; Northallerton 7.5 Knaresborough B 1.5; Thirsk B 5.5 Masham A 3.5.

Division Six: Burton Leonard 7 Harrogate Racquets D 2; Ripon B 8.5 Thirsk C 0.5; West Tanfield A 5 Northallerton A 4.

l Harrogate-based American pastor Doug Keen could be set to make his debut for the Yorkshire men's tennis team in Group One at County Week in Eastbourne (July 23-28).

Keen's form has come to the attention of Yorkshire team boss Steve McLoughlin. He is now running the rule over a player who enjoyed considerable success in the States before being based in Harrogate where he is pastor at the Calvary Church in Bilton.

Keen, 32, who played for the Kalamazoo College team in America, caused a sensation by reaching the final stages of the Ilkley Open last season, despite being unseeded More recently he denied Frenchman Philippe Bourgeois a hat-trick of titles by winning the Harrogate Championships at the first attempt.

Keen performed well on Saturday when called up to play for Yorkshire in a friendly against Leicestershire at Ilkley. The match ended in a 4.5-4.5 draw but Keen bagged a couple of rubbers to impress McLoughlin with his stylish play on either flank.

As he makes key decisions for his final line-up McLoughlin has about 15 players to choose from.

His side, newly promoted to the top group, faces Hampshire, Kent, Devon, Surrey and Northants.

Barkston Ash League

Bardsey have kept top spot in the First Division following their 72-36 victory over Horsforth.

Led by skipper Adrian Lobley Bardsey are still favourites to recapture the title, although they are level on points with Whitkirk, who have played a match more. Both sides are on 32 points with Bardsey remaining unbeaten in eight matches. Bardsey keep their leading place on games. They have won 24 more than the current champions.

Division One: Thorner 50 Barwick A 58; Whitkirk B 74 Thorner 34; Whitkirk B 28 Whitkirk 80; Whitkirk 77 Whitkirk B 31; Bardsey 72 Horsforth 36.

Division Two: Castleford 45 Whitkirk C 63; Sherburn 40 Roundhay 68; Thorpe Willoughby 51 Castleford 57.

Division Three: Selby 77 Collingham B 31; Whitkirk D 42 Selby 66; Horsforth B 63 Copmanthorpe 45.

Men: Scholes 54 Alwoodley 54; Scholes 37 Barwick 71; Barwick 66 South Leeds 42; Alwoodley 37 Barwick 71.

Women: Thorner 66 Wetherby 42.