A victory of 5-0 was overturned into a 4-1 defeat after Harrogate Squash mistakenly thought one of their teams had reached the finals of the Hambleton Ales North Yorkshire team championship. Harrogate registered a 5-0 win over Knaresborough in the B Plate competition, but following an e-mail alert to league secretary Chris Lennox records revealed Harrogate had played an ineligible player, Andy Carswell. Lennox confirmed that Carswell had not played in any league matches. Players much have competed three times in the league before taking part in the cup contest.

The resultant U-turn means Knaresborough will now meet Thirsk in the final on March 29 at Harrogate Squash Club. Thirsk came though their semi-final 4-1 against Harlow D, thanks to wins by John Frankland, Mark Fox, Nick Stafford and Joe Coomber. John Lovell was the Harlow winner. In the main cup competition Bedale were beaten 5-0 by holders Harrogate Squash. The victory came thanks to victories from Simon Myring, Paul Hotchkiss, Dave Townsend, Mark Harding and Colin Wilding. Meanwhile, Harlow chalked up a 5-0 win against Harrogate Squash B team, last season's runners-up in the other semi-final.

Ross Kneller, who normally plays for Harrogate Squash, will find himself facing club colleagues in the final. His appearance for Harlow in the cup semi-final saw him beating Bob Peacock 9-1 5-9 9-4 9-7 underlining Kneller's continued improvement.

Other Harlow victories were served up by Tom Ellis who beat Martin Wickenden 9-2 9-3 9-1. Nigel Chambers beating John Alderson 9-7 9-1 9-4; Warren Cunningham, a 9-6 9-2 9-0 victor against Steve Terry and Dave McGrath who defeated Nicola Pratt 9-4 4-9 3-9 9-7 9-2. The final between Harlow and Harrogate Squash will be held on March 30 at 7.30pm at Knaresborough. In the B Cup contest Wensleydale defeated Bedale 4-1. Jim Forbes, Robert Dent, John Scott and Tony Warrington were the mark for the Leyburn side. Andrew Offord was Bedale's winner. In the other semi-final Harlow C beat Wensleydale C 4-1. Alan Holmes, Martyn Hall, Peter Craddock and Paul Fairhurst won for Harlow with Chris Taplin replying for Wensleydale. In the A Plate competition semi-finals Knaresborough pipped Thorpe Perrow 3-2. Tim Russell, Andy McMillan and Martin Gibson were the trio of winners for Knaresborough. Phil Martin and Richard Meeres both won for Thorpe. In the other semi-final Wensleydale defeated Ripon 4-1. Nick Brown, Dave Booth, Paul O'Donnell and Gary Hynes helped Wensleydale achieve victory, but Neil Jackson was Ripon's only success.

Harrogate and District League

Division One: Headingley 1 (Ian Buxton), Otley 2 (Chris Lawson, Steve Thackwray); Ilkley 2 (Andrew Hutchinson, Phil Maunsell), Harrogate Squash 1 (Tony Nowakowski); Moortown 2 (Phil Davis, David Lines), Nomads 1 (Richard Leonard); Harlow II 1 (Dave McGrath), Harlow 2 (Steve Smith, John Graham).

Division Two: Pateley Bridge 0, Collingham III 3 (A Shaw, F Vasselo, E Dabrowsky); Knaresborough 2 (J Lambley, P Bottomley), Collingham II 1 (B Manson); Harrogate Squash II 3 (P Hotchkiss, D Townsend, J Alderson), Moortown II 0; Harrogate Squash IV 2 (P Duncalf, K Hughes), Harlow III 1 (J McGuiness).

Division Three: Otley II 2 (M Drury, D Scarborough), Harrogate Squash IV 1 (I Berrill); Moortown IV 1 (S Holroyd), Moortown III 2 (S Davies, P Schoenecker).

l There was an early and disappointing exit for top seeded Simon Parke (Harrogate) in the quarter-finals of the British National Squash championships at Manchester. He was unexpectedly beaten by seventh seed Del Harris (Essex) 15-17 15-8 17-15 15-12 in one hour 40 minutes. Parke was rarely as sharp as his 31-year-old rival and seemed far blow his top form. Parke won the title in 1998 and had earlier beaten Harris in a five-game encounter in New York. Harris, the World No 17, built on that performance to overturn his rival easier than anyone had anticipated.