Doncaster slip to fourth in Yorkshire Premier League

Without their big names Greg Lobban, Simon Herbert and captain Joel Arscott, they went down 19-6 at Abbeydale.

Abbeydale's Phil Scully and Hayden Tetley got the Sheffield side off to a lightning start, and although Canadian Brett Schille got one back for Donny in an absolute monster of a battle against Stanley Sykes (a 20-18 first game set the tone), Abbeydale's top order were just about able to seal the deal.

The home side's No.2 Jordan Hardwick got the better of Toby Ponting in another five-game epic, before Welshman Elliot Morris Devred toppled Will Salter in the top-string clash to finish things off.

Queens nudged ahead for the first time this season after thrashing Pontefract 2 secured them a slender advantage over the chasing pack.

The top four - Queens, Pontefract 1, Dunnington and Doncaster - are separated by a tantalising three points at the season's midway point, setting up a thrilling second half when the campaign resumes in mid-January.

Second-bottom Woodfield were thrashed 20-1 in rapid fashion at Dunnington.

Matthew Stephenson and Luke McFarland kept up their exemplary YPL records this season with early victories (McFarland dropping the only game of the night), then Seif Heikal, former world No.20 Chris Simpson and Owain Taylor rattled off straight-games wins, although Taylor was taken to 20-18 in a mammoth second game by Woodfield No.1 Caleb Boy.