Doncaster take title race down to the wire

Hallamshire could have sealed the trophy last Wednesday evening with a week to spare, but a 17-6 home defeat to Doncaster means the South Yorkshire rivals both went into this week’s season finale with hopes of lifting the trophy.

Although the home loss slashes Hallamshire’s lead to 12 points, they remain strong favourites to finish in top spot. Nine points or more in the cross-town derby at mid-table Abbeydale will seal it, regardless of Doncaster’s result at home to eighth-placed Harrogate.

The absence of usual No.1 Nick Wall was critical for Hallamshire this week. Former world champion Nick Matthew stepped up to top string and suffered a five-game defeat – only his second in the YPL this season – to world No.78 Simon Herbert.

The contest was over by that point anyway, as Doncaster’s middle order of Lewis Doughty, Will Salter and Kiwi Joel Arscott all won with relative ease to seal the bonus points, overturning an early deficit when Hallamshire’s Ollie Turner toppled England junior Asia Harris.

Dunnington dropped below Doncaster into third after that result and their own surprise 14-8 defeat at Harrogate.

The York side are mathematically still in with a shout of winning the title, but require the maximum 20 points and unlikely heavy defeats for the top two next week to sneak into top spot at the final hurdle.