Squash: Doncaster win again to stay top but Pontefract narrow the gap

Doncaster's Asia Harris completed an amazing comeback. Pic: England Squash.

Leaders Doncaster travelled to mid-table Dunnington and won 19-9 on Wednesday but Pontefract 1's 20-3 hammering of Woodfield reduced the gap down to 10 points. Ponte may be further encouraged by the fact that all three of their remaining fixtures are against teams in the bottom half.

Doncaster's night began with two lengthy lower-order tussles as Asia Harris brilliantly battled back from losing the first two games 11-4 and 11-1 against Sam Gibbon to win the third on a tie-break, then take the next two to complete a scintillating comeback. On the adjacent court, her team-mate Will Donnelly won his opening two games only to be pegged back to parity by Seif Heikal. Donnelly recovered his composure to win the decider 11-5 and record his seventh YPL win out of eight this season.

Lewis Doughty won in three at third string to complete the away side's victory, although Chris Simpson did notch three points for the hosts with an epic five-setter against Joel Arscott.

Simon Herbert made a welcome return to beef up Doncaster's line-up after missing the last two fixtures due to competing on the PSA Tour in Detroit, Pittsburgh and Houston. The world number 54 was embroiled in another five-game affair which he took 11-2 in the decider against Owain Taylor.

Pontefract 1 recorded their second maximum of the season to keep up the pressure though (and their victory over Woodfield also did their stablemates Pontefract 2 a big favour at the bottom).

Defending champions Hallamshire are just about still in with a shout at 26 points off the top. They hammered an under-strength Queens 20-2 to all-but end the Halifax side's title ambitions.

Three-time world champion Nick Matthew returned to the top of Hallamshire's line-up and won 3-0 against James Earles.

Down at the bottom, Pontefract 2 and Ferriby Hall both capitalised on Woodfield's heavy defeat to make big strides towards safety.

Ponte 2 went 10 points clear of the dreaded dotted line by virtue of a narrow 15-10 win at mid-table Harrogate.

Newly-promoted Ferriby Hall are now 14 points clear of Woodfield after their own nail-biting 15-10 victory at Abbeydale.