Squash round-up: Doncaster seize lead again in title thriller

Doncaster, who have never won the country's top regional squash league in its 64-year history, regained the lead they last held in November by virtue of a 19-4 home victory over Pontefract 2 last time out.

Only the visitors' Joe Royle was able to inflict any damage on the hosts with a barnstorming five-game win (12-10 in the fifth) over Ed Walker. Elsewhere, Doncaster's Will Donnelly, Lewis Doughty (who's still unbeaten this YPL season) and skipper Joel Arscott all won in three. At top string, world Number 56 Simon Herbert polished things off with a four-game victory over Rhys Evans.

Pontefract firsts would've been hoping for a favour in South Yorkshire from their stablemates, but the second team's defeat, coupled with only a narrow 15-8 home win over Hallamshire, saw them slip to second place. Nevertheless, Pontefract's victory makes it seven in a row, and with the gap only three points they still have a first YPL title since 2010 firmly in their crosshairs.

The night began with Adam Taylor's quick win over Hallamshire's fellow veteran Nick Wall Snr, but on the adjacent court Hallamshire's Kiwi powerhouse Temwa Chileshe put a hobbling Omar El Torkey to the sword in equally quick time.

Tom Bamford's five-set thriller against Matt Gregory was the real tide-turner in Ponte's favour and when Elijah Thomas - playing down the order at No.3 - overcame the visitors' Adam Turner, the winning bonus points were Ponte's.

The No.1s' duel may have been technically a dead rubber but every point counts in such a tight title race. Patrick Rooney and Nick Wall jnr, both perhaps a little jetlagged having just returned from the Tournament of Champions in New York, battled to a tight 3-1 victory in Wall's favour. Defeat saw defending champions Hallamshire fall to fourth - 26 points off the top.

Queens remain third after a tight 17-8 victory at sixth-placed Harrogate. Danny Bray and Josh Taylor both mopped up four-game wins but Harrogate No.4 Lewis Harding won a corker 13/11 in the fifth and second string Lwamba Chileshe overcame veteran James Earles in four to set up a top-string decider.

Finnlay Withington, the 18-year-old whizzkid coached by team-mate Taylor, ensured the bonus points went back to Halifax by beating Stuart MacGregor in three.

Like Harrogate, Dunnington's title hopes also seem to be fading. In their home clash with seventh-placed Abbeydale, the home side's bottom three all lost - but consolation wins at the top of the order by Seif Keikal and Owain Taylor meant the blow was cushioned, with the final score 17-9 in the visitors' favour.

The bottom two met in Doncaster as Woodfield took on Ferriby Hall. The home side brought out their big guns - England internationals Declan James and George Parker - but only Parker won, with James going down to Ferriby's Ben Smith at top string.

Rapid middle-order victories for Caleb Boy and Alex Cutt did the damage for Woodfield, although Mike Reid's marathon win for Ferriby at No.5 did claw back three consolation points.

Woodfield's 17-6 victory wasn't enough to lift them above Ferriby Hall, with the gap between the strugglers now seven points.