James Willstrop's welcome return is not enough to inspire Pontefract team to victory

Doncaster’s Canadian player Brett Schille quickly conquered Billy Hawes, but Ponte 2’s 18-year-old Ben Beachill battled back from two down to brilliantly overturn David Turner in a fifth-game tiebreak.

That was as good as it got for the visitors, though, as captain Matt Godson’s run of 10 straight YPL victories came to an end at the hands of Toby Ponting at third string.

Lewis Doughty, playing against his former club, profited from the after-effects of Tom Bamford’s shoulder injury to win in straight games.

Doncaster’s Kiwi no.1 Joel Arscott added the coup de gras with a three-game victory over Adam Taylor.

York side Dunnington took second spot, five points behind Queens, with a 17-5 win at Pontefract 1 – this in spite of a first YPL appearance in almost three-and-a-half years by a certain James Willstrop.

Taminder Gata Aura, back at his old stomping ground, joined Michael Andrews and youngster Jarde Carter in carding straight-games wins (although Carter’s were all on tiebreaks), while Kuwaiti Seif Heikal took five games to beat Ponte’s Ben Hetherington.

Dunnington had wrapped up the five bonus points before the no.1s Willstrop and former England team-mate Chris Simpson took to the stage and it was the Commonwealth Games men’s doubles gold medallist and former world number one Willstrop who took the honours in three.

That could not prevent Pontefract 1 slipping to second-bottom.

In round six Queens moved into an outright lead at the top of the Premier League with a 20-0 whitewash of Harrogate.

The defending champions fielded Welsh international Emyr Evans at no.1 as well as British junior champion Finnlay Withington, which gave their line-up strength in depth that proved beyond the capabilities of a much-weakened Harrogate.

Danny Bray, England coach Josh Taylor and former PSA Tour pro James Earles completed the Queens team and all five won in straight games.

Without the Chileshe brothers, Stuart MacGregor or new signing Declan Christie, Harrogate were blown away.

Pontefract Squash Club lose unbeaten record after narrow Premier League defeat to Abbeydale

Hallamshire move up to third as they waltzed to a 19-3 victory over a Woodfield side beset by injury and availability problems.

Club manager Rob Waller had to turn out at no.5 and he was one of four straight-games losers for the visitors, including Ben Sockett’s loss to three-time world champion Nick Matthew at no.2 string.

Bottom club Chapel Allerton got off the mark for the season with a surprise 17-4 win at mid-table Abbeydale.