Pontefract push on in bid to retain Yorkshire Premier crown

The defending champions' lead remains at 32 points with a game in hand as second-placed Dunnington were also emphatic winners, but Doncaster's hopes seem to have all but gone.

The table topping Pontefract team travelled to Huddersfield, the temporary home of Queens while their club is renovated following last April's fire.

Australian junior Jackson Wylie began the night with a brisk dismissal of Queens' late stand-in Tyler Simpson, while veteran Adam Taylor offered similarly short shrift to Danny Bray.

Ponte skipper Matt Godson then sealed the five bonus points with another straight-games win over Cory Harding.

Pontefract number two Brad Fullick had a trickier time against Jordan Hardwick, twice pegged back to parity before seeing it out in the fifth.

Scotland's Rory Stewart then closed out an emphatic 20-2 win by seeing off James Earles in the top-string game.

Doncaster are now 55 points off top spot in third after a damaging 20-4 defeat at fourth-placed Harrogate.

The 2023/24 champions were under-strength again with several key players absent. Harrogate duly won the opening two salvos rapidly via Josh Rowley and Alec Fuller.

At no.3, the women’s world number 89 Asia Harris got a foothold by coming back from 2/0 down against Isaac Green, but he recovered to win the decider 11/8 and seal the home victory.

Harrogate turned the screw in the top two matches with former world number 20 Chris Simpson defeating Aussie Turner and Welshman Rhys Evans downing recently-retired professional George Parker, both in four.

Dunnington remain 32 points off the lead, having played a game more, after their 20-3 thrashing of Hallamshire, who remain second from bottom.

Sam Gibbon and Taminder Gata-Aura were both victors in four games at the start of the evening. Jamie Brown sealed the bonus points with a rapid win then Pakistani Amaad Fareed and Welsh stalwart Owain Taylor completed the victory.

Having lost seven matches in a row before Christmas, Ferriby Hall have now strung together four consecutive victories to move up to fifth place.

This week's 20-5 beating of Pontefract 2 was kickstarted by veteran Glyn Saunders' fightback from 2/0 down against Danny Siddall at fifth string.

Samuel Ince-Carvalhal defeated Ponte's Scotsman James Taylor in four, then Ed Bidder and Caleb Boy breezed to straight-games wins.

Ben Smith just about squeezed past Kiwi Lwamba Chileshe in five gruelling games at top string to complete the victory.