Boroughbridge lost a key top-of-the-table clash to Harrogate Racquets in Division One of the Slazenger Harrogate and District Tennis League, but still cling to the leadership by a single point.

Borougbridge went into the clash without key players Ian Grasby and Gayle Partridge and Racquets seized their chance, pouncing for a 6-3 away win. This was Boroughbridge's first defeat of the season. They had been the only side undefeated in the division.

Star performers' in Racquets' close the gap victory were Oliver Scaife and Yvonne Richards who won all their three clashes. Racquets are now just a point behind Boroughbridge.

Match scores. Boroughbridge 3 Harrogate Racquets 6 (Boroughbridge names first): Graeme Campbell and Suzanne Lodge beat Jonathan Smail and Cath Varley 6-1, 6-4; lost to Oliver Scaife and Yvonne Richards 3-6; beat John Hargreaves and Fritz Brown 6-5, 6-1.

A Turnbull and Cath Farrand lost to Smail and Varley 5-6, 1-6; lost to Scaife and Richards 2-6, 3-6; beat Hargreaves and Brown 6-1.

Ashley Cope and Jill Norman lost to Smail and Varley 1-6; lost to Scaife and Richards 2-6, 3-6; lost to Hargreaves and Brown 2-6, 5-6.

Last season's champions Harlow slipped up at home, going down 6.5-2.5 against Thirsk who are third, but only a point behind the leaders. The Thirsk side have the same number of points as Racquets, being squeezed into third spot by a worse rubbers' average.

Thirsk's new Australian duo of Ben and Emma Tullett won a hat trick of matches. The combination of Nick Hatch and Debbie Hannam took two victories and there was a two rubber return for Graham Parker and Carol Collinson.

Also in Division One Bedale chalked up their first win of the season, beating Spa 5.5-3.5 away, but it was not enough to lift them from the bottom.

Getting Bedale off the mark were Tim Osborne and Melanie Couchman (won 1.5); Mark Scarlett and Helen Broadwith (won two matches) Paul Swain and Althea Draper (won two matches).

All Spa's victories came from Chris Dight and Nicola Pratt.

In Division Five Thirsk B top the table unbeaten in seven matches at the season's half-way stage.

Their latest victory - by 7-2 against Spa - came thanks to two wins by Scott Brewer and Didi Townsend; three from Lawrence Ireland and daughter Gabriella and two by Jonathan Charge and Pippa Bailey.

Division One: Boroughbridge 3 Harrogate Racquets 6; Harlow 2.5 Thirsk 6.5; Harrogate Racquets A 1.5 The Academy 7.5; Spa 3.5 Bedale 5.5.

Division Two: Harrogate Racquets B 3.5 Dacre 5.5; Ben Rhydding 4 Knaresborough 5; The Academy A 9 Harlow B 0.

Division Three: West Tanfield 2 Ripon 7; Northallerton 7.5 Starbeck 1.5; Thirsk A 9 Harlow C 0.

Division Four: Harrogate Racquets C 5 Harlow D 4; Boroughbridge A 8.5 Knaresborough 0.5; Ripon A 5.5 Wetherby A 3.5. Division Five: Bedale A 6 Wetherby B 3; Thirsk B 7 Spa A 2; West Tanfield A 1 Birstwith 8; Ripon B 7 Masham A 2; Wetherby B 5 Spa A 4.

Division Six: Birstwith A 7 Raskelf A 2; Bedale B 8.5 West Tanfield B 0.5; Birstwith A 5 Thirsk C 4; Raskelf A 1.5 Harrogate Racquets D 7.5; Dacre B 1.5 Starbeck A 7.5; Starbeck A 8 Thirsk C 1.

Prince Squash Grand Prix

Simon Parke from Harrogate toppled world No 1 Peter Nicol to capture the Prince Grand Prix final play-off at Leamington Spa.

Parke, the 30-year-old world No 12 who plays at Nottingham, took the match 15-11, 15-12, 15-4 in 65 minutes to cause a major upset. Nicol, who plays under the Yorkshire banner after defecting from Scotland to England two seasons ago has yet to find a White Rose base to call his own and plays out of London.

The first game lasted more than half an hour and during the clash Nicol jarred his foot.