Slazenger Harrogate and District League

Newly-promoted Spa pulled off a stunning victory against First Division title holders The Academy.

Spa, who have strengthened their side in the close season to face the challenge of higher grade play, won the match 6-3. There were debut victories for Nicola Pratt, who has returned to league action having earlier played for Birstwith. In partnership with Chris Dight she won all three matches. There was also a single victory for debutant Kate Hollinshead. The Academy 3 Spa 6 Scores (Academy names first): David Whitelaw and Sue Stothard lost to Chris Dight and Nicola Pratt 5-6, 5-6; lost to Tom Bentley and Helen Worthington 1-6; beat Rob Deering and Kate Hollinshead 6-3, 6-3. Gianfranco Cavestro and Rebecca Sowden lost to Dight and Pratt 5-6, 2-6; beat Bentley and Worthington 6-2, 6-2; beat Deering and Hollinshead 6-2. Andy Cousins and Sue Rutherford lost to Dight and Pratt 2-6; lost to Bentley and Worthington 1-6, 3-6; lost to Deering and Hollinshead 1-6, 5-6.

Spa have never won the league title where records stretch back to 1934. While it is early days the First Division newcomers have certainly thrown an unexpected spanner in the works.

But in their second match of the season Spa failed to topple Boroughbridge who were promoted with them. Boroughbridge, who went up as champions, held their rivals to a 4.5-4.5 scoreline.

Spa 4.5 Boroughbridge 4.5 (Spa names first): Chris Dight and Nicola Pratt beat John Rowe and Gayle Partridge 6-3, 6-5; beat Ian Grasby and Muareen Wilkinson 6-4; beat Graham Campbell and Suzanne Lodge 6-3.

Tom Bentley and Helen Worthington lost to Rowe and Partridge 2-6; beat Grasby and Wilkinson 6-3, 6-5; halved with Campbell and Lodge 6-6.

Mark Roberts and Kate Hollinshead lost to Rowe and Partridge 1-6; lost to Grasby and Wilkinson 3-6; lost to Campbell and Lodge 2-6, 1-6.

Meanwhile Northallerton's unbeaten run was extended to 28 matches when the newly-promoted side defeated Boroughbridge 7.5-1.5 in Division Four.

Northallerton, who have not lost a match since joining the league over two seasons ago, secured their latest triumph with the following scorelines (Northallerton names first): Graham Iveson and Margaret Fenwick beat Neil Jackson and Ann Ryan 6-2, 6-3; halved with Peter Stevenson and Judy Lund 6-6; beat Tony Rowland and Chris Fitchett 6-0.

Paul Collier and Sue Pratt beat Jackson and Ryan 6-3; lost to Stevenson and Lund 5-6, 5-6; beat Rowland and Fitchett 6-1.

Malcolm Southam and Jackie Wonders beat Jackson and Ryan 6-4; beat Stevenson and Lund 6-2; beat Rowland and Fitchett 6-3, 6-2.

Division One: The Academy 3 Spa 6; Thirsk 4.5 Harlow 4.5; Spa 4.5 Boroughbridge 4.5.

Division Two: Bedale 5.5 Masham 3.5; Dacre 8 Ben Rhydding 1; Masham 5.5 Raskelf 3.5; Dacre 5 Harrogate Racquets A 4; Harlow B 5.5 Ben Rhydding 3.5.

Division Three: Harlow C 7.5 Dacre A 1.5; Dacre A 4.5 Knaresborough A 4.5; Thirsk A 4.5 Harrogate Racquets B 4.5; The Academy A 6.5 Wetherby 2.5.

Division Four: Boroughbridge 8 Ripon A 1; Birstwith 2 Harrogate Racquets C 7; Harrogate Racquets C 3.5 Starbeck 5.5; Northallerton 7.5 Boroughbridge A 1.5; Ripon A 4 Thirsk B 5; Wetherby A 7 Birstwith 2.

Division Five: Masham A 4 West Tanfield A 5; Spa A 4.5 Birstwith A 4.5; Bedale A 7.5 Spa A 1.5; Starbeck A 3 West Tanfield A 6; ;Masham A 2 Northallerton A 7; Birstwith A 5 Harlow D 4.

Division Six: Thirsk C 3 Bedale B 6; West Tanfield B 0 Ripon B 9.

Ripon tennis player Laura Gilbert was a member of the Yorkshire squad which finished runners-up in the Under 13 Inter County Tennis Championship Group One event at Bath.

Yorkshire missed the title by a single set after their clash against Surrey finshed 2-2, losing 6-5 on sets.

York player Joy Barker was also a member of the squad.

Two Harrogate players are already boosting the fortunes of Rawdon, who pipped Queen's, Halifax, by two points last season to win the Yorkshire Women's League First Division title.

Rawdon chalked up their second successive victory by defeating York 8-1 and are firm favourites to repat last season's triumph.

Rawdon's winning side included Harrogate Academy coach and senior Yorkshire county player Jane Donald and her Harrogate colleague Rebecca Sowden.