Division One

Champions Harrogate Racquets and title pretenders Thirsk both had warning shots fired from lesser teams in Division One of the Harrogate and District Tennis League.

Racquets and Thirsk both won their latest matches, but only by 5-4 margins.

Racquets achieved their narrow victory at third from bottom Knaresborough to stay top with a four point gap over Thirsk. Who themselves never had things all their own way as they beat fourth placed Birstwith.

Knaresborough came close to causing an upset against league leaders Racquets where the underdogs' combination of Ashley Davis and Margaret Sykes saw a 5-1 lead evaporate in the first set. They went on to lose 5-6 against Richard Whiteley and Gillian Smail who recovered to clinch the second set 6-3.

Results: Knaresborough 4, Harrogate Racquets 5; (Knaresborough names first) Ashley Davis and Margaret Sykes lost to Richard Whiteley and Gillian Smail 5-6, 3-6; beat John Hargreaves and Kate Needham 6-0; beat Paul Bridge-Wilkinson and Rosie Somerton 6-0, 6-1.

Jack Vorce and Anne-Marie Bowler lost to Whiteley and Smail 3-6, 1-6; lost to Hargreaves and Needham 4-6, 3-6; halved with Bridge-Wilkinson and Somerton 6-6.

Mark Davis and Anne Albats lost to Whiteley and Smail 2-6; halved with Hargreaves and Needham 6-5, 4-6; beat Bridge-Wilknson and Somerton 6-3, 6-2.

Thirsk 5 Birstwith 4 (Thirsk names first): Andrew Parry and Carol Collinson halved with Simon Daly and Sophie Jacob 3-6, 6-2; beat Harry Worthington and Nicola Pratt 6-4; beat Grant Dean and Julie Abbott 6-3, 6-5.

Nick Hatch and Debbie Hannam halved with Daly and Jacob 6-2, 5-6; halved with Worthington and Pratt 3-6, 6-4; beat Dean and Abbott 6-3.

Glen Robinson and Tes Williamson lost to Daly and Jacob 2-6; lost to Worthington and Pratt 1-6, 2-6; halved with Dean and Abbott 2-6, 6-1.

League leaders Harrogate Racquets have won all six matches this season while second placed Thirsk have won four of their five games.

Division Two

In Division Two Bedale maintained their 100 per cent record beating The Academy 5-4.

Bedale are top with 12 points while The Academy are fourth with five points. Relegated last season, Bedale secured their latest win thanks to John Hart and Melanie Couchman, who secured two victories, Mark Scarlett and Trish Melhuish, who also won two clashes and Rolly Gorecki and Althea Draper (one victory).

Results: Division One Dacre 4, Harlow A 5; Knaresborough 4, Harrogate Racquets 5; Birstwith 5, Harlow A 4; Thirsk 5, Birstwith 4; Harlow 6, Ben Rhydding 3.

Division Two Bedale 5, The Academy 4; Harrogate Racquets A 8.5, Wetherby 0.5.

Division Three West Tanfield 2.5, Spa 6.5; Masham 3.5, Knaresborough A 5.5; Harrogate Racquets B 5, Ripon 4.

Division Four Wetherby A 4, Dacre A 5; Boroughbridge A 5, Ripon A 1; Raskelf 6, Masham 3; Bedale A 6, Ripon A 3; Boroughbridge A 7, Harlow D 2.

Division Five West Tanfield A 2.5, Knaresborough B 6.5; Harrogate Racquets C 8, Dacre B 1; The Academy A 8.5, Thirsk B 0.5.

Division Six Burton Leonard 3.5, Birstwith B 5.5

lGary Henderson, Richard Oades, Ben Gudzelak, Steve Heron and Matthew McTurk are signed up to play in the Yorkshire Championship senior events being held at Chapel Allerton, Leeds. Qualifying rounds will be played between July 13-15 with the main event from July 20-22.

Last date for entries is July 1 with details available on (01302) 816922.