Squash

Bedale and Harrogate Squash appear to be heading for a showdown finish to the season in Division One.

Not surprisingly current leaders Bedale took a predictable 3-0 win over their second team, while Harrogate Squash defeated Harlow 2-1.

The two sides are due to meet at Bedale on March 20 in the penultimate clash of the season and one which could well decide the title.

Bedale's win against their second stringers was no romp. Only Phil Martin secured 3-0 scorelines, Dave Smiley and Alan Peirson each winning 3-2.

Harrogate's 2-1 win over Harlow caused a raised eyebrow in the Harrogate camp when Tom Ellis appeared at second string. He would normally play at No 1 above Ross Kneller in the pecking order.

But league secretary Chris Lennox said no official complaint had been made by Harrogate about Harlow's playing order. If a complaint was made he would look into why Ellis had played at No 2 and Kneller at first string.

But Lennox pointed out that Ellis had been missing from the team recently and had earlier played at third string.

He suggested a change in the order might have been reflected by his recent absence from the side.

Scores - Harrogate Squash 2 Harlow 1 (Squash names first): Simon Myring beat Ross Kneller 9-5, 10-8, 9-3; Paul Hotchkiss lost to Tom Ellis 1-9, 2-9, 4-9; Mark Harding beat Nigel Chambers 0-9, 5-9, 9-5, 9-1, 9-1.

Bedale's 3-0 win means they extend their lead at the top of Division One. They now have 126 points. Squash, in second place, have 112 points and a match in hand.

Otley moved into third place - their highest position in Division One - after beating Knaresborough 3-0.

Scores - Knaresborough 0 Otley 3 (Otley names first): Matt Wood beat James Lambley 6-9, 9-5, 9-0, 9-7; John Bailey beat John Evans 9-4, 9-7, 9-2; Steve Thackwray beat Andy McMillan 9-4, 4-9, 9-10, 10-9, 9-3.

The win put Otley on 95 points with Northallerton now fourth (89 points) after beating Harrogate Squash II 2-1.

Keith Johnson's clear-cut and unexpected 3-0 win for Northallerton over Bob Peacock at third string proved decisive.

Scores - Northallerton 2 Harrogate Squash II 1 (Northallerton names first): Steve Hodgson beat Ivan Patchett 9-4, 9-10, 10-8, 9-4; Phil Shackleton lost to Nicola Pratt 5-9, 5-9, 4-9; Keith Johnson beat Bob Peacock 9-2, 9-4, 9-1.

In Division Two Thirsk stay top thanks to victories by Paul Goacher and Derrick Jenkinson in the 2-1 win over Bedale IV.

Thirsk II went down 2-1 to Knaresborough II, Gary Hatch and Peter Bottomley taking the winning rubbers. But Thirsk stay second.

In Division Three Harrogate Squash III suffered their first defeat of the season, losing 2-1 at Catterick Garrison.

Squash remain top on 126 ponts with chasing Boroughbridge on 124 points following a 3-0 win at Pateley Bridge. Joe Royle, Dave Flintoft and Nigel Wick were the Boroughbridge victors.

There was a family battle in Division Three when dad - veteran Jim McGuinness playing for Harlow - hit back to defeat his son Jonathan, playing for Harrogate Squash, 2-9, 4-9, 9-4, 9-4, 9-3.

But apart from the personal triumph Jim's efforts were in vain. Victories by Christine Downing and Jamie Bartle earned a 2-1 verdict for Squash.

Division One: Bedale 3 (Phil Martin, Dave Smiley, Alan Peirson) Bedale II 0; Harrogate Squash 2 (Simon Myring, Mark Harding) Harlow 1 (Tom Ellis); Northallerton 2 (Steve Hodgson, Keith Johnson) Harrogate Squash II 1 (Nicola Pratt); Knaresborough 0 Otley 3 (Matt Wood, John Bailey, Steve Thackwray); Wensleydale 2 (Gary Hynes, Dave Booth) Wensleydale II 1 (Keith Parlour).

Division Two: Thirsk 2 (Paul Goacher, Derrick Jenkinson) Bedale IV 1 (Andy Hawkswell); Knaresborough II 2 (Gary Hatch, Peter Bottomley) Thirsk II 1 (Steve Snodgrass); Wensleydale III 1 (Ian Brogan) RAF Leeming 2 (Steve Grant, Phil Hopkins); Bedale III 0 Pateley Bridge 3 (Steve Ball, Steve Terry, Dave Mann): Thorp Perrow 1 (John Watson) Harlow II 2 (Peter Craddock, Martyn Hall).

Division Three: Catterick Garrison 2 (Jason Hughes, Tim Jones) Harrogate Squash III 1 (Adam Hughes); Pateley Bridge II 0 Boroughbridge 3 (Joe Royle, Dave Flintoft, Nigel Wick); Knaresborough III 2 (Phil Strong, Phil Smelt) Wensleydale IV 1 (Sally McGregor); Harlow III 1 (Jim McGuinness) Harrogate Squash V 2 (Christine Downing, Jamie Bartle); Harrogate Squash IV 2 (Duncan Hall, Graeme Kilvington) Thirsk III 1 (Mark Fox).

Hambleton Ales North Yorkshire Individual Championships

Seeds have already begun to tumble in the championship. In the top group Bedale's Dave Smiley, a former holder who appeared in the last three finals, has been beaten by Keith Parlour (Wensleydale) 10-9, 9-7, 9-5.

And in another upset eigth seed John Hart (Thorp Perrow) has been dismissed 9-7, 9-1, 9-6 in Group Two by Pateley Bridge player Chris Lennox.

Meanwhile Dave Townsend (Harrogate Squash) seeded eight in the top group has had to withdraw because of business commitments.

The finals are due to be played on April 2 at a venue yet to be decided.

Kall Kwik Harrogate and District League

It's all change again at the top of the League. A shock 2-1 defeat for First Division leaders Adel has seen Harrogate Squash leapfrog the North Leeds side to take over at the head of the division.

Ilkley are now second and Adel third. But the race is far from over. Harrogate lead Ilkley by only a single point, while Adel are only five points adrift of the top.

Harrogate Squash became new leaders after beating their second team 2-1. Adam Nowakowski led the first team but went down 3-1 to Simon Myring while battling against injury.

Scores - Harrogate Squash 2 Harrogate Squash II 1 (First team names first): Adam Nowakowski lost to Simon Myring 9-7, 3-9, 0-9, 0-9; Tony Nowakowski beat Paul Hotchkiss 2-9, 9-7, 9-10, 9-5, 9-4; Nicola Pratt beat Dave Townsend 9-7, 9-5, 9-4.

Adel 1 Chapel Allerton 2 (Adel names first): Mark Ambler beat Nick King 9-4, 9-4, 9-5; Sean Fleming lost to Peter Edwards 6-9, 8-10, 4-9; Jon Hodgson lost to Miles Gooseman 4-9, 0-9, 2-9.

Ilkley's challenge remained well on course when they romped to a 3-0 win over Collingham II, brothers Gareth and Andy Hutchinson leading the way with Phil Maunsell making it a clean sweep.

Division One: Moortown 2 (Geoff Mortimer, Phil Davies) Nomads 1 (Andy Hall); Harlow 2 (Tom Ellis, Dave McGrath) Otley 1 (Matt Wood); Harrogate Squash 2 (Tony Nowakowski, Nicola Pratt) Harrogate Squash II 1 (Simon Myring); Ilkley 3 (Gareth Hutchinson, Andy Hutchinson, Phil Maunsell) Collingham II 0; Collingham 0 Scott Hall 3 (Ian Cawthorne, Mark Sellers, Scott Wilson); Adel 1 (Mark Ambler) Chapel Allerton 2 (Peter Edwards, Miles Gooseman).

Division Two: Harlow II 2 (John Graham, Rob Cunningham) Harlow III 1 (Barry Carter); Collingham III 3 (Andy Shaw, Nick Johnson, Dave Rushton) Boroughbridge 0; Harrogate Squash IV 2 (Ian Berrill, Paul Duncalf) Moortown II 1 (John Kay); Harrogate Squash III 0 Ilkley II 3 (Jonty Hawkes, Neal Cowan, Roger Goodwin-Jones); Knaresborough 3 (James Lambley, John Evans, Gary Hatch) Knaresborough II 0.

Division Three: Pateley Bridge 0 Collingham IV 3 (Ed Dabrowski, Toby Morton, John Clarke); Bedale 3 (John Abbotson, Andrew Hawkswell, Mike Lumley) Harrogate V 0; Ripon 3 (John Bailey, Tony Rennison, Neil Jackson) Borughbridge II 0; Moortown III 1 (Phil Maher) Harlow IV 2 (Dan Lupton, Paul Fairhurst); Otley II 1 (Douglas Thomson) Moortown IV 2 (Martyn Wilkinson, Steve Holroyde).