Harrogate and District League

Northallerton extended a remarkable unbeaten run to 27 matches with their debut in Division Four of the Slazenger Harrogate and District Tennis League.

Promoted in successive seasons after joining the league they kicked off the new campaign with a 7-2 win over Thirsk B.

Scores Thirsk B 2 Northallerton 7 (Northallerton names first): Graham Iveson and Margaret Fenwick halved with Howard Wilson and Debbie Williamson 6-2, 5-6; beat Charles Parker and Didi Townsend 6-0, 6-0; beat Nigel Graham and Pippa Bailey 6-2, 6-1.

Paul Collier and Susan Pratt halved with Wilson and Williamson 6-1, 3-6; beat Parker and Townsend 6-4, 6-3; beat Graham and Bailey 6-2, 6-2.

Malcolm Southam and Jackie Wonders halved with Wilson and Williamson 6-3, 1-6; beat Parker and Townsend 6-2, 6-2; halved with Graham and Bailey 3-6, 6-1.

Meanwhile Northallerton A team made a winning start to their new season in Division Five. After clinching the Sixth Division title last year Northallerton A were skippered to success in their opening match this season by Cath Place. They defeated Bedale A 5-4.

Newly-promoted Boroughbridge went down 5.5-3.5 to Thirsk in Division One.

Their first strings Ian Grasby and Maureen Wilkinson were surprisingly beaten by Thirsk second teamers, husband and wife Dave and and Anne Titchmarsh.

Boroughbridge 3.5 Thirsk 5.5 (Boroughbridge names first): Ian Grasby and Maureen Wilkinson halved with Nick Hatch and Deb Hannam 0-6, 6-4; lost to Andrew Parry and Carol Collinson 2-6; lost to Dave Titchmarsh and Anne Titchmarsh 5-7.

John Rowe and Gayle Partridge lost to Hatch and Hannam 2-6; beat Parry and Collinson 6-2, 6-4; beat Titchmarsh and Titchmarsh 6-0.

Alistair Hogg and Suzanne Lodge lost to Hatch and Hannam 3-6; lost to Parry and Collinson 4-6; beat Titchmarsh and Titchmarsh 6-3, 6-3.

Raskelf, who have made steady progress up the divisional ladder since joining the league, marked their Division Two debut with a 6-3 away win over West Tanfield, who just clung to their Second Division status last season.

West Tanfield 3 Raskelf 6 (Raskelf names first): Richard Lister and Julia Lister halved with Edward Lambert and Judith Abel 6-1, 5-6; beat Chris Chapman and Amanda Chapman 7-5; beat Robin Mitchell and Margaret Worner 6-2.

Chris Hartley and Sally Banks beat Lambert and Abel 6-1; beat Chapmand and Chapman 6-5, 6-2; beat Mitchell and Worner 6-1.

Oliver Wilkinson and Sally Spilman lost to Lambert and Abel 2-6; lost to Chapman and Chapman 5-7; halved with Mitchell and Worner 6-3, 5-6.

Two of the key contenders for the First Division title battled it out in a rain-hit match which featured a tie break in each of three encounters.

Harlow, runners-up last season, took the match 3-0 against last term's third in the table Harrogate Racquets. But it was nearly always a tense and tight affair underlined by a 12-10 verdict for Colin Smith and Gia Margolis in their tie break against Racquets' players Richard Whiteley and Gillian Smail.

Last season's title was won for the first time by The Academy, who are favourites to retain it.

Scores Harlow 3 Harrogate Racquets 0 (Harlow names first): Colin Smith and Gia Margolis beat Richard Whiteley and Gillian Smail 6-5, 6-2; John Tindall and Gaye Wright beat John Hargreaves and Cath Varley 6-5, 6-4; Simon Daly and Sophie Jacob beat Jonathan Smail and Kate Needham 6-4, 6-5.

Slazenger Harrogate and District League Division One: Harlow 3 Harrogate Racquets 0; Boroughbridge 3.5 Thirsk 5.5; Knaresborough 3.5 Harlow A 5.5.

Division Two: West Tanfield 3 Raskelf 6; Harrogate Racquets A 8 Harlow B 1.

Division Three: Harrogate Racquets B 4.5 The Academy A 4.5; Knaresborough A 8 Wetherby 1; Ripon 5.5 Thirsk A 3.5.

Division Four: Thirsk B 2 Northallerton 7; Wetherby A 5.5 Starbeck 3.5.

Division Five: Starbeck A 0 Harlow D 9; Northallerton A 5 Bedale A 4.

Division Six: Harrogate Racquets D 5 Dacre B 4.

A North Yorkshire sporting club saved from the threat of housing development by a benefactor and a buy out by members more than a year ago is celebrating a new landmark this week - its 500th member.

Once its future was secured the former Harrogate Sports Club merged with its former rival Low Harrogate Tennis Club and is now known as Harrogate Racquets Club based at Firs Road, just off Leeds Road.

After the benefactor stepped in members raised the £250,000 needed to secure the site as a sporting venue. Of that £190,00 came from members and £60,000 from a Lawn Tennis Association interest-free loan.

The club, which hosts tennis, badminton, squash and table tennis, is staging an open day on Sunday (May 12) from 2pm-6pm when an award will be made to the 500th member.

Visitors to the event will have a chance to try their hand at any of the sports or just to inspect the facilities, which includes floodlit tennis.

"In all our sports there is a standard to suit everyone," says a club spokesman issuing an open invitation to the public to look round and see how much progess has been made since the merger.

"We put great emphasis on development of the junior section for tennis and badminton and hold junior coaching sessions several times each week," added the spokesman.

The centre's badminton hall is also converted for mini tennis where players from as young as four are introduced to the sport with soft balls and small rackets.

The boom in membership has seen the figure grow from 148 two years ago to the 500 mark.

The club's first objective was achieved in January last year by purchasing the freehold of the site.

The Low Harrogate Tennis Club, previously based in Victoria Road, then merged with Harrogate Sports Club and Low Harrogate Bowling Club have also recently relocated to new facilties in the Tewit Well area of the town.