The Pontefract derby may have been the standout fixture of week seven in the Yorkshire Premier League but Queens once again stole the show by stealthily moving further clear at the top. 

There was the customary packed house at the West Yorkshire squash mecca as Ponte’s 2nds faced their 1sts and the ‘underdogs’ were off to a flyer as 17-year-old talent Ben Beachill beat veteran John Riley in three games. 

The match was level when George Wileman won a see-saw encounter with Chris Gillespie 12/10 in the deciding fifth. James Wilkinson then put the 1sts ahead on the night by rapidly beating league chairman Billy Hawes. 

Top string Taminder Gata-Aura used all his experience to dig deep and overcome the 2nd team’s Adam Taylor at top string – and once again this went to 12/10 in the fifth. Pontefract 2 captain Matt Godson reduced the deficit by conquering Carlton Oldham at second string to make the final score a narrow 14-10 in the 1st team’s favour. They remain a point behind their stablemates in mid-table.

At the top, another dominant win for Queens and a heavy defeat for second-placed Chapel Allerton means the Halifax side stretch their lead to an ominous 29 points. 

Queens marmalised a weakened Doncaster line-up 20-2 with four of their team winning in straight games. 

Former world no.15 Sarah Campion started the rout before fourth string Danny Bray also won in quick time. James Earles remains unbeaten this YPL season after dismissing Craig Huckerby and New Zealander Temwa Chileshe swatted aside his compatriot Joel Arscott in three. 

The top-string duel provided the evening’s only tightly contested game as England’s top junior Finnlay Withington took five games to see off world no.117 Miles Jenkins of Wales. 

Chapel Allerton’s title hopes took a big dent. Like some other sides, their line-up took a hit due to players being away competing in this week’s Canary Wharf Classic and London Open on the PSA World Tour. Without Richie Fallows and Conor Sheen, they received a 20-2 hammering at defending champions Abbeydale. 

Oli Turner maintained his 100% YPL record this season and Nick Wall Snr also won without getting overly sweaty. Only at third string did Abbeydale encounter much resistance as Chapel A’s homegrown youngster Ben Merchant forced Phil Scully into a fifth before succumbing 11/5. 

Adam Turner and Adam Auckland made fairly light work of Declan Christie and Owain Taylor respectively at the top of the order to lift the Sheffield side up to third, level on points with their vanquished visitors. 

Three-times world champion Nick Matthew dashed back from coaching duties with England no.2 Declan James at Canary Wharf to turn out for Hallamshire away at Dunnington, where he helped seal a comeback victory for his side. 

Dunnington, the 2018/19 champions, got a rocket-fuelled start courtesy of Seif Heikal and Ed Shannon’s straight-games wins, but back roared Hallamshire through Australian left-hander Donna Lobban and Warwick-born Harry Falconer. 

That left Matthew to do battle with his former England team-mate Chris Simpson and although the first game was fairly close at 11/8, Matthew’s trademark fitness and domination of the T saw him skate through the next two games more briskly. 

The two bottom clubs faced each other in Wednesday night’s other fixture and both suffered major selection issues. 

Three big names who had graced Woodfield’s line-up last week – Declan James, George Parker and Daryl Selby – were all away competing at Canary Wharf. Hull & East Riding also had to pluck Farouk Forster from their 2nd team to play at five but he did well to beat Chris Philpott in three. 

Yusef Forster battled to a five-set victory to put Hull two up on the night and skipper Fiona Moverley got the crucial third victory to seal the five bonus points and just their second win of the season. Woodfield restored some pride with top-order victories for Luke Parker and world no.181 Simon Herbert which reduced the final reckoning to 16-8.