Abbeydale are the only remaining side with a 100% record three weeks into the new Yorkshire Premier League season after their top order sealed a stirring comeback victory at Pontefract 1. 

Pontefract, who had won both their opening fixtures, got the evening off to a sizzling start as their lower order of Ben Hodgetts and John Riley both won cracking sweat-soaked, see-saw encounters that went right to the wire – 12-10 and 11-9 in the fifth respectively! 

But Abbeydale, the 2019/20 champions, hit back strongly. Firstly Ponte’s no.3 James Wilkinson was forced to concede in the third game against Phil Scully due to a hamstring injury, then Jordan Hardwick took down Sam Wileman in rapid fashion. 

The result all came down to the top strings and it was Abbeydale’s Welsh wizard Elliot Morris Devred, the world no.144, who took care of Carlton Oldham in quick time to seal an 18-6 win and top spot for the Sheffield club. 

Defending champions Queens are nestled like a tiger in the reeds, just two points off the lead in second. They overcame Doncaster’s valiant resistance on Wednesday night to win 15-6 in a high-quality encounter. 

Firstly, former world no.15 Sarah Campion overcame Craig Huckerby in four then Danny Bray ousted PSA World Tour player Millie Tomlinson in three. 

Doncaster got one back when trick shot king Will Salter toughed out a five-setter against Bader Almaghrebi, but the redoubtable James Earles got back on the winning trail at second string with a brisk victory over Lewis Doughty. Welsh international Emyr Evans finished the job for Queens with a marathon five-game triumph over Kiwi Joel Arscott at the top of the order. 

Premier League newcomers Harrogate maintained their strong start with a 16-8 home victory over a patched-up Pontefract 2. 

With Abhay Singh and Commonwealth Games silver medallist Hollie Naughton on PSA World Tour duties and Tom Bamford and Billy Hawes out injured, Grace Clark came in at no.5 for Ponte 2 for her YPL debut – and beat Peter Hotchkiss in four games. When Matt Godson beat old foe Dec Christie at second string, all looked good for the visitors. 

But Ross Kneller and top string Stuart MacGregor both notched wins for Harrogate to take the match down to a third-string decider. It was Alec Fuller who took it for the North Yorkshire side in four very competitive games. 

Woodfield sit in fourth place after dispatching early strugglers Chapel Allerton, who lost for the third week in a row. Their one ‘W’ of the night came only thanks to a withdrawal by Doncaster’s no.5 Alec Tomlinson. 

The rest of the night belonged to Woodfield. Egyptian Adam El Shazly and Alex Cutts won in four (although Ross Williamson’s display in losing to Shazly was superb), then youngster Ben Smith and England’s Birmingham 2022 gold medal winner Declan James won in straight games at the top of the order. 

The night’s other encounter saw previously-winless Hallamshire pick up their first five bonus points with a 15-8 victory at Dunnington despite missing top man Nick Wall Jr. 

Wall’s father, Nick Wall Snr, lost in four very tight games to Taminder Gata Aura but Ollie Turner won a gruelling five-setter for Hallamshire as the lower order matches were shared. 

Dunnington’s Seif Heikal beat Jayden Gough in three, but then no.2 Adam Turner turned the tables with a straight-games win of his own to tie the match up at 2-2. 

It came down to the two veteran former England internationals at top string with three-time world champion Nick Matthew taking it in rapid style against Dunnington’s stalwart Chris Simpson.