Defending champions Queens hit the summit of the Yorkshire Premier League as Abbeydale’s unbeaten record disappeared in Wednesday’s fourth round of matches. 

Queens overcame star-studded visitors Pontefract 1 by 15-8 in front of a packed Halifax crowd. 

The home side’s fifth string Danny Bray beat John Riley in three, before Bader Almaghrebi and England coach Josh Taylor dropped a game apiece in victories over Ben Hodgetts and Carlton Oldham respectively. 

That sealed the bonus points for Queens but the crowd was going nowhere with two tasty top-order match-ups still to come. British Junior Open champion Sam Todd took care of relative veteran James Earles, then world no.21 Patrick Rooney got another consolation for Ponte by winning a high-quality encounter with recent World Junior Championship runner-up Finnlay Withington in four games. 

Previous leaders Abbeydale were routed 20-2 at home by Dunnington with the absence of their usual no.1 Elliot Morris Devred keenly felt. 

The evening was over in the blink of an eye with the first four matches rattled off in straight games, won by Dunnington’s stalwart Matthew Stephenson, Seif Heikal (unbeaten this season), Michael Andrews and youngster Jared Carter. 

Only the top-string tussle provided an even contest with former world no.20 Chris Simpson winning an absolute classic with Gloucestershire player Jordan Hardwick. The Guernseyman’s victory in five games included three tie-breaks! 

With that result, Dunnington rise to fourth while Abbeydale drop from first to fifth. Woodfield, meanwhile, ascend to second spot after comfortably winning the Doncaster derby 17-1. 

Both sides only fielded four players. Woodfield’s Alec Tomlinson and Egyptian Adam El Shazly were on first and both won in three. Former England international Daryl Selby beat Canadian Brett Schille in four then world no.26 George Parker saw off Will Salter at top string. 

Pontefract 2, who ended last season with seven straight wins to claim second place, have carried that good form into 2022/23. They thrashed bottom side Chapel Allerton 20-3 with Commonwealth Games silver medallist Hollie Naughton and Belgian world no.12 Tinne Gilis both victorious. 

Naughton, the Barnsley-based Canadian, had to dig in against Chapel A’s Ben Milner to win in five, but Ponte debutante Gilis had fewer problems against Dom Hamilton, who injured his leg in the warm-up but soldiered on, only to lose in three. 

Billy Hawes dropped just one game against Sam Davey, then Ponte captain Matt Godson and top string Adam Taylor encountered little resistance as the home side finished the rout. 

While Ponte 2 move up to third, Harrogate’s fine start to life in the top tier suffered a blip at Hallamshire. 

Dominic Bayley put three points on the board early doors for the North Yorkshire side, but that was as good as it got as Hallamshire’s Ollie Turner reversed the momentum with a five-game grueller, then Adam Turner and their top-order big guns of Nick Matthew and Nick Wall Jnr sealed a confident 18-5 victory.