Hallamshire took charge of the Yorkshire Premier League title race with just four rounds to go after their nearest rivals Dunnington were overpowered by defending champions Queens. 

The top two were level on 295 points heading into Wednesday’s round 14 matches, but it was Hallamshire who edged ahead this week by claiming victory over bottom side Chapel Allerton – although not by the emphatic scoreline they may have expected.

Victories for Isaac Green and Richard Hinds at the bottom of the order briefly threatened an upset for the visitors from Leeds, but Matt Gregory spared the hosts' blushes by grinding out a lengthy and pivotal five-game victory over Gabriel Cox at third string. 

Despite missing world no.46 Nick Wall, Hallamshire’s top order still looked pretty intimidating, and so it proved as Adam Turner claimed his 13th successive YPL victory of the campaign and former world no.1 Nick Matthew completed the turnaround and 16-8 Hallamshire victory with a crushing win over Owain Taylor. 

Dunnington travelled to Halifax where last year’s winners Queens had assembled a very strong line-up with Wales international Emyr Evans and British Junior Open champion Finnlay Withington at the top of the order. 

Although summer signing Taminder Gata Aura struck an early blow for the York side, former England national performance coach Josh Taylor and ex-pro James Earles soon turned the tide for Queens with rapid wins, before the aforementioned Evans and Withington polished things off – although both dropped a game in doing so. 

Dunnington’s 18-5 defeat means Hallamshire open up an 11-point lead. Queens remain fourth though due to third-placed Doncaster’s 20-0 whitewash of Pontefract 1. 

Doncaster’s supporters barely had time to get themselves a drink before the contest was all over – world no.53 Millie Tomlinson, Canada’s Brett Schille, Lewis Doughty, New Zealander Joel Arscott and 21-year-old Simon Herbert all raced to straight-games victories, with only one of the 15 games even going to a tie-break.

Newly-promoted Harrogate are pulling clear of the danger zone after returning from Abbeydale with a handsome 17-5 triumph. 

Although Joshua Payne got Abbeydale off to a winning start, Harrogate’s Declan Christie won an epic with James Blythe at fourth string, then the top order of Stuart MacGregor and Kiwi brothers Temwa and Lwamba Chileshe went on a rampage, all winning in three. 

Woodfield won a tight mid-table skirmish at Pontefract 2 which went down to the last match. Exciting youngsters Alec Tomlinson and Ben Smith posted wins for the visitors but Ponte's Ben Beachill recovered from a game down to beat Adam El Shazly and Matt Godson chopped Alex Cutts to set up a top-string match decider. 

Ponte club champion Adam Taylor faced England international George Parker and although he dropped the fourth game, the world no.39 from Leicester took it to seal a 15-8 away win.