Dunnington confirmed themselves as early-season title favourites in the Yorkshire Premier League by striding to a fourth victory from four matches on Wednesday night. 

While the only other previously unbeaten side, Queens, fell to a shock home defeat against Harrogate, Dunnington strolled to a 17-6 victory at Abbeydale to establish a 12-point lead at the top. 

Luke McFarland and Seif Heikal maintained their personal 100% records for the YPL season with four-game victories at the bottom of the order and once youngster Prithvi Singh had beaten Abbeydale’s Michael Tallentire in three at No.3, the contest was over. 

Dunnington No.2 Michael Andrew continued the procession by beating Jordan Hardwick at second string, but Welshman Elliot Morris Devred did regain some pride for the Sheffield hosts by conquering veteran Chris Simpson in straight games in the night’s final tie. 

Doncaster moved up into second spot after handing Pontefract 2 their second 5-0 hammering in succession. 

World No.54 Millie Tomlinson and newcomer Will Donnelly set the tone with early victories, which were then built upon by Lewis Doughty, who beat Ponte’s Carlton Oldham in straight games. 

Doncaster’s top two dropped just one game each, Toby Ponting making it three YPL wins from three this season for himself and Joel Arscott winning the all-Kiwi battle at the top of the order against Mason Smales. 

Harrogate are really putting a marker down in their second season in the top flight. They now lie third thanks to a 17-7 triumph at 2022 champions Queens, who drop to fourth. 

Gabriel Cox and Lewis Harding got the Straysiders off to a fabulous start, only for Queens’ former England coach Josh Taylor to overcome Declan Christie in four to pull one back for the hosts. 

New Zealand Lwemba Chileshe sealed the five bonus points for Harrogate by crushing veteran James Earles, before the match of the night saw a corker between British Junior Open champion Finnlay Withington and Stuart MacGregor. The precociously talented Finn took it 11/3 in the deciding game. 

At the bottom, newly-promoted Ferriby Hall are still winless after Woodfield visited Humberside and left with the bullion to get their season off and running. 

Although Dan Lawrence did strike early for the hosts, it was a procession for the visitors from Doncaster thereafter, with two-time Commonwealth Games silver medallist Daryl Selby finishing the job with a straight-games win over Ben Sockett at top string. 

The night’s other fixture saw defending champions Hallamshire fall to another defeat – 17-7 at home to Pontefract 1 – to leave them in sixth position. 

Adam Turner and Matt Gregory both grabbed victories for the hosts, but Matt Godson won in straight games at No.5.

In Ponte’s top order, Elijah Thomas will dine out on his four-game win over three-time world champion Nick Matthew for months. World No.29 Patrick Rooney, back from the US Open, defeated Nick Wall at top string.