Pontefract's all-star line-up fired them to victory over second-placed Hallamshire and opened up a commanding lead after this week's fourth round of the Yorkshire Premier League.

Pontefract's No.1 Patrick Rooney sped straight from the airport, where he'd just returned from the US Open in Philadelphia, and he was joined in Ponte's team by Scotland's Commonwealth Games silver medallist Rory Stewart and 21-year-old prodigy Sam Todd, who's back from a two-year absence due to an ankle injury.

Their power-packed team carded a 17-5 victory over Hallamshire - who themselves fielded three-time world champion Nick Matthew - to open up a 15-point lead at the top going into the half-term break.

The opening salvos were shared as Ponte's fifth string and captain Matt Godson took down young Canadian Thierry Moesner in three games, but on the adjacent court Hallamshire's Matt Gregory ousted Tom Bamford in three tight games.

While 21-year-old Todd confirmed a return to something approach peak form by dispatching Adam Turner rapidly, the second-string match went the distance. Former world No.1 Matthew clawed out a two-game lead over Stewart, who now trains at Pontefract under James Willstrop, but the Scot roared back to claim a cracking encounter 11-9 in the deciding fifth.

That wrapped up the five bonus points, but world No.41 Rooney certainly didn't take his foot off the gas, shrugging off the trans-Atlantic jetlag to dismiss New Zealander Temwa Chileshe in three rapid games.

For the third week out of four, defending champions Doncaster fell foul of the new Yorkshire League rule, brought in at the AGM in May, that stipulates teams cannot field more than three full-time pro players. They recorded what was ostensibly a victory at Queens Sports Club in Halifax, but goes down as a 15-6 win for the hosts due to another punitive points deduction.

David Turner and Ed Walker's victories at the bottom of the order are expunged, but wins for Welshman Emyr Evans and second string Will Salter remain on record. At No.3, Queens' Bader Almaghrebi defeated Doncaster captain Joel Arscott in straight games.

That result moves Queens up to fourth, but above them by three points are Dunnington who defeated Cleethorpes 15-6 thanks to a strong performance by their lower order.

Sam Gibbon, Taminder Gata-Aura and Jamie Brown all won in three, meaning that wins for Cleethorpes No.2 Elliott Morris Devred and Malaysia's Sanjay Jeeva at No.1 were only consolations.

Bottom side Abbeydale remain winless after losing 15-8 at home to mid-table Harrogate. The Sheffield side got an early W on the board through Kieran Heaphy, but Declan Christie, youngster Gabriel Cox and veteran Chris Simpson all won to seal the away side's victory. Abbeydale No.1 Rhys Evans reduced the margin of victory by conquering Kiwi Lwamba Chileshe in four at top string.

Ferriby Hall climbed off the bottom on points difference after picking up their first win of the season - 17-5 at sixth-placed Woodfield.

It was Ferriby Hall's lower order who did the damage with Glyn Saunders and Yusef Forster winning rapidly and Ben Sockett dropping just one game to Alex Cutts at third string. Woodfield registered a victory through firebrand George Parker against Guyana's Sam Ince-Carvalhal but the night's best match was at top string where England international Ben Smith toppled Commonwealth Games men's doubles gold medallist Declan James in four highly entertaining games, the last two of which went to tie-breaks.