Pontefract completed the first half of the 2024/25 Yorkshire Premier League season with a 100% record after Wednesday night's defeat of Dunnington.

Heading into the Christmas break, Pontefract's nine wins from nine give them a 24-point cushion at the top of the table over nearest rivals Hallamshire. It puts the West Yorkshire side in pole position to claim a first title in 15 years.

Ponte established a quick foothold over York side Dunnington as fifth string Chester Dockray swatted Ed Shannon aside and no.4 Adam Taylor dismissed former Pontefract player Taminder Gata-Aura in equally rapid style. 

Dunnington's Amaad Fareed, the former world top 100 player from Pakistan, went two games up and almost let his lead slip before closing out victory in the fourth against Tom Bamford. However, Ponte sealed the five bonus points after home captain Matt Godson eventually got the better of Jamie Brown in a humdinger of a match at third string, coming back from 1/0 and 2/1 down in games to claim the decider 11-8. 

Another victorious night for Ponte ended with Scotland's Rory Stewart returning to the line-up to dispatch young Frenchman Laouenan Loaec in three close games, sealing a 19-5 home win.

Hallamshire leapt back above Harrogate into second place by virtue of a stinging 20-3 home win over the Straysiders in Sheffield.

Young Welshman Oliver Jones kicked things off with a hard-fought five-setter against John Simpson, but it was plain sailing thereafter for the hosts with Matt Gregory and Adam Turner sealing the team victory in the blink of an eye.

Former world no.1 Nick Matthew belied a sizeable age gap to see off youngster Gabriel Cox and recent Northern Open champion Nick Wall, the world no.41, polished things off by defeating veteran Chris Simpson.

Hallamshire's cross-town neighbours Abbeydale remain bottom after their eighth defeat of the campaign, this time 19-6 at fellow strugglers Woodfield.

The dye was cast early on as Millie Tomlinson and Alec Tomlinson (no relation) both won at the start of the night, Alec cruising past Ryan Spencer and former world no.20 Millie twice coming from a game down to defeat Josh Payne.

Stanley Sykes did get a W on the board for Abbeydale at no.3 but Woodfield's strong top order of Jamie Carmichael and world no.46 George Parker sealed a victory that drags Woodfield further away from the drop zone and may help them avoid a repeat of last season's final-night drama.

Defending champions Doncaster dropped below Woodfield into ninth after again fielding four full-time pros in contravention of the new league rules introduced at the summer's AGM. Their two results at fourth and fifth string at home to Cleethorpes therefore go down as 3-0 defeats (Asia Harris in fact beat Reece Newell in four and Ed Walker lost in five to Dave Ball).

Doncaster won two of the three rubbers that did count through Daivd Turner and Lewis Doughty, but captain Joel Arscott lost at no.1 to Hong Kong's Matthew Lai. The final score goes down as a 16-6 Cleethorpes win.

Ferriby Hall won a tight mid-table battle with Queens thanks to early victories by their lower order of Fiona Moverley and Glyn Saunders. When Guyanese international Daniel Ince won a cracker against Lowri Roberts at third string, the hosts' win was sealed. However, James Earles and former British Junior Open champion Finnlay Withington reduced the victory margin to 14-9 with top order wins over Samuel Ince-Carvalhal and England international Ben Smith respectively.