Pontefract continued their title charge in remorseless fashion as the Yorkshire Premier League resumed on Wednesday night following the mid-season break.

The leaders crushed newly-promoted Cleethorpes 20-0 with a full house of straight-games victories to stretch their lead at the top of the table to 25 points and take a step closer to their first title in 15 years.

George Barker made his Ponte first team debut at the tender age of 15 and beat Cleethorpes' Adam Stevens, another debutant, for the loss of just nine points. Adam Taylor shrugged off a groin injury to see off the away side's no.4 Dan Morrison.

At no.3 club captain Matt Godson dismissed Dave Ball, then came Ponte's top order, Scotland's Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Rory Stewart and world no.52 Patrick Rooney, who took care of Reece Newell and Harry Falconer respectively without too many issues.

Hallamshire lead the chasing pack and put out a very strong side at home to Ferriby Hall to claim a 19-5 win. Jack Cornell won a cracking five-setter early in the night against Glyn Saunders, before world no.22 Lucy Turmel, full-time pro Matt Gregory and three-time world champion Nick Matthew all won in three.

The only dent to Hallamshire's evening was defeat for New Zealander Temwa Chileshe at top string after the 24-year-old fell in a mammoth five-setter against England international Ben Smith.

Defending champions Doncaster remain in last place in a season dogged by selection issues. The South Yorkshire side succumbed 17-7 at home to third-placed Harrogate. The hosts went two down early on as Richard Hinds and Peter Hotchkiss claimed lower-order wins for the Straysiders. However, Aussie David Turner did get a home win at no.3 by beating Declan Christie.

But Harrogate's strong top order finished the job in two tight encounters. Former England international Chris Simpson edged oout Lewis Doughty in a five-setter, then New Zealand's Lwamba Chileshe outlasted his compatriot Joel Arscott in four tough games.

Abbeydale claimed a crucial 15-7 victory at mid-table Queens to pull three points clear of Doncaster at the botttom. Early wins for Queens' bottom order of former world no.15 Sarah Campion and Wales's Lowri Roberts didn't bode well for the visitors from Sheffield, but they turned it round through Michael Tallentire, Jordan Hardwick and finally top string Rhys Evans. In completing the victory, Welsh international Evans maintained his 100% record for the season.

Woodfield v Dunnington details to follow...