DUNNINGTON stayed top of squash’s Yorkshire Premier League after round 11 on Wednesday night, but nearest rivals Hallamshire and Queens also won to remain firmly in the title picture. 

The York side hosted Pontefract 2, who sat in a respectable fourth place going into the match.

Dunnington made a flying start though, as captain Matthew Stephenson and Taminder Gata Aura, playing against his former club, both won with minimal fuss. 

But back came Ponte, with Tom Bamford taking advantage of Michael Andrews’ knee injury to record a four-game win and captain Matt Godson making short work of South African Luke McFarland. 

That meant the top-string clash between the home side’s veteran Guernseyman Chris Simpson and Adam Taylor was to be the decider, and it was Dunnington’s former England international who took it comfortably to seal a 15-6 victory. 

Despite missing leading lights Nick Wall and Nick Matthew, Hallamshire earned a crucial five bonus points by virtue of a 15-8 victory at home to Pontefract 1 (who were also missing top stars Patrick Rooney and Sam Todd). 

This match swung like a pendulum with Stuart Hargreaves gliding to victory and Ben Beachill claiming a gruelling four-game victory for Ponte, but Hallamshire grabbing two wins of their own through Jack Cornell, in a marathon five-setter, and Matt Gregory sailing past Ben Hodgetts. 

That set up another top-string decider and it was Hallamshire’s Adam Turner – playing at no.1 for the first time this season – who took it in quick time against James Wilkinson, who had also been thrust up the Ponte order. 

Defending champions Queens moved level with Hallamshire on 157 points – 16 behind leaders Dunnington – with a 20-4 thrashing of Abbeydale. 

Recently-crowned British Junior Open champion Finnlay Withington returned to strengthen Queens’ line-up and their triumphant evening began with a stirring comeback from two games down by Sarah Campion at five, who won the last three games 12-10, 11-1, 12-10 to devastate Ryan Spencer. 

It was a little easier for Danny Bray, Stephen Hearst and veteran James Earles further up the Queens order, before the brilliant Withington dismissed Jordan Hardwick with barely a bead of sweat on his young brow. 

Doncaster moved level with Pontefract 2 in fourth after increasing Chapel Allerton’s relegation worries with a 18-4 victory in north Leeds. 

Isaac Green landed bottom club Chapel A’s only punch by defeating England junior Asia Harris in four games early in the evening, but it was all Donny thereafter. 

Canadian Brett Schille and Kiwi Joel Arscott both won in straight games - Lewis Doughty beat youngster Gabriel Cox in four and at top string, Simon Herbet conquered Owan Taylor – who was perhaps jaded after claiming his first ever PSA Tour title last weekend at the Kent Open.