RUFFORTH'S Tankard 'A' increased their Marston Moor Villages Doubles-Board League lead to three points by beating Alice Hawthorn 'B' 7-2.

Alan Whitehead and Steve Green each threw tons and the latter gamed on 76.

Second-placed Royal Oak, Tadcaster, beat Hammerton Social 6-3. Gary Stead kept his unbeaten record, Terry Ford included two tons and Peter Scaum was also a ton scorer.

Spotted Ox had hundreds from Mark Taylor and Dave Richmond in a 7-2 win over Marston Sports, whose Terry Staples replied with a three-tops score.

Tankard 'B' team's 7-2 over Red Lion had a ton thrown by Jim Young, while Lord Nelson stunted Alice Hawthorn 'A' team's challenge with a 5-4 result.

John Spence-Jeff Twort sealed victory, Spence checking 95 and Twort including a ton, as did Mick McLeod, Stuart Newton, Mike Harrison and Alice's Chris Hall.

Barry Noble threw a barnstorming 18 York John Smith's Mixed League darts for Golden Slipper 'B', who, nonetheless, succumbed in the decider to Huntington's Harry Watson-Tracey Farmeary.

Trevor Platt was Slipper 'A' team's only success at Cygnet 'A' and similarly Jim Hawksby's 21 darts saved Beeswing against Cue Ball, whose Pete Leake recorded 20.

Tap had 20 from Kev O'Hara but Martyn Turner recorded 21 darts, then partnered Mandy Waddington to get Leeman 'A' the 5-4 decider.

Cygnet 'C' relied upon John Clemit-Carol Stubbs to get the last game at Escrick, while Cygnet 'D' team's 8-1 at Collingwood saw Mark Jones and Mick Willsden hitting maximums, the latter for 21 darts.

Michelle Britton (three tons) and Roz Kerr helped steer division one leaders Crystal Palace to a 4-2 advantage against Slip in York John Smith's Ladies League, then Kerr-Julie Innes sealed victory, Slip's Gill Warriner hit a 174 score.

Clifton had the points in the bag before Tina Platt got a point, while Anne Bass (140, 100) and Dawn Exton (140, 140) helped Cygnet 'A' to a 3-3 scoreline against Flag, whose Sharon Needs-Sandra Fairclough edged it before Dawn Gore-Jean West secured the win.

Sue Claydon (140, 100) played superbly in the decider with Jeanette Craven, to secure Cygnet 'B' a 5-4 win at Phoenix, whose Babs Harrison and Sandra Winters were double-ton scorers.

Kath Williams combined with Rachael Potter to seal a 5-4 victory for Britannia against Independent, while Doreen Johnstone was again Slipper's lone success against CueBall, who had an 87 finish from Bev Harton.

Dringhouses lead division two by five points following an excellent 7-2 win in which Sarah Bell shone after Clifton's Debbie Benson won the opener.

Toni Smallwood hit the tons as Leeman 'B' took a 4-2 lead. Burton WMC hit back, then Val Pinder-Jackie Ridall set up a decider which saw Smallwood-Eileen White secure the match.

Leeman 'A' and Holgate were all square into the pairs but the club side cleaned up thanks to good scoring from Lin Gould.

Jubilee's Maxine Midgley scored well, but Angie Read took Shepherd 'A' to 4-2 and an eventual 6-3 triumph, while Betty Jameson was an only winner for Blacksmith's at Shepherd 'B'.

Alison Buckley threw three tons as Britannia 'B' beat Severus 6-3.

Old Ebor climbed division three when beating leaders Tang Hall WMC, who had only Mavis Rawcliffe on the score-sheet.

Despite 24 darts by Sadie Ducey-Debbie Holmes, Mount went down to Mitre anchors Dorothy Barker-Freda Harman.

Second-placed Victoria Vaults went 3-0 down to Woolpack but pulled back and their captain Anne Keswick made it all square.

Chris Patterson-Julia McKie again gave Woolpack the edge but Nanette Rawstron-Yvette Shepherd put the onus on the last game contenders which proved to be Keswick and Eileen Wilkinson.

Updated: 10:42 Tuesday, January 28, 2003