Fulford Ladies Invitation Tennis League division one leaders Fulford were beaten 57-51 in a thrilling game by Dunnington.

Honours were even at 18-18 after the first round in which Sue Sumner and Judy McHenry (Dunnington) and Jackie Heels and Jill McCreedy (Fulford) both won 10-2 while their other encounter ended 6-6.

In the second round of games Sumner and McHenry won 9-3 to give Dunnington a two-game advantage to take into the final round as Heels and McCreedy won 8-4.

Heels and McCreedy, the Fulford first string, finished in style with an 11-1 win, but Dunnington's Suzie Booth and Denise Bolam won 10-2 and team-mates Nicola Loten and Joyce Rhodes won 8-4 to seal Dunnington's victory.

Bubwith beat Bishopthorpe to move up the table and Poppleton remained third after beating Knaresborough thanks to three good wins by Rosie Cantrell and Ros Wilson 9-3 7-5 and 11-1.

Castlegarth, the only unbeaten team in division two, had little trouble in beating Selby who found Sue Jacklin and Dot Macintosh too hot to handle as they stormed to 30 games.

York, leaders on games difference, beat Rowntree Park without losing a single rubber, Annette Williams and Karen Retief top-scoring with 29 games.

Cliffe are pulling away at the top of division three after winning their fifth successive match - a 73-35 victory over Dunnington in which Christine Stratton and Mary Smith won all their three rubbers and top-scored with 27 games.

Civil Service beat Tollerton 73-35 with Natasha Twigg and Brenda Sorby opening up with a 12-0 win on their way to recording 28 games.

Division four leaders Riccall left it late to beat battling Sheriff Hutton 55-53.

Riccall took a two-game lead into the final round in which Sheriff Hutton's first string of Jo Johnson and Pauline Hull chipped in with a 9-3 win and it was left to Riccall captain Sue Shouksmith and Jenny Alstead to win 9-3 and see their team home.

Mary Kemp and Jeanne Loadman won 10-8 10-2 and 9-3 as Fulford rattled up their highest score in the division, a 80-28 win against Strensall.

Pocklington recorded their fifth win on the bounce in beating Heworth 68-40 in division five, but five of the nine rubbers were very close. Pock's Christine Hetherton and Roseanne Dane top-scored by winning all their three rubbers and were well supported by Fiona Simpson and Andrea Bland (24 games) and Jean Billington and Sally Whilesmith (22 games).

Wheldrake were the division's top scorers, thrashing struggling Stillington 85-23.

Updated: 11:52 Tuesday, June 12, 2001