All eyes were on the relegation battle between Airedale Terriers and Lothersdale 'B' who occupy the bottom two places in Division One.

Although separated from the teams above by an insurmountable margin, with only one team being relegated this match was the most important of the season for both teams. Therefore, it was more important than ever to start well, and visitors Lothersdale got off to an absolute flyer, racing into a 3-0 lead with wins for Martin Connolly 11-7, 11-9, 11-2 against Tom Lacey; Richard Foster 6-11, 11-6, 11-2, 11-6 against Mark Emmott and for Peter Midgley 12-10, 13-11, 13-11 against Stuart Myers. The Terriers came back into it with a win for Emmott 13-11, 9-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-4 against Connolly before Midgley snatched back the initiative for Lothersdale, just pipping Lacey 11-6, 6-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-8. However, the Terriers reduced the deficit to 4-3 with wins for Emmott 11-7, 8-11, 14-16, 11-5, 11-5 against Midgley and for Myers 11-6, 11-9, 9-11, 9-11, 11-9 against Foster. Undeterred, Lothersdale held their collective nerve to win the remaining 3 rubbers as firstly Connolly got the better of Myers 11-9, 11-4, 9-11, 8-11, 11-5; Lacey lost to Foster 10-12, 7-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-6 before Connolly and Midgley triumphed in the doubles 12-10, 11-9, 14-12 against Emmott and Myers to give a final score of 7-3 to Lothersdale to leave their opponents staring relegation in the face.

Elsewhere in Division One, Embassy 'A' pressed home their title challenge with a commanding 10-0 win away at Lothersdale 'B' that leaves them seven points ahead of Nemesis 'A' who have a match in hand. Carl White was on top form, taking his tally for the season to 20 from 23 with a treble that included the defeat of Richard Foster 11-1, 6-11, 11-6, 13-11. Tony Boyd rattled up his own max, along the way getting the better of Martin Connolly 11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 11-8 and Gareth Wiles, currently topping the averages with 20 wins from 21, also struck gold with his victims including Peter Midgley 11-2, 11-8, 11-5.

Nelson Nomads and Lothersdale 'A' engaged in an entertaining draw that perhaps hosts Nelson would have expected to win with Lothersdale having to use Richard Crookes and Andrew Lambe from the 'C' team. In particular, Andrew Lambe rose to the task well. Lambe, who has raised his average from last season's 56% by a further 20 points in Division Two, showed that he is ready for the promotion that is almost certainly in the bag for the 'C' team with a mature performance in which he took the scalps of David Ayrton 11-7, 11-6, 8-11, 11-13, 11-7 and Michael Wrigley 11-9, 13-11, 11-13, 13-11. Keith Wilkinson added another three to the Lothersdale tally, including a win against Peter Wood 6-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-3. For the Nomads, Wood grabbed a couple against Crookes 7-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-5 and Lambe 11-3, 12-10, 11-7; Wrigley and Ayrton both got the better of Crookes with the Wood/ Wrigley combination defeating Lambe and Wilkinson in the doubles to leave the final result as honours even.

In Division Two, the most noteworthy performance came from Ilkley Road 'B' who travelled to Wilsden and lifted themselves off bottom place with an excellent 6-4 victory. It was the home team's Luke Broadbent, though, who took the individual honours with a superb undefeated performance that included a win against Chris Dunn 12-10, 9-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-7. Without this terrific performance the hosts would have lost by even more as only a win in the doubles for Luke and George Fletcher 3-11, 12-14, 11-8, 11-5, 11-6 against Nick Emblem and Dunn added to the Wilsden tally as the Riddlesden team enjoyed their first win of the season. Silsden based Emblem was on top form with wins against Dave Broadbent 13-11, 13-11, 12-10 and Fletcher 11-9, 11-9, 11-9. Dunn followed up with a couple against the same players as did Rob McLean, although it was touch and go against Dave with the Ilkley Road player just nicking it 11-8, 12-10, 5-11, 7-11, 11-8.

In Division Three, Crossflatts 'B' put themselves within touching distance of promotion with a home victory against Fast Bats. Ryan Foulds looked every part the best player in the Division, taking his tally to 36 from 40 with a comfortable treble, along the way getting the better of Wayne Brown 11-9, 11-5, 6-11, 11-9. There was good support from James Marshall with a couple against Brown 14-12, 11-7, 11-4 and Matthew Binks 12-10, 11-9, 9-11, 3-11, 11-8. John Patrick also defeated the same players before Crossflatts signed off in the doubles where Foulds and Patrick got the better of Binks and Nathan Carr 12-10, 11-7, 4-11, 11-3. Carr played well for the visitors, earning his team a couple of points with defeats of Marshall and Patrick, to leave the final score 8-2 in favour of Crossflatts.

Elsewhere, David Ellis scored a max for the first time since November in Denholme's 7-3 away win against Embsay. Firstly getting the better of Trevor Wilkinson 12-10, 11-4, 11-6 the resurgent Denholme star went on to defeat Norman Hunt 11-7, 11-7, 9-11, 11-3 and the dangerous Russell Findley 11-8, 8-11, 11-7, 11-6. Good support from Paul Whittaker with a couple, plus one from Adi Powis ensured a fine win for the visitors, but a third place finish looks about the best Denholme can hope for this season.

Results

Division One: Airedale Terriers 3, Lothersdale 'B' 7; Embassy 'B' 8, Airedale Terriers 2; Lothersdale 'B' 0, Embassy 'A' 10; Nelson Nomads 5, Lothersdale 'A' 5.

Division Two: Ilkley Road 'A' 8, Crossflatts 'A' 2; Johnson & Johnson 3, Cononley Sports 7; Wilsden 4, Ilkley Road 'B' 6.

Division Three: Crossflatts 'B' 8, Fast Bats 2; Embsay 3, Denholme 7; Skipton LTC 8, Ilkley Road 'C' 2; South Craven 10, Fast Bats 0.