Embassy's use of the squad system is beginning to pay dividends with both the 'A' and 'B' teams pulling away from the field.

However, Embassy 'A' were held to a draw at home this week by a two-man Terriers 'A' outfit. After a tough 21-11, 29-31, 21-19 opener against Neil Foley, Tony Boyd went on to complete a full house with comfortable victories over Carl White and Matthew Mellor. Paul Beck lost his first 21-13, 21-18 to White, only just missed out 21-19 in the third against Foley, but earned his reward for a fighting performance with an 8-21, 23-21, 21-13 defeat of Mellor before teaming up with Boyd to defeat White and Mellor 21-14, 20-22, 21-17 in the doubles.

Lothersdale 'A' and Nemesis staged a relegation battle with the outcome not really helping either side. Dave Adams struck first for Lothersdale with a tremendous 21-23, 21-13, 21-15 defeat of Steve Taylor, John Stones levelled for the visitors 21-9, 21-11 against Bob Davis before Peter Midgley conquered Craig Priestley 21-15, 19-21, 21-16. Stones was the gem for Nemesis with a couple more against Adams and Midgley earning him a max, but despite his efforts, his team couldn't afford to relax as both Adams and Davis defeated Priestley to leave the outcome in doubt right up to the doubles. Taylor and Stones won the first 21-18, only to see the experienced doubles pairing of Adams and Davis come back 21-12 to level. The Lothersdale boys fell away in the decider, losing 21-16 to leave the final score 6-4 in favour of the visitors.

Katie Lightowler started well for Oakbank with a 21-14, 21-18 defeat of Ben Lowe in another tight match away at Oakworth 'A'. Keith Wilkinson and Steve Busfield both scored a brace with Busfield's 16-21, 21-16, 21-15 win against Lightowler being the pick of the quartet. Lowe picked up one against Sam Fuller, but a Gareth Wiles treble kept it alive for Oakbank until the doubles when Wilkinson and Busfield clinched a 6-4 win for Oakworth 21-12, 21-18 against Fuller and Wiles.

Ukrainians attempt to avenge an early season 7-3 defeat at the hands of Nelson Nomads only just failed with the Nomads coming out on top 6-4 in the return fixture at Ukies. No one could match Peter Holbrook, although Catherine Lawson delayed him 17-21, 21-10, 21-8 on his way to a treble, but Jerry Harkawy and Stef Szczur could only muster one further point between them with a Szczur success against Michael Wrigley 21-19, 15-21, 21-17. Lawson, the best player on the night for Nelson, trumped Harkaway 21-12, 21-2 and Szczur 21-19, 21-6 but left it up to team mates David Ayrton and Wrigley to clinch the doubles and with it the match 21-11, 22-20 against Holbrook and Szczur.

It is beginning to look increasingly likely that Embassy 'C' will be joining their 'A' and 'B' colleagues in the First Division next season. Nine points ahead of second placed Terriers 'B' in Division Two, they pressed their claims for the title with a comfortable 9-1 defeat of bottom team Ilkley Road 'B' whose only success came with a Karl McIntyre defeat of George Fletcher 21-18, 21-14. Clive Sherratt's treble included a 21-18, 20-22, 21-14 win against McIntyre and Steve Crossland stretched his record to 18 from 20 with a full house that included the 21-14, 21-11 defeat of Chris Dunn as the leaders moved 16 points clear of third placed Lothersdale 'C'.

Richard Crookes, 93 per cent last season in Division Three, is rapidly becoming the player to beat this season with a current return of 86 per cent for Lothersdale 'C' in Division Two. Another treble away at Ilkley Road 'A' that was only slightly ruffled by Steve Barton 21-12, 16-21, 21-18, included a 21-16, 21-14 defeat of Roy Towler and maintains the Lothersdale star's second spot in the averages, only four per cent behind Mark Emmott. Jack Webber gave good support with his couple including a 21-18, 15-21, 22-20 defeat of Barton as the dalesmen enjoyed a 6-4 away victory.

Although the second promotion spot is not quite sewn up yet, the thread is already passing through the eye of the needle for Terriers 'B' who have a seven point cushion over Lothersdale 'C' following a good 7-3 away win at Johnson & Johnson. The margin would have been far greater had John Pullen not been at his best. The J&J man was superb, scoring all the home team's points including a 21-16, 22-20 defeat of Mark Emmott. Other than these set backs, the visitors enjoyed calm waters with straight sets victories in the remaining rubbers.

Top match in Division Three was the encounter between St. Peters in third spot and top team Oakworth 'B'. Playing at home and needing a win against their promotion rivals the Addingham youngsters started well with Richard Foster's 21-12, 21-10 win against Paul Hollindrake, but following this they didn't notch another success until the fifth rubber when Foster struck once more to beat Jason Procter 22-20, 21-16. Sam Atkinson defeated Hollindrake 21-11, 17-21, 21-18 and Foster wrapped up the scoring for the home team with a 21-19, 21-16 success against Steve Smith but this wasn't good enough for St. Peter's as Oaks increased the gap between the two teams to 21 points with a 6-4 win thanks to a couple from Smith that included a 21-6, 21-10 bettering of Atkinson, two more from the improving Procter, a 21-11, 21-15 Hollindrake win against David Tomlinson and, crucially, an 8-21, 21-14, 21-12 doubles victory for Smith and Procter against Foster and Atkinson.

RESULTS

Division One: Embassy 'A' 5, Terriers 'A' 5; Lothersdale 'A' 4, Nemesis 6; Oakworth 'A' 6, Oakbank 4; Ukrainians 4, Nelson 6.

Division Two: Embassy 'C' 9, Ilkley Road 'B' 1; Ilkley Road 'A' 4, Lothersdale 'C' 6; Johnson & Johnson 3, Terriers 'B' 7; Wilsden 3, Cononley Sports 7.

Division Three: Crossflatts 'B' 9, South Craven 1; Haworth 'A' 3, Crossflatts 'A' 7; St Peter's 4, Oakworth 'B' 6; Skipton 'A' 1, Ilkley Road 'C' 9; Skipton 'B' 4, Craven LTC 6.