DIVISION Four leaders Thornbury A certainly put a marker down in their Bradford League trip to second-placed Baildon E.

Thornbury had a 100 per cent record going into the contest, while Baildon were unbeaten at home, so something had to give and it was the visitors who maintained their unblemished form with a powerful performance.

The Thornbury trio of Kaleem Afzal, David Wilson and Mohammed Humzah reeled off the first three singles to put the home side on the back foot.

Baildon rallied as Michael Criddle and Stephen Hirst reduced the arrears with wins over Afzal and Humzah respectively.

But Wilson did not drop a game for Thornbury in taking three singles, while Afzal and Humzah won two each as Thornbury motored to an 8-2 success and a 22-point lead at the summit.

The top two teams in Division Two also went head to head, with Highdale B and Unity A were involved in a 5-5 thriller.

Highdale began strongly as James and Gary Foster put them 2-0 up, against Neil Harris and Geoff Dunne respectively.

But Mick Stead is the stand-out performer in the section and led Unity's recovery with a treble.

Harris overcame Gary Foster, while Phil Mann edged a close match against Dunne as Unity led 4-3.

Mann secured a crucial 16-14 fifth-game verdict against Harris to level the match – and James Foster put the home side 5-4 up with another five-game win over Dunne.

Highdale were scenting victory as Mann and James Foster took a 2-0 lead in the doubles but Unity pair Stead and Dunne clawed their way back to take the next three 13-11, 11-8 11-9 in what was a fitting finish to a fine contest.

In contrast, in the bottom two teams met in Division Four as Hermits J took on Hermits K.

The K team were looking to repeat their only win of the season so far and led 4-1 at halfway.

Burhaan Saghir won his opening two singles, while John Denton and John Korner had narrow wins over Peter Clark and Phil Craven.

Yet the J team rallied, John Rawnsley leading their fightback with wins over Korner and Denton, and Craven stopped Saghir in five games as the teams were level at 4-4.

Korner took the last singles for the K team but Rawnsley and Craven took the doubles in five games for the J team in what was an honourable draw.

Division One: Dewsbury Tog A 9 Hermits A 1. Division Two: Highdale B 5 Unity A 5, Fastbats 3 Hermits C 7. Division Three: Hermits F 8 Unity B 2, Rastrick 3 Hermits E 7. Division Four: Hermits J 5 Hermits K 5, Baildon E 2 Thornbury A 8, Hermits H 6 Thornbury B 4.