The formbook was nearly turned upside down when Bradford League Division Two promotion chasers Highdale D put their unbeaten record on the line at bottom-of-the-table Fastbats B.

Highdale are chasing Embassy B for the title, whereas Fastbats have yet to win and are adrift in the relegation zone but they gave their lofty opponents a fright as Ian Johnson and Helen Shields won two apiece to put them into a 4-2 lead.

Johnson then lost to Dave Broadley and, crucially, Shields was pipped 13-11 in the fifth game against Shamir Bose, and Highdale maintained the momentum to take the last two sets for a relieved 6-4 success.

Norman Swift is a name synonymous with Bradford table tennis, as he seems to go on for ever.

Swift is playing in his 50th consecutive season in the Bradford League in a career spanning the top level with Lund Humphries, followed by a spell at Cleckheaton Sports, and now at Hermits.

Swift has had health problems for some time but defies the odds to play when he can.

Swift turned out for Hermits G in Division Four, fittingly against Drummonds, who have also graced the Bradford League scene for half a century.

Swift managed two singles, while Peter Clark and John Margerison added one each, but Drummonds took the honours as Malcolm Fowler won three, Stewart Varley added two and they won the doubles.

Bradford League – Division One: Police 7, Highdale B 3; Highdale B 7, Highdale A 3. Division Two: Fastbats C 6, Yeadon 4; Unity C 2, Embassy B 8; Unity C 7, Pudsey A 3; Fastbats B 4, Highdale D 6. Division Three: Hermits A 7, Fastbats D 3; Unity D 8, Highdale E 2; Laisterdyke C 2, Hermits A 8; Highdale E 0, Embassy C 10; Hermits C, Unity D 8. Division Four: Fastbats X 3, Pudsey B 7; Hermits D 8, Hermits H 2; Hermits G 4, Drummonds 6; Hermits H 0, Hermits F 10; Hermits E 5, Fastbats E 5; Drummonds 4, Hermits E 6; Hermits F 6, Hermits G 4; Pudsey B 5, Hermits D 5. Division Five: Fastbats G 0, Hermits J 10; Baildon C 5, Salem 5; Fastbats F 1, Baildon A 9; Salem 4, Hermits J 6; Unity E 6, Baildon B 4.

Yorkshire League – Division Three: Huddersfield 4 4, Bradford 4 6.