It may be early in the season but there are signs that Dewsbury Sedbergh could well be the team to beat in a wide open Bradford League Division One title race.

Sedbergh strengthened their squad with the addition of Richard Lightowler from Dewsbury Tog and, with Bradford champion Mark Land alongside Ivan Lewis and John Stones, have assembled a strong line-up which could go all the way this season.

The showed their intent with an impressive 7-3 victory over defending champions Highdale A, with Land unbeaten, Lewis winning two and Stones one.

Meanwhile, Hermits B avoided a third straight defeat in Division Three following a tale of two halves in a draw against Hermits C.

The B team took a 4-1 lead as Tom Sampson beat Les Packer and Terry Halliday, while Chris Town and Steve Mills both overcame Martin Jackson.

But the C team finished the stronger as they took the last four singles to lead 5-4, before Sampson and Town won the doubles to ensure honours finished even.

Hermits E lost their unbeaten Division Four record 6-4 at Unity D, despite a fine individual performance from the evergreen Norman Swift.

He dropped only one game in clocking a treble but Unity were stronger all round as Bill Sugden and David Bywater both won twice, Mark Tattersfield added one and the hosts also collected the doubles.

Division One: Dewsbury Tog 2, Dewsbury Sedbergh 8; Embassy A 3, Unity A 7; Dewsbury Tog 8, Pudsey A 1; Fastbats A 1, Highdale B 9; Dewsbury Sedbergh 7, Highdale A 3. Division Two: Unity C 8, Highdale C 2; Yeadon 9, Hermits A 1; Embassy B 4, Unity B 6; Thornbury 7, Yeadon 3. Division Three: Laisterdyke B 2, Fastbats D 8; Hermits C 5, Hermits B 5; Highdale D 5, Fastbats E 5; Hermits B 4, Highdale D 6. Division Four: Unity D 6, Hermits E 4; Fastbats F 5, Hermits E 5; Unity D 6, Drummonds 4; Fastbats F 5, Baildon A 5; Fastbats G 2, Unity D 8; Pudsey B 6, Fastbats G 4; Hermits D 5, Rastrick BC 5. Division Five: Baildon B 3, Hermits F 7; Hermits G 10, Fastbats H 0; Hermits H 10, Hermits I 0.