Defending champions show their strength

10:06am Wednesday 9th January 2008

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Defending Division One champions Dewsbury are in pole position to retain their title at the halfway stage of the Bradford League season.

Eight wins from ten matches have propelled Dewsbury to the top of the table and they have a big lead over nearest challengers Unity A and Police.

Tony Bottomley is in top spot in the individual averages and, with Richard Lightowler, Steve Crosby, Darren Page and Phil Bell to call on, the team are well equipped to sustain their title defence.

The top two teams in Division Two met just before the mid-season break and honours finished even after a tight encounter between Hermits B and Highdale C.

Leaders Highdale led four times, with Chris Kendall and George Bak both winning twice and Geoff Barnes adding one victory.

Keith Powell kept Hermits in the match with three singles and Doug Bartle won once. This pair also combined to take a vital doubles point at 12-10 in the fifth game.

There was also a top-of-the-table clash in Division Four as leaders Unity D had to settle for a draw at Hermits D despite leading 4-2 and 5-3.

Noel Seery and Ian Cunningham shared the five Hermits sets and Steve Worsman maintained his unbeaten record for Unity.

Despite winning ten and drawing two of their 12 matches to date, Unity are only six points ahead of Hermits.

• RESULTS - Division One: Police 2, Thornbury A 8; Highdale A 3, Thornbury A 7; Highdale B 3, Dewsbury 7; Unity A 3, Police 7. Division Two: Hermits B 5, Highdale C 5; Hermits A 6, Yeadon Flyers 4; Highdale C 9, Hermits A 1; Yeadon Flyers 4, Embassy B 6. Division Three: Fastbats D 8, Hermits C 2; Thornbury B 2, Fastbats B 8; Fastbats C 9, Fastbats E 1; Hermits C 1, Fastbats C 9; Fastbats E 7, Fastbats F 3; Fastbats F 2, Unity C 8; Thornbury B 5, Fastbats D 5. Division Four: Baildon A 6, Hermits E 4; Hermits F 6, Rastrick BC 4; Hermits D 5, Unity D 5; Hermits E 3, Hermits D 7; Highdale D 4, Unity D 6. Division Five: Hermits H 3, Laisterdyke B 7; Drummonds 4, Hermits G 6; Hermits I 6, Hermits H 4; Hermits G 7, Fastbats G 3. Division Six: Hermits J 4, Unity E 6; Baildon C 10, Hermits L 0; Hermits K 2, Salem Meths 8; Hermits L 5, Unity E 5. Burton Cup, third round: Laisterdyke A 3, Police 6.

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