Champions Embassy 'A' began the season with a convincing 7-3 home win against Nemesis 'A', who are many people's favourites to depose the title holders.

Strengthened by new signing Tony Boyd from Airedale Terriers, the home team stamped their authority on the proceedings with trebles from Boyd and Carl White. Although the visitors all managed to beat Neil Foley, White and Boyd teamed up in the doubles to register another win for the Champs beating Taylor and Lister.

Embassy 'B' also enjoyed an outstanding first week with a resounding 8-2 home win for Palminder Sandhu, Nadim Asghar and Dave Kitson against Lothersdale 'B'. They also enjoyed an astonishing 10-0 away win at Ukrainians.

Peter Kitching, playing in place of Asghar, was faultless with wins against Jerry Harkawy, Stef Szczur and 21-17, 21-19 against Peter Holbrook. Dave Kitson did his bit with wins against Holbrook, Harkawy and Szczur 21-15, 21-12 and Sandhu was merciless with his full house including a 21-17, 21-18 defeat of Holbrook.

Lothersdale 'A', needing to improve on last season, picked up Keith Wilkinson from Oakworth during the summer to bolster their squad and the move looks to be paying dividends as he scored a brace for his new team against Oakbank Juniors.

Francesca Currie tumbled 21-11, 21-7 to Wilkinson followed by Katie Lightowler 13-21, 21-18, 21 -17. Only the growing talent of Gareth Wiles stopped the new boy from earning a full house.

David Adams also beat Currie and Lightowler and Bob Davis earned a point, also against Currie. However, a Wiles full house, plus a 21-16, 21-13 win for Lightowler against Davis made sure of an exciting finish. A doubles win for Lightowler and Wiles against Adams and Wilkinson produced an honourable 5-5 draw.

In Division Two, St Peter's, promoted along with Haworth and Oakworth, visited Oakworth who not only finished a full 20 points ahead of their visitors as Champions, but also strengthened their squad during the closed season with the addition of First Division veteran Ben Lowe. A torrid time was expected for the visitors, but not a bit of it!

Tony Richardson's 13-21, 21-11, 21-15 defeat of Steve Smith was followed by Richard Foster's 21-8, 21-11 defeat of Paul Hollindrake. Lowe redressed the balance with a win against Paul Griffin and, following a Richardson victory against Hollindrake, Smith grabbed another for the home team.

However, only one more point came the way of the hosts in the shape of a Lowe defeat of Richardson, as the visitors proved their dominance with wins for Foster against Lowe and Smith, and Griffin against Hollindrake. Oaks' fate was sealed in the doubles as Richardson and Foster got the better of a despairing Smith and Lowe to earn their team an historic 7-3 victory.

The other promoted team, Haworth 'A', suffered the same fate as Oakworth at home to Wilsden who featured George Fletcher in their team for the first time. In fact Fletcher enjoyed the best of debuts with his full house including a vicotry over Haworth danger man Azeem Khan.

Adam Broadbent was his usual calm collected self with another max for Wilsden as the away team turned the screw. Consolation came for Khan, Kamran Ramzan and Mohammed Nafis in the form of victories against Dave Broadbent.

Could this be the year for Ilkley Road 'A'? Having missed promotion by narrow margins in the last four seasons they have signalled their intentions by signing Geoff Bartlett, missing from the League for three years.

A clue to their early season form came at Lothersdale 'C' who only finished four points behind the Riddlesden team last season. A close encounter was expected, but the visitors came out well on top with a resounding 8-2 victory.

Roy Towler hit the ground running with a well taken max . A couple each from new boy Bartlett and Steve Barton gave the Roaders a commanding position going in to the doubles where Barton and Towler just got the better of Crookes and Sean Kirkwood.

Nemesis 'B' also look like being there or thereabouts following the white washing of visitors Stockbridge Spartans. Dave Manogue, Bob Underwood and Peter Worger were untouchable for the winners, although Ray Wallace got close to a win for the visitors, only just failing against Manogue 18-21, 24-2, 21-14.

Cononley Sports also turned in their best performance in some time, dishing out a second defeat of the season to Haworth 'A'.

Michael Mitchell, Eric Hudson and new signing Paul Lister look like ensuring last season's struggle against relegation will not be repeated this time round, starting as they did with this 10-0 romp.

In Division Three, relegated Ilkley Road 'B' already look to be on course for a quick return to higher echelons following two 10-0 victories against Ilkley Road 'C' and South Craven. However, they are bound to miss Karl McIntyre, now away at University, and Chris Dunn, out indefinitely following a knee operation. Nick Emblem looks to be more than a competent replacement, though, as his six wins this week proved. Included amongst them was a 15-21, 21-15, 21-19 defeat of the experienced Steve Ives.

RESULTS

Division One: Embassy 'A' 7, Nemesis 'A' 3; Embassy 'B' 8, Lothersdale 'B' 2; Lothersdale 'A' 5, Oakbank 5; Nelson Nomads 3, Ukrainians 7; Ukrainians 0, Embassy 'B' 10.

Division Two: Embassy 'C' 3, Lothersdale 'C' 7; Haworth 'A' 3, Wilsden 7; Lothersdale 'C' 2, Ilkley Road 'A' 8; Nemesis 'B' 10, Stockbridge Spartans 0; Oakworth 3, St Peter's 7; St Peter's 3, Nemesis 'B' 7; Cononley Sports 10, Haworth 'A' 0.

Division Three: Haworth 'B' 2, Crossflatts 'A' 8; Ilkley Road 'B' 10, Ilkley Road 'C' 0; Ilkley Road 'C' 10, St Wilf's 'A' 0; South Craven 0, Ilkley Road 'B' 10.

Yorkshire League: Keighley Vets 1st 5, Bradford Vets 2nd 5; Keighley Vets 2nd 3, York Vets 2nd 7; Wakefield Vets 1st 6, Keighley Vets 3rd 4.