YORK John Smith's Men's League division one pacesetters, Cygnet 'A' are continuing to fend off their nearest rivals.

Big games from Dave Gibbons (18), Mark Hartley (19) and John Mooring (21) supported by a 129 finish on bull by Mark Miller put Poacher on the back foot and took Cygnet to a 6-3 victory.

Trafalgar tamed Dringhouses after Barry Noble had got off to a good start. Colin Rowntree threw a 180 for 18 darter which was well backed by Paul Veers and Rich Plummer's 96 finish.

Seventeen darts by Heath Scaife was the highlight of a 6-3 win for Shepherd over Osbaldwick while Tony Cooper (21), Ian Cryle then Doug Sutcliffe steered Sun to a 7-2 triumph at Slip, whose best performer was Garry Strider.

Flag and Whistle led 4-2 but Green Tree 'B' came back and Tony-Steve Snowden secured the decider.

Blacksmith's Arms maintained their battle for division two honours by beating Cygnet 'B' 7-2 in which Lee Mason finished on treble then double 18 but, Holgate were devastated when Steve Iveson-Simon Schofield snatched a 5-4 win for Institute 'B'.

Consistently high scoring from Ged McMahon served Swan well in a 7-2 success at Institute 'A' while Saddle's Alistair Horne-John Page picked up the match win against Old Ebor.

Green Tree 'A' recovered from 4-1 down at Groves and took the decider with Tom Wright-Dave MacDonald while Alan Ashby and Rob Robinson steadied Slip to a 6-3 victory at Sun 'B'.

Tankard 'A' have a five-point lead over champions Royal Oak, Tadcaster at thge halfway stage in Marston Moor Villages' Doubles-Board League.

Oak beat Spotted Ox, Tockwith, 7-2, while leaders Tankard (Rufforth) also won 7-2

Hammerton Social Club's Neil Phillips gamed in 24 darts and, for the winners, John Collins made it eleven from eleven wins with a fine 23 darter.

Alice Hawthorn 'A' posted a 7-2 win against Tankard 'B', who had Jim Young chipping out an 80 and Alan Atkinson scoring a ton. Red Lion's Ray Bean was a ton-scorer to help towards the aggregate point, but Hammerton Sports took five of the singles.

Mick MacLeod and John Spence were top scorers but Nelson lost 7-2 to Sun. Dave Smith threw the fastest game, Richard Foster checked 75 and Gerry Dawson notched a ton.

Steve Wragg, who leads three of the four supplementary competitions, gamed in 24 darts as Lord Collingwood won 7-2 against Alice 'B', whose hundreds came from Johnny O'Mara and Glenn Brown.

Collingwood's Phil Palmer produced a 70 finish, while Andy Dunning delivered a ton.

Updated: 09:57 Tuesday, December 24, 2002