YORK wrapped up their fifth consecutive Fulford Ladies Invitation Tennis League first division title with a crushing 95-13 victory over Wheldrake.

Captain Helen Leach teamed up with Christine Place to drop only one game, while Karen Retief and Katherine Place won 28 games and first string Louise Lister and Wendy Stirke 32.

Lister and Stirke have won 30 or more games in a match eight times this season, helping maintain York's 100 per cent winning record.

Fulford beat Bubwith 73-35 to finish runners-up for the third successive season. Jackie Heels and Jill McCreedy won 30 games.

The relegation places will be decided between Castlegarth, Wheldrake and Bubwith.

Wistow won the fourth division trophy after beating Sheriff Hutton 72-36. Janet Falkingham and Alison Beal set Wistow on their way with a 10-2 win in the first round. Captain Jill Marsden and Julie Caslake repeated the feat in the second round and number one couple Justin Vickers and Sue Hudson finished with 26 games.

Fulford, Wheldrake, Sheriff Hutton, Wigginton and Pocklington will scrap it out to avoid relegation.

Games difference could determine the third division title. Leaders Copmanthorpe have one match to play - against Riccall - while nearest rivals New Earswick have three matches left and could go joint-top if they win them all.

Tollerton went into the final round at Poppleton trailing 38-34, but Sandra Jennings and Ed Hope won 8-4, Ali Thompson and Sue Gill triumphed 9-3 and captain Jean Thompson and Gill Quigley also won 9-3 to cap a 60-48 Tollerton victory.

Division two is between Civil Service and Bishopthorpe with Service, 65-43 victors over Selby having a two-point advantage. Bishopthorpe beat Appleton Roebuck 74-34 in their latest match.

Castlegarth beat division five leaders Heworth 55-53 in a real nail-biter to join them at the top with a game in hand.

Helen Larkin, unbeaten all season with Louise Haritakis, went down 8-4 with Anne Gray to Castlegarth's Ann Jones and Denise Noland. Heworth's second string Chris Vis and Alison Ward cancelled the score out by winning 8-4 but Trish and Srah Bell won 7-5 to give their side the edge after the first round of games.

In the second round, Larkin and Gray won 7-5, Vis and Ward 9-3 and Jones and Nolan 10-2 to give Castlegarth a 37-35 advantage going into the final round of matches.

Mary Fidler and Margaret Simpson (Castlegarth) beat Lucy Collier and Susannah Dale 8-4, Larkin and Gray triumphed 9-3 while Jones and Nolan edged out Vis nd ward 7-5 to earn Castlegarth victory.

Updated: 12:07 Tuesday, August 20, 2002