DUNNINGTON have made a superb start to the second half of the Allam Marine Yorkshire Premier Squash League season by winning their first two matches in 2015 to return to the top of the table.

The York club ended 2014 poorly with consecutive defeats at title rivals Queens and Hallamshire to enter the winter break level with Hallamshire on 154 points from ten matches.

However, Dunnington quickly put those losses behind them with a 15-7 victory at Abbeydale and then an 18-4 home rout of Hull and East Riding to move back into first place on 187 points.

They now lead Hallamshire by 18 points, although the Sheffield club have played one game less.

They also won their first match after the league’s resumption - a 15-7 home win over lowly Pontefract, their fifth victory in a row.

Daniel Hockborn and Gareth Lumsden were Dunnington’s stars in their opening two fixtures of 2015, winning both their matches.

World number 23 Chris Simpson was the York club’s other winner at Abbeydale, while South African Shaun Le Roux, standing in for Simpson at number one, and Matt Marshall also netted full points against Hull and East Riding.

Meanwhile, Hallamshire were indebted to wins from Mark Fuller, Jack Allcock and Dan Lawrence for their triumph against Pontefract.

In third place, just five points behind Hallamshire on 164 also after 11 games, are Queens, who bounced back after successive losses before Christmas to whitewash bottom club Pontefract seconds 20-0.

Recent two-time PSA Tour title winner James Earles, British under-19 finalist Patrick Rooney, Matt Sidaway, England assistant coach David Campion and Connor Sheen all secured 3-0 wins to boost the Halifax club’s title hopes.