POPPLETON enjoyed maximum returns to build a huge lead at the top of the Tyke Petroleum Men’s Tennis League.

Captain Nick Turnbull and Robbie Greenall top-scored with 3-31 for Popp in a home whitewash of Copmanthorpe, while Dunnington found only four volunteers to face the runaway champs.

Popp’s rivals the Academy, meanwhile, have now lost two matches on the spin.

Adam Rider and Rich Bancroft returned 3-25 at York with half their regulars away.

David Lloyd also avenged their early-season defeat to Academy with Dale Fawcett and Sean Evans (3-26) a class apart.

Brad Swainston and Greg Ashcroft starred with 3-26 to earn Dunnington a second success of the year at Rowntree Park.

Florida’s Angus Bradshaw, playing whilst on holiday from his studies in the States, stood in for Wigginton’s captain and retuned 3-25 with James Walker to help defeat York.

Racquets stretched their lead in division two after a close shave at home to Bubwith.

Stand-ins Tom Cameron and Will Marshall were the Harrogate heroes, edging out Bub number-one seeds Jon Clay and Mark Wright 7-5 in the final rubber.

Despite boasting two unbeatable pairs, Sutton-on-Derwent narrowly lost to a well-ordered Starbeck, for whom Tom Key and Ryan Carrick returned unbeaten with 2-21.

David Lloyd II moved out of danger with a big win at home to fellow strugglers Appleton Roebuck.

Pete Wilson and Mark Bland showed top form with 3-30.

With all three pairs in the points, Wigginton II completed their club’s double, edging York II in a tight tussle at Clifton Park in division three.

Division four’s top team boasted the week’s top pair as Academy II pulled well clear after Matt Waters and Sam Couchman’s 3-33 further endangered doldrum-dwellers Appleton Roebuck II.

A quietly-confident 3-30 by James Rant and Richard Noland saw Starbeck III complete a club double by seeing off lowly Sutton-on-Derwent II.

Wilberfoss maintained their 100 per cent record by overcoming Alne & Tollerton to bank yet another ten-pointer.

Alex Gurnell and Dan Jacques shredded their visitors with 3-28, leaving Foss 20 points clear at the top of division five with two matches in hand over the chasers.

Wetherby II squeezed seven points from Heworth, despite winning only three rubbers.

Mike Connolly and Nick Lumb scrapped to an unbeaten 2-20.

A first round 23-13 was the foundation for a narrow Heworth defeat of York 3.

Stephen Jones and Ollie Hicks shared a half with Neil Giltrap and Neil Johnson, but were otherwise peerless for Heworth with 2½-28.

Boston Spa II comfortably won their basement battle at home to Bishopthorpe, but remain bottom.

In division six, Harrogate Spa saw off both of their promotion rivals to stake their promotion claim.

Leading by example, Spa’s Andy Clayton nailed a combined 5.5 points and 55 games away to Cawood and at home to Selby.

Strensall stayed on course for promotion from division eight, extending their lead with a big win at home to Knaresborough II.

James Whitwell and Mark Howarth led the line with 3-29.

Poppleton III battered Wheldrake thanks to the efforts of Alex Crick and Phil Sinton (3-30).

Bouncing back, Wheldrake enjoyed a hefty victory over Bishopthorpe !!, whose young star Andrew Murtagh romped to 3-29 with his dad David.