POPPLETON clinched their third successive Tyke Petroleum Men’s Tennis League title on the final day of the season.

Nick Turnbull ended the campaign unbeaten after partnering Liam Earnshaw to 3-26 at home to a full-strength Academy.

Having triumphed six times in the last 10 years, Poppleton have an eye on Dunnington’s overall record of 14 titles won during the 38 seasons the league has been running.

Just one behind, and with Dunnington relegated, Poppleton will have a clear shot next year at drawing level, and also matching Dunn’s feat of four championships in a row back in 1983.

Dunnington themselves signed out of division one with a rare win, led by captain Paul Birch, scoring 3-26 with Kevin Todd against an end-of-term York.

There was a Sunday stroll too for Wigginton with all pairs unbeaten at Rowntree Park. Ben Walker and Jason Whiting returned 3-29 for Wiggy.

David Lloyd are league runners-up, claiming 11 points at Copmanthorpe who fielded two pairs only.

Season-long division two leaders Racquets stumbled out the blocks in their final match at neighbours Starbeck.

With the games close, Beck took the crucial 7-5s for a whopping nine points from 59 games won. Ryan Carrick and Simon Dickinson took 3-24.

It leaves Racquets still two points short of silverware with Starbeck the only team who can snatch it from them.

Captainless again, Fulford faltered in their final match at David Lloyd 2. To win promotion, Fulford now depend on Starbeck failing to win four and a half points from their last two matches. Lloyd’s Peter Wilson and Mark Bland nailed the most satisfying maximum of all, 3-21.

Sutton-on-Derwent’s tremendous result at Bubwith, coupled with a battling defeat at Poppleton 2, means Appleton Roebuck are relegated.

Runaway division three leaders Wetherby sensationally lost their last match heavily to late-charging Sherburn, who now loom just two points behind but with another match to play.

Sherburn captain Stephen Duree and Stephen Pearce starred with an imperious 3-28 against a full-strength outfit who had hitherto bossed the division. Sherburn will be going for the trophy in their final match at home to York 2, who will need to win to gain promotion themselves.

Copmanthorpe 2 claimed the most outrageous result of the season, winning 9-3 at Appleton Roebuck 2 in division four, with only four players. Alan Partington and Carl Addison took 3-31.

Racquets 2 took revenge and all but a half-point off Starbeck 3. The battering relegates Beck to at least division five and possibly six should they lose their final match at Appleton Roebuck 2.

Riccall were a pair short for their division five crunch clash at Alne & Tollerton, where a big win all but guarantees A&T a place in division four next year, while division seven champs Riccall will drop down a level.

With two matches to get through, division seven’s Fulford 2 are within three points of a coveted division five start next year, after skittling Sheriff Hutton. Andrew Frank and David Hull’s 1½-17 for Sheriff ensures their team will avoid the drop into division eight.

David Lloyd 3 easily took the first two rounds of their final match against Pocklington in division seven. Their promotion rivals fought back with a 22-14 final round to almost take the tie. The points split sees Pock precariously hanging on for a division six start next season. Lloyd are looking at division five, but with a meagre 107½ points, are likely to give that up for six.

Another big win for Bubwith 2 gives them two more matches to claw themselves up to a division seven start next season. Captain Andy Corfield and Dave Booth notched 3-28 at Bishopthorpe 2.