HOLGATE WMC showed their champion quality in the York Amateur Bowls League first division with victory over the then leaders RI Amateurs at West Park.

The game was pretty close until the final quarter of the match when WMC came out on top to seal a 6-2 victory and replace their opponents at the summit of the table with a game in hand.

Dunnington beat Haxby Road 6.5-1.5 to maintain their good start to the season, while RI Corinthians climbed the table with an 8-0 whitewash of Dringhouses winning 8-0. Osbaldwick's game against Selby was postponed

In division two, Scarcroft beat Stamford Bridge 6-2 in a tense affair, which went down to the final end on the last rink to finish.

Scarcroft held sway with a quarter-of-a-shot lead on aggregate. Alan May’s rink then pulled them through, scoring a four on the last end.

Leaders Poppleton suffered a shock 7-1 home defeat to West Park.

Clifton beat Poppleton Road WMC 6.5-1.5, and Retreat went fourth with a 7-1 victory over Minster.

The first round of the Williamson Cup takes place on Monday with last year's winners, RI Corinthians, hosting Copmanthorpe while the holders of the Freedom Cup, Rowntree, host Retreat.

Draw: Harrogate v Osbaldwick, Poppleton Road WMC v Dringhouses, Scarcroft v Minster, RI Corinthians v Copmanthorpe, Haxby Road v Poppleton, Rowntree v Retreat, Dunnington v Holgate WMC, Clifton v Selby, Stamford Bridge v West Park, Hull Road Park v RI Amateurs. Bye: Shipton.

Meanwhile, Clarence went top of the York C&IU League Evening League by default after Poppleton Road, with too may players on holiday, were unable to field a side and handed them an 8-0 win.

Fellow high-fliers Railway Institute and Holgate dropped points to the two bottom clubs, Acomb and South Bank respectively, which left them trailing the leaders.

The top three are all through to the Evening Knockout Cup semi-finals, meanwhile, along with Acomb.

In the Afternoon League, Railway Institute lost their unbeaten record when going down to table-toppers St Clements, whose undefeated start went on.