YORK may have taken over from Harrogate at the top of the Hunters ECB Yorkshire Premier League North table but - if the early signs are anything to go by - it promises to be an enthralling season with just six points separating the top five clubs.

The new leaders, having lost to Harrogate on Saturday, bounced back on Bank Holiday Monday to win at neighbours Clifton Alliance by 147 runs.

Having made the short trip across Clifton Park, the visitors scored 244-2, Duncan Snell (75) and Jack Leaning (51) sharing an opening stand of 102 which was built on by Adam McAuley (73no) and Matthew Bell (31no).

Alliance never threatened in reply, recording the competition’s lowest total to date this season, making just 97 with Charlie Elliot taking 4-21.

Harrogate’s unbeaten start came to end at Kings Mill Road where they were soundly beaten by ‘bogey’ side Driffield Town who also won both league meetings last season (two of only three league defeats suffered by the eventual champions).

Afaq Rahim provided one of two outstanding individual performances for the home side making 118 out of a total of 249. It might have been more had it not been for Tom Geeson-Brown (5-49), the home side having reached 204-3 at one stage.

The visitors struggled in reply and were bowled out for 112 with Nick Hardgrave narrowly missing out on the day’s best bowling figures despite finishing with an impressive return of 7-41 from nine overs.

The distinction of ‘best bowling’ return went to Scarborough’s Theo Smith (7-36) who helped his side secure a first win in four games.

Richard Love top scored with 53 for Acomb who were bowled out for 147 at The Green.

That was in reply to the visitors’ 215 which included 70 from Alex Carrie with Joe Dale taking 5-53.

Yorkshire Academy, having had their last two matches ended prematurely by the weather, were involved in a tense finale in a low scoring encounter at Low Catton Road against Stamford Bridge.

Edward Barnes (31) top scored in their total of 134 as Luke Robinson (4-44) and Dominic Rhodes (3-47) made excellent use of the favourable bowling conditions. Unfortunately for Stamford Bridge, the visitors made even better use of the conditions, Matthew Fisher (3-33) taking the first three wickets to fall and, despite 31 from Rhodes and 30 from Ryan McKendry, they fell short by just 11 runs

Sheriff Hutton Bridge, along with Driffield Town, were one of only two clubs to take maximum points over the Bank Holiday weekend as they followed up Saturday’s victory against Clifton Alliance with a 52 run win at home to Woodhouse Grange. Despite Chris Suddaby with 4-45 and Josh Jackson with 3-52, the hosts reached 220-9 with Adam Fisher (61) and Rob Pinder (46) the main contributors.

Chris Bilton (65) and Tom Young (49) responded with a second wicket partnership of 98 but Woodhouse Grange were unable to build on that as wickets from Sam Rainbird (3-46) and Karl Carver (4-27) saw them bowled out for 168.

Two teams without a win met at Back Lane and it was Hull who broke their duck at the expense of hosts Easingwold.

George Horsley (65) and Chris Grey (30) got the visitors total up to 199-8, Grey then took 3-42 as the home side replied through Hamid Khan (49) and Aubrey Towler (35) reaching 163-9 by the close which was enough to at least earn them their first two points in Premier League North.