TROPHIES, promotions, and relegations are all up for grabs as the Tyke Petroleum Men’s Tennis League enters the crunch stage of the season.

Impeccable team selection by Nick Turnbull engineered Poppleton’s overhaul of David Lloyd in division one.

Pop third teamer Robbie Greenall was paired with Dom Shread to defeat Dale Fawcett and Ed Barker-Wyatt 7-5 and end the match unbeaten on 2½-24.

Poppleton are now two points away from sealing back-to-back men’s league championships.

York moved out of the danger zone by ending Starbeck’s two-season stay in the top flight. John Moore and Paul Blackett were more axe than rapier returning 3-30. The other two Harrogate teams are now in danger, with one set to join Starbeck in division two next year.

The bottom half of division two, collectively, walloped the top. The exception was bottom team Knaresborough, giving title-chasers Bubwith a fright, but narrowly losing in the final round.

Relegation-threatened Poppleton 2 toughed out a tremendous defeat of runaway leaders Copmanthorpe.

Going with a defensive team selection, only Cop’s first pair managed to win a rubber against the strugglers. Wigginton 2’s Kevin Fairclough and Chris Cheeseman 3-24 was key to victory against promotion hopefuls Fulford.

Louis and Zak Los bagged the perfect 3-21 for third-placed Sutton-on-Derwent but their side’s promotion ambitions were severely dented as Dunnington took the tie to move into the top half of the table.

Only Sherburn got on the board in the top half of division three with a comprehensive win at Heworth.

Steve Duree helped Imran Jehangiri to a tremendous men’s league debut with 3-30 for Sherburn. Leaders David Lloyd 2 took a top notch side to Harlow but lost a see-saw match. Joe and Craig Harrison pulled it out of the fire for Harlow with 2½-23, despite a rare loss for Ivan Dechovsky and Chris James against Lloyd’s Paul Gowland and Pete Wilson.

Appleton Roebuck demolished Rowntree Park 2 whose promotion hopes are now in ruins.

Tom Shouksmith and Geoff Bullock led the rout with 3-27 to give ‘Buck, with matches in hand, a decent tilt at a top spot.

York 2’s ambitions were all but buried as Boston Spa edged another 55-53 squeaker including a valiant 12-0 final round rubber by York captain Richard Cranidge and Jamie Winspear.

Starbeck got even at Clifton Park after their thirds batted York 3 off the top of division four with a massive win. Andy Guise and John Berger led the stampede with 3-27.

Wetherby must wait until after the holidays to clinch division five after Strensall took four points off them; their worst result of the season. James Whitwell and Mark Howarth scored 2-20 for Strensall.

There were big wins for both of the top-two in division six.

Stuart Kerr and Steve Lewis hit 3-31 for second-placed Boston Spa 2 at Bubwith 2 only to be bettered by Marcus Hewlett and late-season debutant David Whitelaw with 3-33 for Academy 2 in their demolition of Heworth 2.

Pocklington edged it at home to Harlow 2, despite only winning three rubbers. An unbeatable 2½-26 by Jim Holding and Jim Bloom secured the victory.

A rare reunion of Riccall’s ‘Woodward brothers’ notched 3-33 to despatch Wigginton 4 and ensure Riccall’s promotion to the next level.

Tom Hitchenor and Dave Nowell of Sutton-on-Derwent 2 claim the top gun trophy this week with 3-34 in a 98-game demolition of Bishopthorpe 2.

Only Sutton-on-Derwent 2, with seven matches in hand, could possibly deny Riccall the division seven trophy this season.

With three to play, Alne & Tollerton 1 are just 8½ points short of winning division eight after a stroll indoors at David Lloyd 3. Matt Poole made a welcome return, scoring 2½-20, with Wilberfoss 2 captain Charlie Dodds in a crucial defeat of promotion rivals Wigginton 3.

Down after two rounds, ‘Foss crushed the final round for a narrow 55-53 steal. With two matches to go, it’s still all to play for.