STARBECK stole back into the top flight of the Tyke Petroleum Men’s Tennis League, pinching promotion from Fulford thanks to a comprehensive win at David Lloyd 2.

Ryan Carrick and Simon Dickinson scored 3-29 for Beck, who still have a match left and could even claim the division two trophy from neighbours Harrogate Racquets, who have finished their fixtures.

After storming to 41-31 after two rounds, Sutton-on-Derwent snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in their relegation derby at home to Bubwith.

Their four-and-a-half points, though, were just enough for them to avoid the drop to division three.

The slim win afforded bottom team Bubwith a chance to escape, having two matches still to go.

Sherburn swiped the silverware from season-long division three leaders Wetherby, by walloping York 2 in their last match. Captain Stephen Duree led from the front, scoring 3-29 with Tristan Grettan.

Sherburn are the men’s league’s smallest club by head count but have historically punched way above their weight. They last clinched promotion to division two back in 1996.

Maximum points at home to down-and-outs Rowntree Park 2 ensured Starbeck 2 stayed in division three at the expense of Knaresborough, who have suffered their third relegation in successive seasons.

Academy 2 had an end-of-term romp to round off a successful semester. They have won back-to-back trophies and their 10-and-a-half points at home to Rufforth mean they are the second highest points scorers this year in all York tennis leagues.

Next season, they’ll be competing as David Lloyd Harrogate, after their club was bought by the leisure group giants back in July.

Sutton-on-Derwent 2 will drop two divisions to six next year. They mustered only two pairs for their final match of 2017 at Wigginton 3.

Wilberfoss signed off with maximum points at York 3 to round off the perfect season.

The league’s youngest successful side have attained the rare triple of a 100 per cent winning record, more than 100 rubbers and more than 1,000 games won in one season. They are the only team to achieve this in 2017. Captain Alex Gurnell and Ben Alport led the parade with 3-29.

Heworth’s Nick Latcham and Stephen Jones nailed 3-32 in a battering of Boston Spa 2, confirming Heworth as runners-up while condemning Spa to division six.

Cawood hammered Poppleton 3 in their inter-divisional clash, as captain Adam Raistrick and Eddie Burton notched 3-27. However, Raistrick reported no interest from his players for the return trip to Poppy and conceded an unlikely walkover.

Division eight champions Strensall, in their inter-divisional match, lost comprehensively to division six newbies Harrogate Spa, who now top their table. James Lofthouse and Andy Clayton excelled with 3-26.