RUNAWAY leaders Dunnington crashed to their first Yorkshire Premier League defeat of the season - as former world number one James Willstrop landed the knockout blow.

Harrogate-based Willstrop, who won a Commonwealth Games gold medal in April, swept aside fellow England international Chris Simpson at top string to settle a see-saw match for Pontefract against the reigning champions.

Alex Hodgetts had started the night in fine style with a straight-games win for Ponte, before Dunnington’s Michael Andrews sustained his 100 per cent league record for the season with a marathon win over Taminder Gata Aura.

Danny Hockborn then made it five wins from five by making quick work of Ponte’s Lewis Doughty.

The top order turned things round for the hosts though. Debutant Harinder Pal Sandhu, the world number 59 from Chennai, India, was too strong for Dunnington’s Rob Downer, then Willstrop brushed aside Guernseyman Simpson in three.