DUNNINGTON took a massive step towards a second successive Yorkshire Premier League squash title as their victory – and defeat for second-placed Hallamshire – opened up an imposing gap at the top.

With four games of the season left, the York club now lead by 23 points following their comfortable 19-4 (4-1) triumph over Hull & East Riding.

Although Hull’s Mike Reid got the visitors off to a winning start with his first YPL victory of the season, beating youngster Benjamin Cross in five, Dunnington were dominant thereafter.

Team captain Matthew Stephenson and Ed Shannon-Adams made quick work of Paul Norton and Yousef Forster respectively, before number two Julian Tomlinson won a fantastic contest with 17-year-old Jack Mitterer from Kent, making his YPL debut.

Rob Downer, the world number 138, rounded things off for Dunnington with a straight-games rout of England junior Ben Smith, dropping just three points in the last two games.

Hallamshire faced visitors from up the M1 in Barnsley, who plundered the five bonus points in a 17-5 (4-1) win to put a huge dent in the Sheffield side’s title ambitions.