Defending champions Pontefract 1 are the only unbeaten team after four rounds of the 2025/26 Yorkshire Premier League following this week’s emphatic win at last year’s runners-up Harrogate.
Pontefract 1 have played one game fewer than many of their nearest rivals, yet still top the table by 11 points – raising the early prospect that they could be the first team to retain the Premier League title since Dunnington in 2018/19.
The action at Harrogate began with two routine 3-0 victories for the visitors courtesy of veteran Adam Taylor and Tom Bamford (who bagelled Alec Fuller in the opening game).
Ponte captain Matt Godson had a tougher time against Richard Hinds before coming through in four and Australian Brad Fullick also triumphed in four over former England international Chris Simpson.
Harrogate earned a consolation in the top-string match as 21-year-old Welshman Rhys Evans ousted Scotland’s Commonwealth Games silver medallist Rory Stewart in four games to reduce Ponte’s winning margin to 18-5.
With 2022/23 champions Hallamshire not in action this week, Cleethorpes moved up into second – but only by virtue of points gained in a 16-7 defeat at previously winless Pontefract 2.
Cleethorpes #5 Reece Newell recovered from losing the fist game 11/1 to defeat Ponte 2’s Joe Royle in five, but the visitors’ youngster Noah Riley then posted a straight-games victory to equalise.
The second and third string matches were also split, with American Ben Gemma defeating Oscar Hill for the hosts and Louie Truman winning in three for Cleethorpes.
It came down, therefore, to the top-string encounter and in stepped Ponte 2’s Paraguayan debutant Francesco Marcantonio to seal the deal with a straight-games victory over Cleethorpes captain Harry Falconer.
Dunnington handed Doncaster their first defeat of the campaign to move into third position. Straight-games wins for Sam Gibbon, Jamie Brown and American import Marco DiFilippo got the York side over the line, although Anvhinav Gupta’s five-game victory over Taminder Gata Aura and victory for England international Declan James at no.1 string reduced Doncaster’s arrears to 16-6.
Ferriby Hall and Queens remain in lower mid-table positions after the latter’s 15-9 victory on Wednesday. Danny Bray, Ben Gibson and Jordan Hardwick were the Halifax side’s victors on the night, with consolation wins for Edward Bidder and Ben Smith.
