Pontefract 1 retained their Yorkshire Premier League crown with two matches to spare after routing Hallamshire on Wednesday night.
With a record of 13 victories and just one defeat, Pontefract totally dominated the season from gun to tape to claim their sixth title since the formation of the league in 1961.
The title-clinching victory was aptly commanding as second-from-bottom Hallamshire, the 2023/24 champions, were defeated 20-2 to the delight of the Ponte home faithful.Pontefract needed only four points to mathematically seal the title and they were secured in the blink of an eye by their lower order.
Adam Taylor and captain Matt Godson both cruised to straight-games victories over Portuguese player Mariana Martins and Jack Cornell. Aussie Brad Fullick sealed the winning bonus points at no.3 with another three-game victory over Nick Wall Snr.
Only Scotsman Rory Stewart was detained on court for any length of time. Arriving straight off the plane from the Canadian Open, he was twice pegged back by Hallamshire skipper Adam Turner before sealing the deciding fifth game 11/6.
At #1, world #47 Sam Todd was back home from the States to swat Matt Gregory aside in three and spark the title celebrations.
Pontefract captain Godson said: “It’s a massive achievement for us to go back-to-back, although as a club we don’t base our success solely on winning titles.
“We remain far more focused on developing the game, bringing as many players through as possible and developing them as people as well as squash players. Having two teams in the Premier League is a massive tool for achieving that.
“A big thank you to all the people who turn out to watch both teams every week, including retired players, casual players and up-and-coming juniors. We’re hopefully inspiring them to be the best they can be.
“A big thank you to our sponsors Orsam and HC Electrical. It’s truly a pleasure and an honour to captain this prestigious club.”
Despite their heavy defeat, Hallamshire’s two consolation points earned on the night actually eased their survival hopes ever so slightly as bottom side Cleethorpes were whitewashed 20-0 at third-placed Harrogate.
Harrogate’s former world no.20 Chris Simpson, Gabriel Cox, Isaac Green, Alec Fuller and Thomas Simpson all won in straight games to leave Cleethorpes on 89 points — 13 points from safety with two games to go (and the first of those is against Pontefract 1 next week).
Dunnington’s hopes of a second-placed finish took a blow as they fell to a surprise 16-9 home defeat by Ferriby Hall.
In a see-saw encounter, Fiona Moverley struck early for Ferriby before Sam Gibbon won a nail-biting five-setter with Yusuf Forster to equalise. Dunnington’s Chris Keeble and the visitors’ Caleb Boy then claimed straight-games victories to tee up a deciding top-string clash.
It was England international Ben Smith who sealed Ferriby Hall’s victory but only after another five-game encounter against Wales international Owain Taylor.
Wednesday night’s other encounter saw 2022/23 champions Doncaster remain in fourth place thanks to a 14-6 away win at Queens.
The hosts’ James Lynch and Phil Taylor kicked off with breezy victories, but Doncaster’s strong top order hit back by reeling off three straight-games triumphs of their own by British junior champion Dylan Roberts, George Parker and world #28 Declan James.
