Holmfirth B look like winning promotion for an immediate return to Ladies Division III in the Huddersfield & District Tennis League.

Relegated last year, Holmfirth B are leading Division IV and cemented their place with a solid 10-2 success against Cleckheaton.

In the victory, Karen Adams and Lindsey Delooze won four sets 6-3 6-4 6-0 6-0, while Barbara Farmer and Ann White and Julie Wood and Su Pinder each won three from four.

Thongsbridge E are just three points behind with two games in hand.

In Ladies Division I, Huddersfield A and Thongsbridge A lead the way, closely followed by Holmfirth and Rastrick A teams.

Ladies Division II is a three-way race between Huddersfield B, Batley A and Thongsbridge C.

Oakfield A appear to be running away with Ladies Division III, having a six-point lead over nearest rivals Shepley A.

Ladies Division V remains tight at the top with Linthwaite B and Oakfield B just a point apart.

Men’s Division 1 has Marsden A and Batley A taking a commanding lead over their nearest rivals, with Marsden’s only defeat being a tight 10-8 loss away to Batley, who have a perfect record with the exception of their opening-night draw against Thongsbridge A.

In Men’s Division II it’s a close-run thing at the top between Mirfield A, Thongsbridge C, Shepley A and Liversedge B, with only five points covering the top four.

Marsden B remain in seventh but secured an excellent result when hosting fourth-placed Liversedge B.

Marsden, who had a tough start picking up only three points due to losing one player with a season-long injury and having to support their first team with players every week bar one, started slowly again against Liversedge.

First pair, captain Dave Sykes and partner Gary Smith, lost two tight sets against Liversedge’s Gary Meynell and Danny Shaw. The first was 6-4 and the second a tie break to a awful net cord to go down 7-5.

However, all was not lost as second pair Rob Hardiman and John Noble won two tie breaks against M Oldroyd and S Hanif, and Ryan Clifford – being joined by third-team skipper Jim Boothroyd in the third pair – halved against R Bentley and Z Kauat, leaving the match all square 3-3.

Then disaster struck for Marsden as Boothroyd had to retire injured, leaving the hosts 7-3 down and Liversedge needing only three sets for victory, but stars of the show Hardiman and Noble halved with Meynell and Shaw, Sykes and Smith dispatched Bentley and Kauat to make it 8-6 in Liversedge’s favour.

Then, on the longest match night of the year, the Marsden men took the last four sets to take a well-earned 10-8 victory.

In Men’s Division III, Hillside A and Denby Dale A met in a top-of-the-table clash with Denby Dale, hosting Hillside. Both teams were undefeated going into the match, although Denby Dale were weakened by the absence of their second pair.

Hillside A’s first pair of James Hobson and Simon Hughes maintained their 100% record so far this season, and they were well supported by their second pair of Richard Hobson and Craig Skirrow, who also won five sets, in a match which Hillside eventually won 10-4.

Division IV looks to be a race between three teams, Longley B, Batley B and Linthwaite A (separated only by four points).

In Men’s Division V, Mirfield C have a six-point lead over Marsden C, and in Men’s Division VI, Gregory Fields C and Holmfirth B are separated only by two points with seven of the matches completed.

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