Pontefract knocked off top spot despite seventh straight Yorkshire Premier League win

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Doncaster leapt back into top spot as the top three all won in round 12 to intensify the title race, but they recorded the biggest margin success.

Doncaster – who have never won the country's top regional squash league in its 64-year history – regained the lead they last held in November by virtue of a 19-4 home victory over Pontefract 2.

Only Ponte 2's number five Joe Royle was able to inflict any damage on the hosts with a barnstorming five-game win (12-10 in the fifth) over Ed Walker.

Pontefract 1's Patrick Rooney returned from the Tournament of Champions in New York to play in the Yorkshire Premier League.

Elsewhere, Doncaster's Will Donnelly, Lewis Doughty (who is still unbeaten this YPL season) and skipper Joel Arscott all won in three.

At top string, world No.56 Simon Herbert polished things off with a four-game victory over Rhys Evans.

Pontefract 1 would have been hoping for a favour in South Yorkshire from their stablemates, but the second team's defeat, coupled with only a narrow 15-8 home win over Hallamshire, saw them slip to second place.

Nevertheless the victory made it seven in a row and with the gap only three points they still have a first YPL title since 2010 firmly in their sights.

The night began with Adam Taylor's quick win over Hallamshire's fellow veteran Nick Wall Snr, but on the adjacent court Hallamshire's Kiwi powerhouse Temwa Chileshe put a hobbling Omar El Torkey to the sword in equally quick time.

Tom Bamford's five-set thriller against Matt Gregory was the real tide-turner in Ponte's favour.

And when Elijah Thomas – playing down the order in the number three slot – overcame the visitors' Adam Turner, the winning bonus points were Ponte's.

The number ones’ duel may have been technically a 'dead rubber', but every point counts in such a tight title race. Pontefract’s Patrick Rooney and Nick Wall jnr, both perhaps a little jetlagged having just returned from the Tournament of Champions in New York, battled away, but a tight result went Wall's favour 3/1.

Defeat saw defending champions Hallamshire fall to fourth – 26 points off the top.