They collected 23 points to Doncaster's nine from a 440-405 win and after looking favourites for the drop they have surged to the top of the five-team table.

Although they sit out the final round of fixtures on Sunday, August 24, only freak results could push them into the two relegation spots.

Calderdale had eight of the 12 winners in the home leg at Kingston Social Club and came out on top by 222-188.

At Armthorpe No 1, they had seven winners to Doncaster's five and crucially won by just one chalk - 218-217 - to collect the two aggregate points and help guarantee the extra four points for the overall win.

Although homester Pasquale Cestrone was beaten on a sluggish green at Kinsgton, Calderdale won the other three games in the top four with Bernard Megson's 21-9 success, bowling his short, straight marks, the highlight.

The next four jacks produced another three wins, David Stansfield limiting his opponent to seven chalks to make it four wins out of four in his debut season with an average of plus 7.75.

Honours in the final four matches were even with Adrian Kenyon matching the earlier efforts of Mel Gilbert and Philip Holroyd in beating decent opponents.

Calderdale had two winners from the first four jacks on the difficult Armthorpe top green. Paul Smythe trailed 11-12 but then allowed his opponent just one more chalk and Richard Hobson (Hill Crest), on the brink of defeat at 16-20, ran out with two pairs and a single for an all important 21-20 result.

The second set of four jacks brought three more wins and saw Calderdale establish a 149-143 lead. Leading the way was Philip Chalkley with a 21-14 result, followed closely by debutant Brian Harrison's 21-16 win. Then Gary Whelan beat the Doncaster captain Brian Booth 21-17.

Hopes were growing that Calderdale could pull of an improbable away win but after two more defeats and with just two players left on the green Doncaster had gone in front by nine chalks.

Martin Griffiths had an 18-8 lead but his opponent Brian Barras fought back well to reach 14 and maintain Doncaster's lead which was now just two chalks.

Anchor man Paul Gill was in a neck and neck battle with Paul Morgan, which went on for 32 ends, and ended with a break of five ends for Calderdale's Gill which yielded six chalks to bring one more individual point and the two aggregate points by the narrowest of margins.

South Derbyshire had an amazing performance to win 10 of the 12 games away at Atherstone Grove against Nuneaton. They took 25 points to Nuneaton's seven from the whole match to make themselves favourites for the title.