Defending champions Halifax-Huddersfield looked set for another round of title pass the parcel with East Riding as they faced an imposing 10-2 lunchtime deficit to Sheffield at Dore & Totley in their final match of the 2025 Yorkshire Inter-District Union League season.

Halifax-Huddersfield, who had handed over the crown as runners-up to East Riding in 2021 before the favour was returned last summer, had gained just one win from the six foursomes, through Huddersfield's Habib Khan and Dylan Shaw-Radford.

But an astonishing singles fightback from team manager Frank Greaves's side produced an 18-18 tie with 19-times YIDU top dogs Sheffield which, combined with East Riding succumbing 23-13 to York at Sandburn Hall, ensured a second consecutive championship for the first time for Halifax-Huddersfield in the competition's 38-year history.

Greaves, who has now led the union to three league successes in six seasons – they had just one to their name in 32 previous campaigns – said: “The lads' play in the singles was a superhuman effort, it really was – and against, what I’ve been informed, was the best team Sheffield have had for several years. I really did think we had blown it.”

Team manager Frank Greaves, front row third right, and his title-winning team.

placeholder image — Team manager Frank Greaves, front row third right, and his title-winning team.

His mid-sessions talk at Dore & Totley was delivered quietly, but firmly. “I said, 'you’re not in a whole team dynamic here, you’re in one match. You just have to do your job'. We were that far behind that all 12 had to be at it.”

The revival began at the top with victories in the first three matches from Khan, unbeaten in his three 2025 appearances; Shaw-Radford, making it three wins and a half in four singles; and Crosland Heath's George Hanson, who was omnipotent in six singles and contributed 20 points out of 24 available to him this year.

The trend was set and, drawing on Greaves's sage advice plus a better understanding of Dore & Totley's quirky nature from their morning trip around the layout, maximums followed from Joel Rushworth and Josh McAspurn (Crosland Heath) as well as Tom Green (Huddersfield). McAspurn had astounded his opponent with play that saw him seven under par through their first 11 holes.

When Halifax Bradley Hall's Connah Judson and Richard Broadley, of Huddersfield, both turned round deficits in their matches to record dramatic last-green triumphs a tie was assured.

Then Greaves received a congratulatory text from the East Riding camp, confirming they had lost to York, and tension among the visiting players and officials first gave way to relief and then exhilaration.

Sheffield's president John Proctor was quick to offer his congratulations to his Halifax-Huddersfield counterpart Ian Thomas before the latter generously provided free drinks for a side that has now gone unbeaten throughout two title-winning seasons.