Halifax-Huddersfield fight-back to secure tie with East Riding

Frank Greaves's men trailed 9-3 at lunch after claiming just one win in the morning foursomes through Huddersfield debutant James Cassell and Lightcliffe's Damian Berry, while Sam Bridges (Halifax Bradley Hall) and James Skirrow, of Huddersfield, maintained their unbeaten record for the season as a pairing with a half.

It gave the champions hope, but they were up against a side that has two league successes and two runner-up placings in the last four YIDU campaigns and had not lost a singles session in three years.

Team manager Greaves remained undaunted and his side justified his faith by annexing six wins and three halves to retain their position as 2025 front runners by virtue of a superior match points difference following opening wins of 25-11 and 29-7 against Leeds and Bradford respectively.

Crosland Heath's George Hanson set the afternoon tone for Halifax-Huddersfield by demolishing East Riding's newly crowned champion Matty Raybould 8&7 with the aid of six birdies as the visitors won five of the top seven singles.

It was Hanson's third solo success in as many matches, and Bridges and Skirrow also won at Driffield to match his feat for the year.

Huddersfield's Josh Morton turned potential defeat into a victory by winning the last three holes to triumph one up for a maximum return that proved vital.

The Driffield clash was one of three matches to finish all square with Bradford and Harrogate sharing the spoils at Northcliffe while Leeds and Sheffield did likewise at Leeds.

York were the league's only winners in match week three, handing their hosts, bottom-placed Teesside, a 22-14 defeat at Blackwell Grange.

Halifax-Huddersfield's next encounter will be with next-to-bottom Harrogate at Halifax Bradley Hall on July 13 when East Riding will also have home advantage, against Bradford at Hull, and third-placed Sheffield will welcome Teesside to Silkstone. York and Leeds will meet at The Oaks.