FORMERLY the exclusive property of one team, the leadership of the BSF Men's Tennis League twice changed hands in a dramatic two weeks.

Going into the penultimate half-way stage match, long-time Division One leaders Holcombe Brook SC A looked comfortable at the top and obviously took a calculated gamble on team selection when they visited Tyldesley A - and came a cropper.

Even though they languished just above the bottom of the Division Tyldesley, are no pushovers and clearly were not prepared to play patsy on the night.

The Tyldesley non-playing Captain, Dr. John Turner, comments that two of Tyldesley's special starred college players, Jonathan Kinsella and Nicholas Hegarty, were available for this match and they showed their class by winning all their three sets. With Tyldesleys second and third couples both able to win against Holcombe's Cardwell/Maddox third pair, a memorable 5-4 win was secured.

The match could not have been closer with two of the sets going to nail-biting 7-5 scores in Tyldesley's favour.

It is a long time since Holcombe Brook SC A were beaten at least two years and the magnificent Tyldesley performance set up a fascinating halfway stage crunch match between the newPremier leaders South College A and the now second placed Holcombe Brook SC A.

For this important fixture, South College A had to visit the Holcombe lions den and they returned having been subjected to a mauling the like of which has not been handed out to a top ranking team for some time.

The Brook team was so strong that even Steve Denner could not get a match and the possibly weakest pair of Hartley/Darlington winning all three, speaks for the depth of this talented squad. With other pairings of Davis/Schofield and Knowles/Peet, a 9-0 whitewash resulted and the College lads will have to pick themselves up off the floor and start again after having the leadership cup dashed from their hands after only one weeks tenure.

Holcombe's massive sets-difference record keeps them in top spot, but with the Points being equal with South College, the stage is set for an interesting and eventful second half to the Division One season.

Lostock A took a decisive step to making Division Two their own this week through an important win over Leigh C.C.A. Ably lead by Lostock's top couple Lal/Robinson who were undefeated on the night, their team beat second placed Leigh who now lie six points adrift.

Claremont, as undisputed Division Three leaders and with an unbeaten record to boot, may have been in cruise mode when they entertained third bottom Markland Hill C. Top Markland coupleMiller/Waite finished the night with a perfect record, but their other two couples were able to win only one and they narrowly lost 5-4.

The next two Division leaders both had easy victories against bottom of table teams and look comfortable with identical records in their respective divisions.

Division Four leaders David Lloyd (Bolton) A continue their remarkable progress, having come up from the lower Division at the season start, and a resurgent South College C are making a fine attempt to follow their example and move out of Division Five at year end.

A close contest between two undefeated teams is developing for top Division Six spot between Harwood C.C. A and Guildhall. Harwood have the best record because Guildhall have a surprising three drawn matches so far compared to a single drawn game for the Christ church outfit.

Setting the Division Seven pace are David Lloyd (Bolton) B who have pulled out a massive six-point lead over three chasing teams. With the Division leaders sidelined with an open fixture, any of the three had an opportunity to close the gap, but with all of them winning the status-quo was maintained.

With Chorley B breathing down the neck of Walmer D at the top of Division 8, the Walmer team took full advantage to add to their points difference by scoring one of only two 9-0 wins in the Men's League this week.

Walmer's defeat of Holcombe Brook SC D enabled them to widen the gap as Chorley B could win only by 6-3 over David Lloyd (Bolton) C.

Nothing changes at the top of Division Nine with Harwood C.C. B leading Hawkshaw D, however, spare a thought for the bottom team Walkers B, and five others like them in higher Divisionswho have played all season and, so far, scored zero points.

The Junior League is now well advanced with only three matches remaining and with only two teams standing proud without defeat.

Top team Tyldesley A are the class act of Division One and are showing the way home to all the others.

The other team with an immaculate record is Barrow Bridge who sit atop Division Four and six points clear.

There would have been a third undefeated team in the shape of leaders Holcombe Brook SC A if they had carried their promise through of being the best Division Two team.

Instead, second placed Lostock B played above themselves and won 8.5-3.5 in a convincing victory which brings them within two points of Holcombe Brook.

Junior Division Three saw a cracker of a match between the top two teams.

Hawkshaw B were so far ahead that they seemed unlikely to be beaten all season when they took on third placed Holcombe Brook SC B, however, in what should have been a routine win for the Hawkshaw team, the Holcombe girls took three out of four of their sets, presenting their team with a welcome 6.5-5.5 win which takes them into second place.