HIGH-FLYERS Darwen URC resumed their Division Two promotion campaign in top form with a comprehensive 7-3 win over Darwen URC 2nd - their sixth successive triumph so far this season.

Despite Derek Jepson, Mike Adamson and Paul Melling enjoying tight victories over luckless Dave Naylor, the super duo of Graham Austin and unstoppable Ian Mason - who tops the merit table with 17 wins out of 18 - were the key players for the first team, winning all their games in straight sets to increase Darwen's lead to 17 points over second-placed Fire Brigade A.

Things did not improve much for former leaders Darwen URC 2nd who resumed their alarming slump when they took on Unison 2nd at home.

The mid-table clash saw Unison, with Colin Crompton, Stuart Elliott and Dennis Walsh unite to turn in an excellent team performance and trounce the bewildered trio 9-1. Colin and Dennis were on the ball taking maximum points for Unison, while Derek Jepson's solitary win left Darwen stranded in fifth position after this thoroughly unsatisfactory week.

In Division Three, although Northern struck while the iron was hot when they visited Darwen URC 3rd, the home side with Roy Brindle, Kevin Ainsworth and fast-improving Andy Naylor can be proud of their efforts, despite losing 6-4.

The determined trio worked hard to gain convincing victories over Phil Mawson, and for the doubles game, Roy teamed up with Andy to sneak a superb win in the deciding set.

But it was R Eaton and Joe Constable who were the successful stars of the evening taking maximum points to move Northern - currently without a home venue - into a challenging third position with a game in hand.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.