The omens continue to look good for Wellington Billiard Hall C as they maintained their march towards the third division title with a 3-2 win at home to Maddocks D.

And it is to be hoped that the Wellington side aren't superstitious as their thirteenth win of the season puts them thirteen points clear of second placed Bayley B who fell to their first defeat in a long time at home to the Billiard Hall's F team.

Dave Cartledge was once again in fine form to give the leader's the early advantage as he stormed into an early lead, thanks to a well taken 23 break, before finally taking the opening frame by 68 points to 26 against Harry Higgins.

John (Disco) Rawlins was also on song as he won a tactical second frame 53-20 against Alan Bould to put the home side 2-0 up only for talented youngster Ian Eldridge to reply for the visitors.

Ian looked to have the frame all sewn up as his opponent Mick Birch required three snookers with just the last four balls left. However Mick fought back well to get the required snookers only to double kiss the blue leaving Ian to step in to take blue and pink for an exciting 60-35 win.

Another young star of the future, Matt Locklin, then restored the Billiard Hall's two frame advantage as he potted his way to a 65-27 win over John Archer but it was the visitors who had the final say with victory in a closely fought last frame.

Home player Martin Locklin looked to be in the driving seat when his opponent Roy Lowe went in off, only to give the points back by snookering himself two or three times leaving Roy with the opportunity he needed to claim the frame by 70 points to 45, leaving the final score 3-2 in favour of the league leaders.

Bayley B remain in second spot despite falling to their first defeat for some time as they played host to the Billiard Hall's F side.

Things looked good early on however as Kevin Ryan put the home side in front with a 63-13 success over Rob Cook and they almost went 2-0 up too as the next frame went all the way to a re-spotted black.

However it was Richard Tranter who sunk the final ball for a 47-40 win over Dave Weston to level the frames score at one apiece.

Chris Durham then banished two hoodoos in one go as he finally took his home form with him to record his first away win of the season and also his first ever win at the Bayley as he gave the visitors the lead at two frames to one only for Steve Scenters to level with the narrowest of victories over Andy Fletcher.

Having potted the blue, Andy mistakenly thought his opponent required snookers and attempted a difficult blue along the rail only to leave it hanging over the corner pocket.

Steve didn't need asking twice as he coolly stepped up to take the last three balls to force the decider by just a single point.

However the visitors weren't to be denied as Chris Fletcher took the decisive fifth frame with an excellent 73-54 success over Dicky Beddall to secure his side's seventh win of the season.

Despite their defeat the Bayley side stay second, two points ahead of Little Dawley B who had an excellent 3-2 success at home to fellow promotion hopefuls Pot Black D.

Mick Pearson put the visitors in front as he got the better of B Wincott by 61 points to 24 only for young Darren Wincott to level match at one frame all.

Darren, who last week reached the under 21 final where he will play team-mate Lee Elcock, made no mistake as he levelled the match with a 50-27 defeat of Rob Palin.

G Whiley then put the home side in front and Lee Elcock then increased the lead with a 70-52 success over Kirk Stevenson as the home side moved into a 3-1 lead.

However Neil Pearson responded well for the visitors to claim the last frame 64-55 to keep alive their hopes of finishing as runners-up as they are now one of three teams on 39 points, just a point behind Little Dawley B and three behind second placed Bayley B who have 42 points.

Shifnal D head the chasing pack on 39 points after a stirring 3-2 success away at Billiard Hall B secured their ninth win of the season.

However they had to come from behind as former League Secretary Andy Kendrick took the first frame in some style against Matt Hester. Mick Guest soon replied for the visitors though as a 67-23 win over Kevin Francis drew the match level.

Geoff French then gave the Shifnal side the lead as he got the better of Ian Atkinson only for Alan Francis to level matters once again with a 46-18 win over M Smith.

And with star player Arthur Aston, their only winner at Minessota Fats in the cup not playing, the visitors pinned their hopes on Barry Easthope - and he didn't let them down as a 51-40 final frame victory over A J Maiden completed a good win for the Memorial Men who now lie fourth.

The third of the teams on 39 points are Hadley B who move into the promotion reckoning following a fine 4-1 away win at Little Dawley E.

J Hoggins set the trend with victory over J Clarke in the opening frame. Frazer MacKinnon soon followed with a 63-44 win over G Clements and things then got even better for the visitors as Doug Morrey comfortably took the next for a 3-0 lead.

Graham Copson provided the home side's only bright spot as he salvaged a point with a close 57-48 victory over Ray Whitehead and although Paul Perks came close in the next he couldn't prevent John Whitehouse snatching victory on the final black for a 52-48 win to leave Hadley victorious by four frames to one.

Bayley D have had a whole team of supporters following their fortunes including a manager and a mascot, in fact the only thing they haven't had in recent weeks was a victory - however they soon put that right with an excellent 4-1 success away at Newport British Legion B.

However the result could have gone either way with four of the five frames being decided on the final black.

Things never really clicked for Brian Aberdeen as Alan Davies took the opening frame for Newport on the final black to give the home side the lead, but it was to be his side's only success as the visitors reeled off the next four frames in a row.

Ice Man Bill France replied with another black ball finish to take the next 47-43 against Alan Munn before Mark Beddall remembered former team-mate Andy Smart's maxim that safety wins matches to scrape home 42-35 against Manjit Gidda to put the Bayley in front.

Dave Williams, fresh from his cup heroics the week before, made certain of victory with a 60-20 win over Keith Gardner as the Wellington side moved further in front, and with visiting captain Steve Lane once again absent it was left to Dave Dudley to make it 4-1 with yet another black ball finish against Mike Doverskog.

That victory keeps the Wellington side in touch with the chasing pack, just five points behind fellow club-mates Bayley B who presently occupy the runners-up spot.

DIVISION 1

Things are certainly looking good for reigning champions Hills Lane A after a 5-0 win over struggling Baley A has put them five points clear of Shifnal A and Wellington Billiard Hall A who share second spot following differing fortunes in last weeks matches.

Shifnal appeared to be coasting as they opened up an early 2-0 lead over Maddocks A only to lose the remaining three frames whilst the Billiard Hall had Nigel Fletcher returning for his first match of the season as they triumphed 4-1 at home to Anstice A.

But it was the performance of the Hills Lane side that has put them in pole position as they strive to retain their title. Ian Duffy wasted no time in giving his side the lead against Bob Mason and although Arthur Burrows put up a spirited performance in the next he eventually lost out to Richard Wade on the blue as the home side took control.

A beautiful 70 break soon followed as Matt Bailey beat Chris Morgan-Adams to make it 3-0 and the visitors continued to struggle as Keith Price got the better of Steve Nicholls to make it 4-0 before a superbly taken 50 break from Shaun Harris accounted for Steve Fletcher to complete the whitewash.

The Bayley now have a fight on their hand as they battle to stave off relegation having taken just two points from their last five matches.

Linsay Knox gave Shifnal A the perfect start with a 56-28 win over Leigh France as they attempted to keep the pressure on Hills Lane at the top of the table. John Fallows' 74-41 defeat of Ken Davis made it 2-0 before Ian Skelton began a super fightback with a brilliant 76-39 success over Matthew Davies.

Darren Pountney then had hopes of turning things around for the home side but unfortunately he blew it as Ade Barraclough levelled the frame scores at two frames all as he took a closely fought game by 59 points to 39 to set up his captain Dave France to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat with a 58-38 final frame win over Andy Easthope.

Paul Harper's 38 break secured the first frame for Billiard Hall A as they entertained Anstice A.

The home side then doubled their lead as Nigel Fletcher got the better of Phil Reynolds whose 33 break couldn't prevent his opponent from taking the frame by 64 points to 53. However the visitors did hit back to take the next as Nick Oakley won another tight frame 58-50 to halve the deficit only for the home side to move up a gear by taking the last two frames.

Phil Whitby, whose form this year has been superb by all accounts, took the next 87-35 against John Darrock leaving Spencer Rowley to complete the scoring with a 64-30 final frame victory over Mick Cahill.

Both the Billiard Hall and Shifnal now have 48 points and have lost just two of the fourteen matches they have played although with Hills Lane A's lead now five points they may have to settle for battling it out for the runners-up spot unless things change quickly in the next few weeks.

Another side who may well have a say in the race for second spot are Coddon A who continued their recent good form with a 4-1 win at home to Dawley A.

And although the Donnington side are nine points off second spot, they have a game in hand on each of the teams above them, and if they keep up their present form, they may well be in the shake up for honours come next May.

Ian Ferriday set the scene for their ninth win of the season by taking the opening frame from Chris Woods. Darren Weston followed suit to post a 70-33 win over Barry Roden and although Mark Jones replied with an excellent 62-19 success over Adrian Smith the home side remained unperturbed as further wins from Dave Lloyd over M Parkes and Lee Szklarzewicz against Rick Bailey completed a 4-1 win.

DIVISION 2

Hadley A's lead at the top of Division 2 has been cut to eleven points after the runaway leaders dropped two points at home to Coddon B whilst second placed Little Dawley A won 4-1 away at Pot Black A.

Hadley seemed once again to be in cruse control as they opened up a 2-0 lead as Andy O'Brien took the first 46-38 against Bob Dando and then Steve Hoof got the better of Mark Wall 66-45.

However the Donnington side hit back through Steve Downs whose excellent 68-29 defeat of Mark Watkins put the visitors back in with a shout only for Ali Jones to restore the home side's two frame lead with a 35 break on the way to victory over Nick Pearce.

But with Phil Szklarzewicz taking the last against John Squire the visitors, although sixth in the table, are within five points of second placed Little Dawley A who kept their momentum up with a 4-1 win at Pot Black A.

Richie Heighway was in determined mood as he raced to victory in the opening frame against Neil Robinson and the visitors then increased their lead when Jesse Lowe staved off a battling display from Dave Welsh to take the second frame by 56 points to 40.

Tony Hall took his side's only point with a 22 break in his 68-43 victory over Ade Henry before Ray Clements' 25 break secured the next frame against Toby Welsh leaving visiting captain Rick Cousins to round things off with a 71-28 success over Paul Crooks in the last.

Although no match card has been received from Wellington Billiard Hall E's trip to Bayley C it is believed the Billiard Hall side came out on top by the odd frame as Nigel Stallard took a close decider against Jim Lewis to leave his side in third place, just a point behind Little Dawley A.

Newport British Legion A therefore lost ground in the race for second spot as they fell to a 3-2 defeat away to Shifnal E which leaves them on 42 points five points off second place.

Rob Wright put the home side in front against visiting captain Paul Jones and it wasn't long before the visitors fell even further behind as Chris Petford got the better of Ivor Hellyar to make it 2-0.

Colin Farge responded magnificently though with a 44 break to pull a frame back against young Arron Sparkes but he could do nothing as Ivor Peplow secured Shifnal's eighth win with a 54-34 defeat of Matt Bothwell in the next.

Simon Thornley's 47-30 success over Dave Barden may prove crucial for Newport come the end of the season, but it couldn't prevent them slipping to only their sixth defeat in 15 matches.

Shifnal B now join Newport in joint fourth spot following a 4-1 away success at Anstice B.

Rich Whitehead's 45-28 win over Danny Weaver put the visitors in front and it wasn't long before that lead was increased to 4-0 as John Kelsey got the better of Stewart Wimbush and both Emlyn Watts and John Jones also won to put the Shifnal side well and truly in the driving seat.

But any hopes the visitors had of going nap were soon cut short as Adam Moore made sure of a point for the Anstice who stay third from bottom.

Steve Lumley gave Coddon C the lead as they travelled to Maddocks C. However Steve's narrow 39-28 defeat of Chris Rowley proved to be his side's only success as the home side responded by taking all four of the remaining frames.

G Hoof first levelled matters before a 32 break from Mark Finucane helped him to victory over Keith Morris as Maddocks took the lead at 2-1.

Two players to have graced the league for many a year then came face to face as Billy Rushton took on Sef Tusel with the Maddocks player coming out on top by 64 points to 21 before Joe Oliver finished things off by taking the final frame 52-41 against Chris Ferriday.

The following night, Maddocks C played host to former winners Hills Lane B in the second round of the A & D Team Knockout, however this time they were not as fortunate as they were unable to protect their 45 point handicap start and went down by 292 points to 245 overall.

Both teams can consider themselves unlucky to be drawn as one of the teams needing to play an extra match in order to qualify for round 3, however the Madeley side, who boast a proud record in the competiton having won it twice in recent years, now go into the hat for the third round draw thanks to a solid display away from home.

Steve Powell set about reducing Maddocks' 45 point start with a 74-45 win over G Hoof and the visitors then took the lead overall as Lee Harris produced an excellent display of potting against Joe Oliver to take the next by 76 points to 36.

Richie Jones also took the next for Hills Lane against Billy Rushton before Chris Rowley gave the home side hope with a single point victory over Kevin Davis.

However Paul Eyke's 43-40 success over Mark Finucane in the last ensured his side moved swiftly into the next round.

STEVE FLETCHER    

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

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