Cries of "Oh dear what can the matter be" could be heard from Shifnal War Memorial Club last week as Bayley C visited Shifnal E in the Second Division of the Telford Snooker League.

The visitors temporarily mislaid one of their players when their Line Dancing hero Pete Woodcock accidentally disappeared when he locked himself in the gentlemans toilet immediately prior to his game with Shifnal's Dave Barden.

There's never a dull moment with Pete around and this week proved no exception, although it was only when his daughter Helen arrived ready to ferry the team home again after the match, that the Bayley player's plight was noticed.

Indeed it was Helen who heard shouting and banging from the toilets behind the bar and alerted the Bar Steward who had to break the door down to rescue the stricken Pete.

Unperturbed, although a little flushed, our calamitous hero started his game determined not to put in a bog standard display and was rewarded with a fine 58-21 final frame win to leave his side narrowly beaten by 3 frames to two.

Ken Holwell had earlier given Shifnal the lead with an excellent win over Darren Rhoades and the home side went further ahead when Chris Petford rattled in a brilliant 46 break against Jim Lewis.

The visitors need points desperately if they are to stave off relegation and Mike Healey duly rose to the occasion with a fine 60-33 win over Jeff Sparkes to reduce the deficit to 2-1 but the home side restored their two frame advantage as Rob Wright got the better of visiting captain Ian Johnson, leaving Pete Woodcock to salvage another point for the visitors who returned home with two very valuable points safely in the bag.

Those two points may prove crucial come the end of the season as the Bayley side move up one place off the foot of the table where they have been replaced by Coddon C who fell 5-0 at home to champions elect Hadley A.

The Donnigton side will be pleased to see the back of their opponents as having lost to them in the quarter-finals of the cup the previous week they soon found themselves 3-0 down after captain Dave France's win over Keith Morris followed earlier successes by Mark Watkins and Steve Hoof.

Sef Tusel came close to pulling a frame back in the next only to fall at the final hurdle as Ali Jones took the frame on the black leaving John Squire to round things off nicely with a final frame win over Chris Ferriday.

That win leaves Hadley 13 points clear of their closest rivals Little Dawley A who hang on to second place despite falling to their fifth defeat of the season at home to Shifnal B.

Rich Whitehead won the battle of the two Richies to put Shifnal in front with a 66-30 win over Richie Heighway.

But the home side responded brilliantly through veteran Jesse Lowe who soon levelled the scores against John Jones before Ade Henry put them in front with a 60-36 success over Emlyn Watts.

Visiting captain Danny Bedworth replied though soon afterwards to level the scores at two frames all before Steve Nolan gave Rick Cousins no chance in the decider to give Shifnal a much needed win to keep them within striking distance of the runners-up spot - just four points behind Little Dawley.

Coddon B move up to third, one place above Shifnal B, following a stunning 4-1 win away at Pot Black A who had Paul Crooks as their only winner.

Bob Dando set them on their way with a 74-41 opening frame victory over Neil Robinson before a close 48-36 win for Steve Downs against Toby Welsh put the visitors two up.

Paul Crooks' 58-21 defeat of Mark Wall proved to be his side's only success as further wins from Nick Pearce on the black and Phil Szklarzewicz completed a fine win for the Donnington side as they aim for a quick return to Division 1.

Super-sub Chris Gilbetson came up trumps for Newport British Legion A as he got the better of Jim Hill 42-34 to put the Newport side in front away at Maddocks C.

Colin Farge then won an even closer frame 56-54 against Chris Rowley to make it 2-0 before the home side hit back in some style with a brilliant 61-23 success for Billy Rushton over Ivor Hellyar.

Mark Finucane then wasted no time in bringing the scores all level but he could do nothing to prevent the Welsh Wizard Paul Jones from taking the last 65-39 from Joe Oliver to secure the Newport side's tenth win of the season.

DIVISION 1

Bayley A put the cat amongst the pigeons in Division 1 with a 4-1 win over high flying Shifnal A to ease their own relegation worries.

Arthur Burrows epitomised the home side's spirit with a hard fought opening frame win over Roy Martin who was making his first appearance of the season for the visitors.

Arthur weighed in with a magnificent 30 break to set his side up for what is surely their best result of a difficult season so far.

Steve Nicholls rode his luck in the next as he snookered himself on the green after potting the yellow. However his misfortune eventually proved to turn in his favour as he successfully hit the green before fluking it into the middle pocket and then doubling the brown to seal victory against Linsay Knox for a 2-0 lead to the home side.

Andy Easthope replied for the visitors with a solid display against Bob Mason to take the third frame on the blue before Steve Fletcher won a scrappy fourth 58-37 against Darren Pountney after his opponent unluckily went in-off the brown leaving Steve with an easy opportunity to clear to the pink.

And with Chris Morgan-Adams taking the last 47-19 from Simon Biddulph the home side move up several places to eighth with Shifnal left in third spot, level on points with Wellington Billiard Hall A who have played one game fewer.

Indeed the Wellington side, who play Shifnal next week, now look clear favourites for the runners-up spot following a 4-1 win at home to Minesota Fats.

The home side welcomed back an old favourite as Daryl Garinger returned for his first outing of the season and showed he's lost none of his class with a 77-17 win over Mick Brezwyn after Morton Hughes had given the Billiard Hall the lead with a close 64-47 victory over Chris Walker.

Paul Harper then made it 3-0 with a 46 break against Simon McLeod before Paul Humphries rescued a point for the visitors with an superb 60-41 victory over the in form Phil Whitby.

The home side ended the match in style though as Spencer Rowley took the fifth frame by 56 points to 17 against Kelvin McLeod to complete his side's thirteenth win in fifteen matches.

Hills Lane now look certain to retain their title after an emphatic 5-0 win over near neighbours Anstice A increased their lead at the top of the table to nine points with just four more games to go.

Ian Duffy led the way with as he took the first frame from Nick Oakley and the writing was on the wall when Matt Bailey beat Mick Cahill to make it 2-0 and then Richard Wade posted a 44 break on the way to victory over Neil Price.

Despite a brave effort in the next, Phil Reynolds couldn't prevent the home side stretching their lead still further as an exciting fourth frame went all the way to a re-spotted black which was eventually potted by Keith Price to enable Shaun Harris to complete the whitewash with a final frame win over John Darrock.

Coddon A consolidated their position in fourth spot thanks to a 4-1 home win over Hills Lane B as only Steve Powell's 61-44 defeat of Terry Brenthall prevented the home side claiming maximum points.

Lee Szklarzewicz got the better of Richie Jones in a high scoring opening frame 65-55 before Ian Ferridayy continued his recent spell of good results by defeating Lee Harris.

Steve Powell pulled one back for the visitors but things swung back Coddon's way in the next as Dave Lloyd produced a fine break of 54 top make it 3-1 against visiting captain Kev Davis.

Adrian Smith then completed the scoring with a close 62-51 success over Paul Eyke to complete the Donnington side's tenth win of the campaign to leave them seven points off second spot with five games left.

The bottom of the table clash between Shifnal F and Dawley Social proved to be a hard struggle which went on late into the night with the home side eventually winning through by the odd frame.

Shifnal's Wally Harper put them one up as he defeated Chris Woods 52-34 but Mark Jones soon put the visitors level as he came from behind to beat Chris Painter 62-37.

Chris started well with a 22 break but Mark persevered and took some excellent balls to leave his opponent requiring two snookers on the pink.

A long awaited triumph for Fred Harper then put Shifnal in front once more when the Shifnal stalwart overcame Dawley's Barry Roden by a scoreline of 54 points to 26.

Barry trailed by just 20 points on the colours but it was Fred who then stepped up a gear to clinch victory.

The match between two of the most reliable players in the league came next as Shifnal's Dave Paplow took on Rick Bailey.

After a long struggle the Shifnal Magician eventually ran out the winner 59-19 after Rick potted the last red before going in off the black giving the Shifnal man a 26 point lead on the coluors.

Pete Nolan then took on League President Nev Whitehead in the hope of grabbing another consolation frame for Dawley - and that he did although only after his opponent had fought back from 20 points down on the colours to give himself a fighting chance with just pink and black remaining.

However even though Pete was first to pot the pink he couldn't prevent his side slipping to a 3-2 defeat which sees them rooted to the foot of the table, level on points with Shifnal F but having played one match more.

DIVISION 3

Matthew Locklin shot to the top of the his division's highest break chart with a brilliantly taken run of 53 as his Wellington Billiard Hall C side strengthened their grip on the Division 3 title with a thumping 4-1 win away at second placed Bayley B.

Despite running out of position slightly, the young star slotted home a difficult pink to the middle pocket before taking another red and black only to break down whilst attempting the final red into a corner pocket.

Team-mate Dave Cartledge, who held the previous high break of 41, was first to congratulate Matthew who is now well set to collect a hat-trick of divisional awards as he is also in pole position for the most wins in Division 3 having lost just once in seventeen matches.

The Billiard Hall made the short trip across town to the Bayley Club with a 16 point lead over their opponents who shared second place at start of play with Little Dawley B and Hadley B.

And with both the Little Dawley side and Hadley falling to 3-2 defeats, the Billiard Hall's 4-1 success over the Bayley sees their lead at the top increase to 18 points, leaving them needing just seven more points from their next five games to clinch the title.

With home captain Bob Tracey unavailable, Kevin Ryan took over the captain's arm band, but he could do nothing to prevent the ever-reliable Dave Cartledge giving the visitors the perfect start by taking the first frame 72-23.

John Rawlins then doubled their lead with a 22 break on the way to securing the second frame against Dave Weston before Mick Birch held his nerve to win a nail-biting third frame with an excellent pot with the rest on the final black to deny a spirited Steve Scenters by just two points.

An unlucky Robin Sturmey then came up against the in form Matthew Locklin before Dicky Beddall kept his side's promotion hopes alive with an excellent 79-28 win over Paul Cartledge to leave the Bayley side just a point behind Little Dawley B and Hadley B who take over together in second spot.

The Little Dawley team came a cropper at Shifnal D whose 3-2 win keeps them well placed in the promotion frame, just a single point off second spot.

Mick Guest gave the home side the lead as he opened the scoring with a 64-23 win over young Lee Elcock.

Having won the under 16 tournament run by Shifnal's Jeff Sparkes last year, Darren Wincott this week celebrated winning the Telford League's Under 21 Title when he beat team-mate Lee Elcock in the final which was played at the Little Dawley Club.

Obviously still full of confidence he drew his side level with a black ball win over Matt Hester but it was the home side who then took control as Geoff French put them back in front 57-39 against D Wilson.

Mick Smith then made it 3-1 against Brendan Wincott before Byron Mitchell salvaged another point for the youngsters of Little Dawley by beating Barrie Easthope by 61 points to 42.

Things didn't start too brightly for Bayley D as they arrived at Hadley United Services Club to play Hadley B.

To begin with the visitors couldn't get into the club and only managed to gain entrance by alerting a couple of darts players by knocking on the window.

However it was the home side who hit double top as Hadley raced into a 2-0 lead thanks to Doug Morrey who beat Brian Aberdeen and J Hoggins who defeated Mark Beddall.

Frazer Mackinnon almost made it 3-0 but came across some stubborn resistance in the shape of Bayley captain Steve Lane whose persistence finally paid off as he took the frame on the final black.

Dave Williams continued his recent good run by taking the next over Joe Fielding to set up the decider which saw Dave Dudley complete a remarkable comeback with a 53-34 success against Paul Lucas to secure a 3-2 win for the Wellington side which keeps them in touch, just four points off second spot.

The derby match at the Billiard Hall proved to be a close affair with the B side just edging out the F string by the odd frame.

Despite giving away several points in foul strokes, Paul Gubats still ran out a comfortable winner 56-36 against Chris Durham and the "home" side went two up soon afterwards as last season's League Secretary Andy Kendrick knocked in a lovely 39 break on the way to victory over Rob Cook.

Richard Tranter began the F team's fight back as he secured the next against Ian Atkinson and the match could then have gone either way as the next two frames both went to the wire.

Both players had numerous chances on the final black before Chris Fletcher eventually ran out the winner of a high scoring fourth frame 72-64 to draw the frames score level at two all before a tremendous pot on the pink set up R Francis for a thunderous double on the final black as the B team player wrapped up a 3-2 win for his side with a 45-41 win over Steve Weatherall.

STEVE FLETCHER    

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

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