Shifnal A got back to winning ways in style as they came from behind to beat Wellington Billiard Hall A by three frames to two after a super display from Morton Hughes had given the Wellington side the early lead.

With Morton trailing his opponent Matthew Davies by some six points he had a stroke of luck when he fluked the brown only to leave himself just a couple of inches off the baulk cushion with the blue on it's spot.

This would be a difficult shot at the best of times, but it was made doubly hard by the fact that he not only needed to pot the blue but also force the white back up the table for the pink which was available into the middle pocket, but that is exactly what the former individual champion did before sinking the pink for a 62-53 opening frame win.

The home side responded magnificently though as they rattled off the next three frames to secure their fourteenth win in 17 matches.

John Fallows drew Shifnal level as he took enough points from two visits to the table to secure the next frame 68-30 against Graham Darrall before Shifnal new boy Darren Pountney took on former Shifnal player Spencer Rowley.

Darren opened up an early 25 point lead and then protected this with some excellent safety play leaving his opponent on the top rail for much of the frame before finally closing out a 66-27 win to put his side 2-1 in front.

Linsay Knox then made it 3-1 with an excellent 67-16 success over Phil Whitby and although Simon Biddulph found himself presented with two good opportunities early on Paul Harper took full advantage of being left a red over the pocket to score a 30 plus break to take a scrappy encounter against the former County Champion to leave the final scoreline 3-2 to the Memorial Club.

That win propels Shifnal into second spot, two points clear of the Wellington side who have now lost three of their sixteen matches, but nonetheless have a game in hand over their rivals for runners-up spot. So despite having had a point deducted after fielding an unregistered player recently, the Billiard Hall must still be favourites to claim second place.

The main beneficiaries of Shifnal's win were perhaps reigning champions Hills Lane A who will have been pleased to have seen their two nearest rivals share the points as they didn't have a game this week and therefore still head the table by some six points ahead of Shifnal A but as the Madeley side have only played 16 matches and suffered only two defeats, the League title once again appears Madeley bound.

Fifth placed Maddocks A played host to the team immediately above them in the table, Coddon A and came out winners by the odd frame in five.

Lee Szklarzewicz started well as he opened up an early 20 point lead on Ian Skelton but the home player soon settled down to record a 57-34 victory to put Maddocks in front.

The roles were reversed in the next as Maddock's Phil Davis set off with a 23 break only to be pegged back by Donnigton captain Dave Lloyd who took the frame 67-39 to draw his side level.

Adrian Smith then put the visitors in front against super sub Ken Davis before Dave France levelled the scores once more as he recovered from a 22 break by his opponent Ian Ferriday to knock in a 47 break of his own and with Dave's son Leigh receiving a walkover in the last the Oakengates side were able to celebrate their ninth win of the season.

Bayley A, who were looking likely candidates for relegation only a few weeks ago, recorded their third win on the trot as they ran out 3-2 winners at home to Shifnal F.

Steve Nicholls put in one of his best displays of the season as he fired in a 40 break before missing an easy blue to the middle to take the opening frame off Wally Harper but the visitors soon drew level as Wally's namesake Fred accounted for last week's hero Arthur Burrows.

Visiting captain Brian Painter put his side in front with a 58-24 defeat of Bob Mason before the home side made it all square again as Steve Fletcher got the better of Nev Whitehead with a 48 break.

That left Chris Morgan-Adams to secure the Bayley's seventh win with a brilliant display of potting to defeat Shifnal's "Mr Reliable" Dave Peplow by 71 points to 49.

DIVISION 2

With no result yet in from leaders Hadley A's game against Shifnal E, focus switched to the battle for second place.

And with second placed Little Dawley A only sneaking a 3-2 win over bottom-of-the-table Coddon C it was another of the Donnington teams, Coddon B who took full advantage with a 4-1 win over Anstice B to move to within a point second spot.

Bob Dando put the Coddon side in front with a 63-24 win over Billy Watson and Mark Wall then doubled their advantage with victory over George Hammond in the next.

Adam Moore hit back for the Anstice to take a close third game 48-33 with the aid of a 33 break only for the home side to take the last two frames through Nick Pearce, who beat Danny Weaver on the black, and Phil Szklarzewicz who defeated Pete McCleary 53-39, to secure a vital 4-1 win.

Their success leaves Coddon B with 55 points from 18 games, one point less than Little Dawley B who hang on to second place following a 3-2 win away to Coddon C.

Jesse Lowe gave the visitors the perfect with a classy 32 break on the way to an opening frame victory against Mick Stokes.

Rick Cousins then made it 2-0 as he fought off Keith Morris to take the next by 59 points to 20 as things seemed to be going to plan for the men from Little Dawley.

The home side retaliated though through Steve Lumley and Sef Tusel who drew the Donnington side level by defeating Mike Rhoades and Ray Clements respectively before Ade Henry rose to the occasion to clinch the visitors thirteenth win of the season by taking the deciding frame 54-28 against Chris Ferriday.

Little Dawley now head the chasing pack with 56 points, one more than Coddon B and two more than Wellington Billiard Hall E who have 54 points.

Then come Shifnal B on 52 points and they are closely followed by Newport British Legion A who are a further two points behind after a 3-2 success at home to Bayley C last week.

Pete Woodcock was once again in brilliant form as he gave the Bayley the lead with a 47-23 win over Chris Gilbertson and things really began to look up for the visitors when captain Ian Johnson took the next one too with a superb 24 break on the way to beating Colin Farge.

However any hopes the Wellington side had of a third win of the season were soon dashed as a brilliant 46 break from Ivor Hellyar not only completed a third frame victory over Chris Haycox but also turned the tide as the home side took the next two frames as well for a 3-2 win.

Matt Bothwell drew Newport level as he got the better of youngster Craig Johnson leaving Paul Jones to wrap things up with a final frame win over Mike Healey.

However the Wellington side did have something to celebrate last week as Jim Lewis, in his first season, reached the final of the John Bethell Memorial Trophy where he will play Maddocks' youngster Ian Eldridge.

Pot Black A secured a sixth win of the season when they travelled to local rivals Maddocks C and returned home with three very valuable points after a 3-2 triumph.

Dave Welsh set them on their way with victory over Chris Rowley in the first only to see Jim Hill reply for the home side with a 68-55 win over Tom Firmstone.

Mike Thompson put the visitors in front once more as a 22 break secured a close 37-33 black ball win over Joe Oliver and Toby Welsh then increased the lead still further with another close finish, this time 45-37, against Billy Rushton.

Only Mark Finucane's final frame success against Paul Crooks saved an even heavier defeat as the home side has to settle for a narrow 3-2 reverse.

DIVISION 3

Division 3 pacesetters Billiard Hall C were given a tough workout by their lower placed F team but nonetheless came out with flying colours as they secured a 4-1 win which means that with just four games remaining for the chasing pack it is surely just a matter of time before their name is on the third division trophy.

Dave Cartledge came from behind to beat Richard Tranter on the brown while John Rawlins potted the pink against Chris Fletcher to secure a 56-38 victory for a 2-0 lead.

That lead was increased still further when Mick Birch got the better of Chris Durham 50-17 before the in form Matt Locklin found himself up against it having been snookered off the break and then seeing his opponent Steve Weatherall knock in a run of 24 for an early lead.

However the C team player, who set the standard with a 53 break the previous week, was not to be denied as he fought his way back to take brown, blue and pink for a 71-47 win and a 4-0 lead.

By now the F team looked like suffering their first whitewash of the season as Rob Cook soon found himself trailing by some 45 points. At this point Rob put in the team performance of the season coming back to beat Martin Locklin 52-50 with a well taken black to leave the scoreline 4-1 in favour of the C team.

Little Dawley B's 4-1 success over Bayley B sees the Wellington side drop four places to sixth place as the race for that second spot becomes ever tighter.

Lee Elcock needed an outstanding 25 clearance to beat Fred Spragg 53-33 to give the home side the lead and it wasn't long before Little Dawley were four frames up.

Brendan Wincott got the better of Robin Sturmey before D Wilson beat Dave Weston to make it 3-0.

Under 21 champion Darren Wincott followed with a superb 31 break to defeat Kevin Ryan and only Dicky Beddall's final frame win over Byron Michell on the final black left the Bayley with a small consolation of a single point.

However that point could prove vital at the end of the season as the Wellington side are by no means out of the running for second spot as they are only four points behind the Little Dawley side with four games left to play.

Shifnal D are now third, level on points with Hadley B following a 3-2 win over the Hadley side last week. Both sides have 48 points, two less than Little Dawley B and a point more than fifth placed Pot Black D.

Geoff French set them on their way with a very good 70-46 win over Doug Morrey and Matt Hester soon followed posting a 22 break on the way to victory over J Hoggins in the next.

M Smith then made it 3-0 against Steve Johnson as the home side threatened to go nap but John Whitehouse pulled one back for the visitors against Barrie Easthope before Rich Whitehead played superb to beat Arthur Aston in the final frame to leave Shifnal victorious by just a single frame.

Pot Black D stayed in the promotion race with a 3-2 win over Newport British Legion B to leave them just three points off the runners-up spot.

Mick Pearson was once again in excellent form to beat John Yapp and Mick Egan soon made it 2-0 to the Oakengates side with a 51-34 win over Manjit Gidda.

Keith Gardner began Newport's fightback with a 56-29 win over Harry Jones before Alan Davies drew the teams level with a black ball success over Kirk Stephenson.

Another black ball finish this time went the way of the home side as Neil Pearson completed a 3-2 win for the Pot Black side, 48-44 against Mike Doverskog.

Bayley D now lie on the fringe of the chase for second place after a 3-2 win over Maddocks D keeps them five points off the pace.

The Ice Man Bill France has never been cooller than his display in the opener against youngster Ian Eldridge. The Bayley man winning 46-37 to put the home side ahead.

Alan Bould made no mistake against Brian Aberdeen in the next but the Bayley went back in front after Dave Williams 52-40 defeat of John Archer made it 2-1 as Dave made no mistake by taking brown to pink to clinch the frame.

With home captain Steve Lane rotated under the team's selection policy, Mark Beddall was called upon to try to seal victory. However it was his opponent Roy Lowe who gained the upper hand, eventually securing a 53-34 win to make it all square a two apiece.

The pressure was then on Dave Dudley who kept his team on tenter hooks before finally winning through by the narrowest of margins, potting the final black for a 46-45 single point victory over Ant Lovett in the decider.

Wellington Billiard Hall B secured their seventh win of the season with a close 3-2 success over Little Dawley E.

Paul Gubats opened the scoring with a 70-38 success against J Rowlinson before Andrew Kendrick followed his example to make it 2-0 against J Clarke.

G Clements and Graham Copson hit back strongly for the visitors though as they got the better of Alan Francis and Ian Atkinson respectively to force the decider in which Rory Francis edged home 62-36 against Paul Perks for a 3-2 win to the Billiard Hall side.

STEVE FLETCHER    

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

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