Bayley C celebrated their first win in Division 2 in some style as they beat Shifnal E by four frames to one with Chris Haycox giving the Wellington side the lead by taking the opening frame against Ken Holwell.

Darren Rhoades then kept his cool to knock in a long black to take the next against young Aaron Sparkes before Pete Woodcock stepped up a gear to defeat Jeff Sparkes as the Bayley raced into a 3-0 lead.

Ivor Peplow did manage to rescue a point for the visitors with a 58-38 defeat of Craig Johnson in the next but the Memorial men's joy was short-lived as captain Ian Johnson took a brilliant final frame from Rob Wright to complete a superb win for the Wellington side, who despite this success stay two points adrift of Anstice B at the foot of the table.

Hadley A are the early leaders of the division after a crushing 5-0 home win over Coddon C saw them move two points clear of second placed Billiard Hall E.

Andy O'Brien set them on their way as he took the first frame 56-39 over Sef Tusel and further wins from Steve Hoof and M Watkins put the Hadley team into a commanding 3-0 lead.

Andy Jones' 64-45 success over Chris Ferriday made it four before captain John Squire rounded things off with a fine win over Paul Wilson to leave his side, relegated last year, well placed to bounce back to Division 1.

Wellington Billiard Hall E move into second place on the back of a 5-0 win over Anstice B.

The Wellington side were long time leaders of this division last season before flagging towards the end of the campaign, but hopefully this term they can go one better - and they did their chances no harm at all with a fine display.

Mick Hughes took the first with an excellent 66-31 win over former League secretary George Hammond before the League's new Competitions Secretary Nigel Stallard won a close second frame 49-37 against D Weaver.

Alan Turner then weighed in with a 31 break to make it 3-0 and further wins from Ray Evans and Warren Barber secured maximum points for the home side.

Newly promoted Newport British Legion A lie third despite falling to their second defeat of the season, 4-1 at home to Maddocks C.

Things seemed to be going to plan for the Newport outfit as Colin Farge took the opening frame with a 43-32 win over G Hoof but then the wheels came off as the visitors claimed all four of the remaining frames for a memorable win.

C Rowley levelled the scores with a fine 50-44 success over Ivor Hellyar before Mark Finucane put the Oakengates side in front by taking the next from Marcus Thomas by 78 points to 60.

Billy Rushton took the fourth in quick fire style to make it 3-1, leaving Joe Oliver to put the icing on the cake with a 59-29 final frame victory over John Mellings.

Nonethelss Newport still lie in third place just three points behind the leaders and a point ahead of three teams all on 14 points, two of whom met when Shifnal B played host to Little Dawley A.

And it was the visitors who produced all the fireworks as Richie Heighway kicked off with a24 break on the way to a 71-32 opening frame victory over John Jones before R Whitehead levelled matters by taking the next for Shifnal against Colin Gittus.

M Rhodes then notched another 24 break to put the visitors back in front before the home side drew level once again through J Bell's black ball win over Ray Clements.

That left Ade Henry to take the deciding frame with a stylish performance against Steve Nolan which included breaks of 28 and 34.

The other side level in fourth place with 14 points is Coddon B who fell to their third defeat of the campaign when their visitors Pot Black A left Donnington with a 3-2 win safely under their belts.

It didn't take long for the visitors to taker a 2-0 lead as Tom Firmstone and Toby Welsh notched up the first two frames against Steve Downes and Mark Wall respectively.

But the home side rallied to take the next two as first Bob Dando got the better of Mike Thompsion before Phil Szklarzewicz accounted for Dave Welsh to make it all square at two apiece.

However Tony Hall turned the match back in favour of Pot Black as he made certain of the final frame with a 52-22 defeat of Dave Ferriday to secure a 3-2 win for the Oakengates side.

DIVISION 1

In Division 1 Shifnal F enjoyed their first win of the season when they returned from Dawley Social as 4-1 victors.

First to set the trend was veteran Wally Harper who with the help of a 20 break defeated Chris Woods 65-37 after the Dawley player was unlucky to see his white go in off the blue to leave him requiring snookers.

Shifnal captain Brian Painter then made it 2-0 when after a long struggle he potted the final black which had been lying an eighth of an inch off the pocket for the previous quarter of an hour.

Worse was to follow for the away side as the ever dependable Dave Peplow took a 30 lead on the colours before taking the frame by 49 points to 18.

Dawley captain Rick Bailey did manage to salvage some pride when he defeated the luckless Fred Harper who despite obtaining the snooker he required on the pink, was unable to take the last two balls giving Rick the frame by 60 points to 46.

Nev Whitehead then finished things off nicely as he cleared all the colours to take the last frame against Barry Roden for a 4-1 win to the Memorial men.

Shifnal's A side continued their good start to the season when they came out winners by three frames to two at home to Bayley A.

The Wellington side had Steve Nicholls back in form to clinch the first frame against Lindsay Knox on the pink before the home side got into their stride with wins from John Fallows and Andy Easthope against Arthur Burrows and Bob Mason respectively.

Darren Pountney may have been fortunate in his recent West Midlands League match, but there was nothing lucky about his victory over Steve Fletcher in the next.

The former Hills Lane man took an early 40 point lead and although his opponent replied with a 42 break to briefly take the lead, Darren cleared from yellow to pink to take the frame and secure yet another win for his side.

Chris Morgan-Adams then held his nerve to take the last frame against Simon Biddulph on the blue to leave the final score 3-2 to the Shifnal boys who share top spot along with Coddon A and Billiard Hall A who all have 17 points from 5 games, although reigning champions Hills Lane A are also handily placed just a point behind but with a game in hand.

Joint leaders Wellington Billiard Hall A got back to winning ways with a thumping 5-0 away win at Minnesota Fats.

Morton Hughes gave the visitors the start they wanted with a black ball win against P Humphries in the first frame.

Newcomer Ryan Wood then made short work of the next to put the Wellington side two up before Steve Minshall clinched the next by the narrowest of margins, 49-48 against John Shepherd.

Paul Harper followed up with a 40 break in the next to conquer Simon McLeod before Spencer Rowley completed the whitewash against A Matthews, 72-30 in the last.

Coddon A share top spot thanks to a fine 4-1 win away to newly promoted Hills Lane B.

Steve Powell gave the home side the lead with a fine 53-28 success over Ian Ferriday but it was all downhill from then on as the visitors reeled off the next four frames.

Darren Weston replied for the Donnington side with an excellent 57-33 defeat of Lee Harris before Lee Szklarzewicz knocked in breaks of 55 and 32 to secure the third frame.

Dave Lloyd then followed suit with breaks of 27 and 35 in the next to leave J Kibble to take the last with a 63-21 success over D Harris.

DIVISION 3

In Division 3 the derby match at the Wellington Billiard Hall saw the F team come out on top with a 4-1 victory over the B side largely thanks to dazzling Chris Durham who dispelled his doubters with a classy performance to secure the first frame against Andy Kendrick.

Paul Gubats soon leveled the match at one frame all when he took the next on the black against Richard Tranter before home captain Steve Weatherall put his side back in front with a 50-24 success over his opposite number Alan Francis.

The next frame then seemed to continue well into the night as Rob Cook took on Ian Atkinson, who even asked the referee at one point if he wanted to go home! However Rob held his nerve to complete a 68 points to 37 victory after an hour and eight minutes to make the frame score 3-1.

Chris Fletcher then took the last to wrap up the F team's second win of the new season.

The Wellington Club's C side also faired well as they entertained near neighbours Bayley B, although they had to come from behind to take the match by four frames to one after Fred Spragg gave the visitors the perfect start with a 30 break as he took the first frame against Dave Cartledge.

From then on however the home side took control as Mick Birch first of all pulled them level with a 50-24 success over Kevin Ryan before Matt Locklin produced a fine perfomance to get the better of Dicky Beddall.

Martin Locklin then followed in his son's footsteps to secure the fourth frame against Dave Weston before John Rawlins rounded things off with an excellent 65-43 win over Steve Scenters to leave the Wellington side perched at the top of the table a massive six points ahead of their closest rivals Hadley B who fell 3-2 away at Bayley D.

Sadly, any rumours that Bayley's captain Steve Lane is in line for a Brit Award have been greatly exagerated but nonethess he produced a notable display to take the first frame from Steve Johnson to put the home side in front.

Brian Aberdeen then popped in to make it two-nil before the visitors reduced the deficit through J Hoggins' 68-45 victory over Dave Williams.

J Fielding then levelled matters to leave Dave Dudley to fight out the deciding frame against Ray Whitehead.

And it was the Bayley player who looked to have the frame sewn up as his opponent required several snookers on the colours - but Ray never gave up and duly forced his opponent into several fouls - however his efforts, which included on particularly brilliant shot on the yellow, proved to be in vain as Dave cooly potted the brown to complete a 3-2 win for the Wellington side.

Little Dawley E also recorded a 3-2 win when they travelled to Pot Black to play the Oakengates sides D team.

Mick Pearson wasted no time in putting the home side ahead but then had to watch as the visitors claimed the next three frames.

Graham Copson got the better of Mick Egan to make it one each before Andy Meredith and Paul Perks took the next two to put Little Dawley 3-1 ahead.

However Neil Pearson stopped the rot with a fine performance in the last to leave the final score 3-2 to the visitors.

Newport British Legion B twice took the lead as they travelled to Oakengates to play Maddocks D - but it was the home side who eventually came out on top after Roy Adams took the decider by just two points, 46-44, against Miker Doverskog.

John Yapp had earlier given the Newport side the lead only to see I Eldridge reply with a 22 break on his way to taking the second frame against A Davis.

A Mumm put the visitors back in front with a close 50-36 win over Roy Lowe but once again the home side hit back strongly as Alan Bould forced the decider by taking the fourth frame from M Gidda.

STEVE FLETCHER    

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

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