Richie Heighway led the way in division 2 of the Telford Snooker League this week with a fine break of 37 on his way to defeating Bayley C's Pete Woodcock as Little Dawley A continued their bright start to the season with a 4-1 win which sees them move up one place to second spot in the table.

Although his opponent fought back valiantly, the Little Dawley man took the opening frame by 74 points to 45, and that lead was soon extended as the experienced Jesse Lowe made it 2-0 despite a brave effort from Chris Haycox whose 21 break proved to be in vain with Jesse running out the winner in another high scoring frame 64-34.

Colin Gittus then got the better of Bayley youngster Craig Johnson before Jim Lewis gave the visitors something to shout about with an excellent 52-23 success over home captain Rick Cousins.

However, the visitor's joy was short-lived as Ade Henry wrapped up a fine performance all round by the Little Dawley outfit with a close 47-39 win over Darren Rhodes to leave his side five points adrift of table-toppers Hadley A who came from behind to claim a 4-1 win from their visit to Shifnal B.

The Shifnal side started the day in second place in the table and got off to the perfect start when Rich Whitehead gave them the lead with a fine 60-48 success against Steve Hoof but the rest of his team-mates were unable to follow his example as Hadley took the next four frames in quick succession.

Mark Watkins levelled the scores with a 71-24 defeat of J Bell before Ali Jones put them in the lead with a close 63-50 success over John Jones.

Captain Dave France made it 3-1 with another closely fought frame as he got the better of G Woods by 53 points to 40 leaving John Squire to complete the scoring with a 69-29 win over Steve Nolan in the last.

Shifnal's defeat sees them slip three places to fifth in the table with 23 points from eight games played, and they now lie seven points behind Hadley who have won all eight of their matches.

Newport British Legion A also took four points from their trip to Coddon C to leave them handily placed in third spot with 24 points from eight games played.

Colin Farge set them on their way with a 49 -27 defeat of Steve Lumley before Ivor Hellyar wasted no time at all against Mick Stokes to make it 2-0 to the Newport side.

Matt Bothwell then got the better of Keith Morris before Chris Ferriday hit back for the Donnington boys with a superb performance to take the next 60-35 against Simon Thornley.

Visiting captain Paul Jones then kept his nerve to take the last on the black against Paul Wilson to keep his side well in contention for league honours this season.

The Billiard Hall's E team moved up one place to fourth on the back of a 4-1 win at home to Coddon B. Mick Hughes took the first frame by 69 points to 42 against Nick Pearce before Steve Downs made it one apiece with a 61 - 31 success against League Secretary Alan Turner.

Chris Morris put the home side back in front when he won the third frame by the narrowest of margins, just a single point, against Bob Dando before Ray Evans potted superbly to deny Phil Szklarzewicz in the next.

With the visitors only able to field four players, home captain Warren Barber received a walkover in the last leaving the final score 4 - 1 in favour of the Wellington side.

Shifnal E twice came from behind to record their fourth win of the campaign as they travelled to Pot Black A. Neil Robinson gave the home side the lead against Ken Holwell only for C Petford level with a 50-39 success against Toby Welsh.

The home side went back in front courtesy of Tom Firmstone's 67-34 win over Jeff Sparkes before referee Rob Wright put aside his white gloves to defeat Tony Hall 68-19 to pull the scores level once more.

That left the deciding frame to be contested by Paul Crooks and Dave Barden - and it was the Shifnal man who came out on top after a keenly fought contest by 58 points to 46 to secure his side's fourth victory this term.

Anstice B are still searching for their first win after losing out by three frames to two as they entertained Maddock C in a closely fought contest where the first three games were all decided on the final black.

First D Weaver put the home side ahead with an excellent 51-47 win over Joe Oliver before another black ball finish went the way of the visitors as D Thomas narrowly defeated George Hammond 36-35 to make the frame scores one each.

C Rowley then put Maddocks in front with a 50-47 victory over W Watson before Mark Finucane made it 3-1 against D Shaw. Chris Ward's 55-20 final frame win over Billy Rushton did provide some consolation for the Madeley side who stay two points ahead of bottom club Bayley C at the foot of the table.

DIVISION 1

Shaun Harris followed last week's break of 93 with a 43 this week as he put reigning champions Hills Lane A two up away at Coddon A.

Shaun's 76-14 victory over home captain Dave Lloyd followed Ian Duffy's earlier win over Darren Weston and set up Keith Price for a 60 points to 20 success over Ian Ferriday to put the Madeley side 3-0 in front.

L Darrell retrieved one frame for Coddon with a fine 71-31 success over Matt Bailey before Richard Wade stormed to victory in the last frame against Adrian Smith to complete another excellent win for the Hills Lane side who clearly seem intent on retaining the title they won last term, as their lead at the top of the table is now extended to five points, ahead of both Billiard Hall A, who had a bye this week and Coddon A.

Anstice A seemed to have run into a rich vain of form as they recorded their second successive victory with a thumping 4-1 win away to Bayley A.

John Darrock set the ball rolling as he took the opening frame by 55 points to 27 against Steve Nicholls. Nick Oakley followed up with a 67-24 defeat of Arthur Burrows before Neil Price battled back well to defeat Steve Fletcher after the Bayley captain inexplicably mis-counted and played a snooker on the blue when he could still win with the last three colours.

Phil Reynolds then made it 4-0 as he took the next against Bob Mason and only Chris Morgan-Adam's final frame win over Mick Cahill prevented the whitewash as the Bayley fell to their fourth defeat of the season.

Maddocks A let a two frame lead slip as they visited Hills Lane B and were eventually pleased to return home with a 3-2 win under their belts.

Things seemed to be going to plan for the Oakengates side as Phil Davis put them ahead with a 58-29 win over D Harris and then Ian Skelton put them further in front as he took the next 50-36 from Steve Powell. But the home side fought back strongly to level the frame scores at two apiece as first Lee Harris got the better of his namesake Leigh France and then Richie Jones beat visiting captain Dave France to set up a decider between home captain Kev Davis and Adrian Barraclough.

And it was the Oakengates man who came out the eventual winner by 76 points to 32 to claim Maddocks third win in six games.

Minessota Fats made the short trip to Shifnal F and were rewarded with a 3-2 win after Simon McLeod put them in front when he beat home captain Brian Pinter 79-20 with a couple of 20 plus breaks.

Mick Brezwyn then made it 2-0 as he got the better of Craig Whitehead, who was a little ring rusty after not playing regular league snooker for 3 years.

Fred Harper will be well pleased with his result as he battled his way to a 56-22 win over Jon Shepherd after suffering something of a dilemma when the tip on his own cue came off, leaving the Shifnal man to finish the frame using a selection of his team-mates cues.

The old reliable Shifnal stalwart Dave Peplow did it again as he drew the scores level at two frames apiece when he narrowly beat P Humphries on the final black although he would consider himself somewhat fortunate as he fluked the pink after potting the blue to leave himself with the simplest of opportunities on the black which was positioned over the pocket.

A high degree of tact and safety play were the main factors as Paul Lloyd edged home in the deciding frame against Nev Whitehead to leave the final score 3-2 to the former Audco team.

DIVISION 2

Although no card has been received yet for Wellington Billiard Hall C's game this week, the Wellington side still head the table with 29 points from just seven games played - a massive seven points ahead of second placed Bayley D. And with Hadley B and Shifnal B sharing third spot with 21 points each - just a point off second place, things are certainly hotting up in the battle for second spot, especially as Bayley B are also in the hunt on 20 points.

Bayley D had Dave Dudley to thank for a deciding frame victory over R Goldie as the Wellington side played host to Little Dawley B and came out on top by the odd frame in five.

Brian Aberdeen did not have a "good evening" as D Wilson put the visitors in front with an excellent 62-19 win over the Bayley stalwart. However an excellent fight back from Mark Beddall saw his long potting come to the fore as he potted both pink and black for a narrow 39-33 win over Byron Mitchell to level the frame scores at one all.

Dave Williams then put the home side in front with a 65-40 success over B Wincott before the usually unflappable Ice Man Bill France melted to a 68-20 defeat at the hands of D Wincott whose excellent performance forced the decider. And with home captain Steve Lane a victim of his own rotational selection policy, Dave Dudley was left to take the honours to secure his side's fifth win of the campaign.

With Hadley B's result not yet in, their position in third spot is enhanced by the fact that they have played one game fewer than their closest rivals, one of whom Shifnal D move up to fourth in the table after a 3-2 home win over Wellington Billiard Hall F.

Mick Guest put the home side in front with an excellent performance against the in form Chris Durham and the Memorial side moved further in front as Matt Hester survived a brave fight back from Rob Cook to take the second frame with a brilliant long pot on the final black.

Richard Tranter returned to the Billiard Hall side and didn't let them down as he swept to a 64-40 win over Arthur Aston to pull a frame back for the visitors but he could do nothing to prevent Mick Smith from claiming the next for Shifnal against Andy Fletcher. Chris Fletcher then came up trumps for the visitors to take the last frame by 59 points to 24 to leave the final score 3-2 to the Shifnal boys.

Bayley B creep up to fifth place following their trip to Little Dawley E.

Unfortunately the home side were able to field just one player - so Graham Copson's 60-17 victory over Kevin Ryan meant the Wellington side returned home with four points despite not winning a frame.

Wellington Billiard Hall B celebrated their second win of the season when they returned home from Newport British Legion with a 3-2 win.

Former League Secretary Andy Kendrick set them on their way with his 46-36 first frame win over Alan Munn but the home side levelled soon afterwards with Manjit Gidda's 66-46 defeat of Alan Francis.

Back came the Billiard Hall through Ian Atkinson who put the visitors ahead once more as he got the better of Keith Gardner in another close game by 46 points to 33 only for John Yapp to draw the match all square again with a 42-17 fourth frame success against Kevin Francis.

The match was then decided by Roy Francis whose 49-14 success over Mike Doverskog settled the game in favour of the Billiard Hall who left victorious by the score of three frames to two.

STEVE FLETCHER    

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

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