A heroic performance from Dawley A saw them come from behind to defeat former Telford Snooker League (sponsored by Golden Purse Jewelers) champions Wellington Billiard Hall A in a hard fought but good humoured encounter at Dawley Social Club.

Although suffering only their fourth defeat of the season, the Wellington players left having enjoyed their night out against a Dawley side whose victory has propelled them to just below mid-table as they fight to preserve their first division status for another year.

Things looked to be going well for the visitors when Daryl Grainger gave them the lead with victory over Chris Woods in the first frame - but the Dawley lads responded magnificently to take the next three frames to record their eighth win of the season.

First Sean Nolan levelled matters by defeating Phil Whitby 52-35. Rick Bailey followed suit to put another frame on the board by beating Spencer Rowley before a tense fourth frame saw both Mark Jones and Graham Darrall play some excellent safety as both players vied for supremacy.

Snookers were obtained and then escaped from with monotonous regularity and it was no surprise to anyone present that the game eventually went down to a re-spotted black.

However after a couple of shots apiece it was the Dawley man who coolly sank the final ball to secure a memorable win for Rick Bailey's men.

However any thoughts of turning 3-1 to 4-1 were soon dashed as a faultless display from reigning individual champion Paul Harper saw him take the last frame of the evening with breaks of 25 and 27 against the unlucky Barry Roden.

That defeat for the Billiard Hall leaves Hills Lane A's lead at the top of the table now six points after they won 4-1 at third placed Coddon A.

Tim Hicks took the first frame against Terry Brenthall before Shaun Harris made it 2-0 as he took the next on the brown against Ian Ferriday.

Darren Weston's 33 break helped him to pull a frame back for the Coddon as he became one of only three players this season to defeat the in form Matty Bailey. However with Darren Pountney claiming the next on the pink against Dave Lloyd and Ian Duffy notching a 33 break against Adrian Smith, the Madeley side were left to celebrate their 15th win in seventeen games to extend their lead at the top.

Fourth placed Bayley A cling on to their lofty position - but only just, after the Wellington side fell to a 3-2 defeat away at Anstice A.

Steve Fletcher gave the visitors the lead with a first frame victory over Adam Moore. But the visitors paid a heavy price in the next two frames as the Price brothers, Keith and Neil, got the better of Bob Mason and Arthur Burrows respectively, Keith with a 49 break to boot, to put the home side in front.

Back came the Bayley in the shape of Steve Nicholls as he levelled matters with a pink ball win over Nick Oakley only for Mick Cahill to steel the show, winning the decider against Chris Morgan-Adams.

Shifnal A are on the way up after a 4-1 win away to Little Dawley A sees them race up the table whilst their opponents slip to second from bottom.

John Fallows took a high scoring first frame 72-58 against Ade Henry to set a trend that was to continue with Linsay Knox's 62-45 win over Richie Heighway.

A 21 break by Rick Cousins went some way to easing the pain as the home captain pulled a frame back against Bernie Southern but it was to be his side's only success as further wins from Roy Martin and Simon Biddulph, the latter with a 39 break, completed a good night's work by the Shifnal boys.

Shifnal's F team remain at the foot of the table after suffering another defeat - this time 3-2 at the hands of Hadley A.

Mike Watkins gave Hadley an early lead when, with some good potting, he defeated Wally Harper 54-22.

Chris Painter then levelled things up for Shifnal when, after a scrappy start, he came back strong to defeat Steve Hoof 55-41.

Shifnal skipper Brian Painter could do nothing in the next as a superb display of potting from Ali Jones saw him compile breaks of 31 and 39 to take frame three but Shifnal were soon level once more as Nev Whitehead beat Dave France on the blue to set up the decider.

Once again it was left to Dave "The Rock" Peplow to try to secure a long awaited win for Shifnal - but Andy O'Brien had other ideas as he rallied from 20 points down early on to take the frame. A break of 29 helped him to a 28 point lead on the colours before he finally clinched victory by 57 points to 26.

DIVISION 2

Little Dawley B's youngsters continue to shine in the second division after a 4-1 away win over Shifnal D saw them take over on their own at the top of the table.

At the start of play things couldn't have been tighter at the top with three teams all level on the same points but the Little Dawley lads benefited from Billiard Hall C's unlikely defeat against the Hall's E team to take over at the top - although the result of Minnesota Fats game last week is not yet in.

Ian Eldridge set them on their way with a close 50-48 black ball win over Mick Guest who lost out despite notching a 20 break early on.

Byron Mitchell warmed up for the under 21 final against team mate Darren Wincott with a 25 break on the way to defeating Steve Morse and the visitors went three up soon after as Lee Elcock got the better of Geoff French.

Barry Easthope proved to be Shifnal's saviour with a close 46-36 win over Brendan Wincott to pull a frame back for the home side only for Darren Wincott to take the final frame of the evening against Mick Smith for a 4-1 win to the Little Dawley boys.

Wellington Billiard Hall C did their E team no favours in their derby clash at the Wellington club when they raced into a 2-0 lead before taking the match by three frames to two.

Chris Morris gave the C side the perfect tonic when he produced an excellent display against John Rawlins to put his side one up.

Mick Hughes then doubled the "away" team's advantage with a cool 71-47 win over Dave Cartledge before Steve Minshall put the E side on the score sheet with victory over the in form Alan Turner by 61 points to 39.

Mick Birch then levelled matters by taking the next 67-24 from Ray Evans to set up the decider which saw youngster Matty Locklin take on Competitions Secretary Nigel Stallard.

And it was Nigel who used all his experience to craft a 51-15 final frame win to keep the E team in fourth place, some nine points behind the leaders.

Coddon B lie a point further back after falling to a 3-2 reverse away at Pot Black A who had Neil Robinson on hand to give them the lead with an opening frame victory over Mark Wall.

Andy Jones replied for the visitors by taking the next on the black against Paul Crooks before Dave Welsh restored the home side's lead with a 64-55 win over Steve Downes.

Tony Hall then made it 3-1 against Nick Pearce before Phil Szklarzewicz got the better of Toby Welsh to pull another frame back for the Coddon.

The Donnington Club's other team in division two, Coddon C, fared slightly better however as they entertained Shifnal E and ran out winners by the odd frame in five.

Indeed it was a sad day for Shifnal as they were mourning the loss of one of their favourite players, Stan Davies, who sadly died last week after a short illness. Stan had many friends at the Shifnal club, and indeed throughout the league and he will be sadly missed.

Aaron Sparkes recent good run came to an end when Ray Whitehead took the opening frame to give Coddon the lead and things got even better for the home side when Paul Wilson and Frazer MacKinnon took the next two frames as well against Chris Petford and Fred Harper respectively.

Jeff Sparkes did manage to spark some life into the visitors with an excellent win over Mick Stokes before the Gladiator himself, Rob Wright took the final frame of the evening against Sef Tusel to leave the final score 3-2 to the Coddon.

After their drubbing at the hands of their nearest rivals Shifnal last week, Bayley C are now looking at the division 3 table to see their likely opponents for next season.

And after a 4-1 home defeat at the hands of Anstice B they are now rooted to the foot of the table.

Anstice opened up with Nigel Wallcroft potting well to take an early 20 point lead against Craig Johnston, a lead that the Anstice player never surrendered, and ran out the winner by 55 points to 27.

John Darrock then quickly made it 2-0 when he disposed of Mick Healey by 67 points to 16.

Craig Whitehead soon took a 30 point lead against George Hammond, but the Anstice veteran called upon all his experience to hang on to the shirt tails of his opponent, and in a quite remarkable finish to the frame managed to get the snooker he needed on the blue, and sink the final three balls to clinch what must have seemed an unlikely victory on the black, 69 points to 56.

Pete Woodcock had to work hard to recover from Steve Smallwood's 24 break early on, but he stuck to his task gamely, and deservedly recorded Bayley's first point of the night by taking the final black to win 52 points to 50.

Pete McCleary was not going to allow the home side to make the score look any more respectable, as he potted Anstice to a 4-1 away win, by beating Chris Haycocks 61 points to 31.

DIVISION 3

Pot Black D continue to look favourites for the runners up spot after recording a 4-1 win in last week's fixtures.

Indeed, they are now just two points behind leaders Wellington Billiard Hall X although the table may be distorted slightly with both teams still missing one result each having had just 16 games recorded in the league placings.

Mick Pearson gave the Oakengates side just the start they were looking for with an opening frame win over Brian Aberdeen as Pot Black travelled to play Bayley D.

Darren Rhoades hit back immediately with a narrow 48-40 win over Rob Palin but it was all down hill from then on for the home side as Pot Black took all three remaining frames.

First Mick Egan accounted for Dave Williams in another close affair 58-48 before Kirk Stevenson made it 3-1 by beating home captain Steve Lane 49-31.

And with Neil Pearson taking the last frame too against Bill France, Pot Black's hopes of second division snooker next term seem brighter than ever.

Little Dawley G move into third spot, some eleven points behind Pot Black, following a 3-2 win over Little Dawley C.

However they had a fright early on as the newcomers to the league took a two frame lead thanks to Mike King's one point win over G Clements and Russ France's 52-31 success against Roy Lenevell.

However the tide then turned as Graham Copson took the next for the G side on the final black before yet another game went to the wire with Mick Rhoades defeating "home" captain Steve Farrington 50-45.

That left Paul Perks to complete the G team's tenth win of the campaign with a 59-43 last ditch win over Paul Spencer.

With no other match cards received for the third division, teams in all divisions are reminded that match cards must be received by the League Secretary no later than the Saturday following the match.

STEVE FLETCHER    

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

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