Hills Lane A remain on track for a third successive League title following a 3-2 win last week over their closest rivals Wellington Billiard Hall A in the Match of the Day in Division 1 of the Telford Snooker League (sponsored by Golden Purse Jewelers)

The Madeley side started the day two points clear of their opponents as they made the trip to Wellington and they got just the boost they needed when Shaun Harris took the opening frame against Nigel Fletcher by 66 points to 32.

Things then got even better for the visitors as Tim Hicks made it 2-0 when he took the next frame from Spencer Rowley. But the home side pulled a frame back when Morton Hughes produced some excellent safety play to become only the second player this season to defeat young Matt Bailey by taking frame three 51-37.

Hills Lane captain Darren Pountney then left opponent Graham Darrell requiring three snookers on the colours before the Wellington man began a remarkable fight back by getting two snookers before seeing Darren escape from a third on the way to a 73-49 victory to put Hills Lane 3-1 up.

A close final frame saw Paul Harper reduce the final deficit to 3-2 with a pink ball win over Ian Duffy to leave the Madeley side three points clear at the top of the table.

It was an unusual night in Division 1 last Wednesday as all the matches ended in 3-2 wins (or defeats depending on your view point) and Coddon A's match with Hadley A was no exception as the Donnington side ran out the winners by the odd frame

The deciding frame was anything but odd though as Darren Weston just sneaked home 69-58 having knocked in a 33 break against John Squire who himself had a run of 32.

Earlier Ian Ferriday had given Coddon the lead and Dave Lloyd then made it 2-0 to the home side with a 49-18 second frame win over Steve Hoof.

The visitors responded brilliantly and took the next two frames as first Andy O'Brien beat Terry Brenthall 61-38 and then Ali Jones got the better of Adrian Smith to set up the decider which went Coddon's way to leave them in third spot some 9 points behind the leaders.

Bayley A managed to hold on to fourth place thanks to a 3-2 win away at Dawley A who had Mark Jones in fine form to give them the lead with a good win over the in form Arthur Burrows.

Bob Mason made light of playing on the tight right hand table as he accounted for Chris Woods on the last pink to draw the visitors level but they fell behind once more as Steve Nolan won the battle of the two Steves, compiling a lovely 39 break on the way to victory over Steve Nicholls.

But the Bayley replied through Steve Fletcher and Chris Morgan-Adams to secure their seventh win of the season to keep them in fourth spot, just a point ahead of Maddocks A who also won 3-2 at home to Shifnal F to avenge defeat earlier in the season.

Ian Skelton took a 12 point lead on the colours against Wally Harper in a game that eventually went down to the final black before finally clinching the frame 58-46 to put Maddocks one up.

Some excellent potting helped Chris Painter into a 20 point lead on the yellow as he then squared the account by overcoming Leigh France. However a spirited fight back by Leigh saw him only wanting the pink for victory and although he then potted the pink the white careered into the black knocking that into a pocket as well. The Shifnal man then put away the pink for a 62-50 win to draw the visitors level.

A 2-1 lead looked on the cards for Maddocks when Phil Davis took a deserved 35 point lead early on. But Brian Painter then took out his "Braveheart" chalk and plugged away at the lead before forcing yet another black ball finish.

The Shifnal cheers went up as Brian duly obliged his supporters as he ran out the victor by a single point to put Shifnal 2-1 up.

Some excellent potting and superb safety play then enabled Mark Finucane to level for Maddocks once more as he took on Nev Whitehead. A 44 point lead on the colours proved too much for the League President to recoup and the home side levelled a two frames all.

The stage was then set for a brace of Daves to contest the decider as home captain Dave France took on the Shifnal's Dave "The Rock" Peplow. And it was the Oakengates man who opened up a 26 point lead on the colours before the Rock finally crumbled to a 62-34 defeat to leave Maddocks triumphant by three frames to two.

Shifnal's A side fared a little better than their F team counterparts when they secured a 3-2 win at home to Broseley thanks to Roy Martin's 46-17 deciding frame victory over Simon McLeod.

A former County Champion then took on a former runner up in that competition when Simon Biddulph gave the Memorial Men the lead with a fine 64-48 victory over Richie Hulme.

Linsay Knox then made it 2-0 with an identical score line against Paul Humphries as the home side continued to dominate.

But the visitors turned the tide soon afterwards when Mick Brezwyn put a point on the board with victory over Bernie Southern in frame three and John Shepherd then accounted for John Fallows to claim another point for Broseley.

DIVISION 2

Wellington Billiard Hall C still head the second division table - but only by one point ahead of both Minnesota Fats and Little Dawley C - after claiming four points from their home clash with Coddon B.

Steve Minshall's 22 break paved the way to an opening frame victory over Andy Jones and the home side almost made it 2-0 when John Rawlins missed a chance on the final pink allowing Steve Downes to snatch a vital point for the visitors with victory on the final black by 57 points to 55.

The home side's lead was soon restored though thanks to Dave Cartledge and further wins from Mick Birch over Mark Wall and Matty Locklin who claimed an excellent win over Phil Szklarzewicz , completed a fine 4-1 win for the league leaders.

Minnesota Fats remain a point behind the Wellington side after they too ran out 4-1 winners at home to Shifnal D.

Paul Smith set them on their way by taking the first frame from Mick Guest and S Collins and P Wright followed his lead by taking the next two frames as well for a 3-0 lead.

Mick Smith did manage to salvage a consolation point for the visitors when he took the next 50-30 against K West only for Paul Devey to complete a 4-1 win for the Cannogate boys with a 69-41 final frame defeat of Steve Morse.

That win leaves Minnesota just a point off the lead, level with Little Dawley B who are believed to have won 5-0 although their match card is not yet in.

One time leaders Wellington Billiard Hall E continue to lose ground on the leaders although they did get back to winning ways with a 3-2 win over Anstice B.

Chris Morris signaled the home side's intent early on with a 31 break in his 64-45 win over Nigel Wallcroft.

Mick Hughes then made it 2-0 against John Darrock and things continued to go the home side's way when Alan Turner maintained his own good run with victory over George Hammond in the third.

Stuart Wimbush then retrieved a frame for the Anstice with a 57-31 success over Warren Barber before an exciting finish to frame five saw Pete McCleary claw back another frame for the visitors when Nigel Stallard went in off the final black.

Shifnal E jump up to half way in the table on the back of an excellent win over Maddocks C.

Aaron Sparkes stunning opening frame victory over Joe Oliver set the home side on their way and although J Hill levelled the frame scores at one apiece, with a 58-22 success over Chris Petford, the home side took all three of the remaining frames for a 4-1 win.

Jeff Sparkes put Shifnal back in front by taking frame three from D Thomas before Rob "The Gladiator" Wright put them 3-1 up.

Rob, who recently revealed he once scored 96 percent in his cycling proficiency test, peddled hard to earn a 65-34 victory over Craig Rowley and with Fred Harper taking the last Shifnal were left celebrating their ninth win of the campaign.

A brilliant performance from Ray Whitehead wasn't enough to save Coddon C slipping to a 3-2 defeat away at Pot Black A as breaks of 28 and 30 saw Ray safely through to a final frame victory over Mike Thompson.

Coddon had earlier taken the lead through Frazer McKinnon's 53-20 win over Toby Welsh but the home side took three points by winning each of the middle three frames.

Paul Crooks levelled the match at one all before Tom Firmstone put the Oakengates side in front with a 63-19 success over Mick Stokes.

Dave Welsh made certain of victory for Pot Black by taking frame four from Sef Tusel to leave his side on 36 points from 15 games.

DIVISION 3

The promotion places in Division 3 now look to be done and dusted after Billiard Hall X's twelfth win leaves them five points clear of Pot Black A who themselves have a eight point lead over their closest rivals following a 4-1 win last week.

Les Hicks gave the leaders a fright though as they travelled to play Maddocks B. The popular veteran took the opening frame 63-33 against M Khan to give the home side the lead, but it proved to be only temporary as M Surfraz levelled matters by taking frame two against G Arnold.

John Archer put Maddocks back in the lead however with an excellent 46-38 win over M Shadab but any thoughts the home side had of completing an upset were soon dispelled as J Powell and A Ali wrapped up a 3-2 win for the X Men who now look certain to go on to take the title.

Pot Black A did their promotion hopes the world of good too as they returned home from Little Dawley G with four valuable points safely in the bag.

Kirk Stephenson and Mick Egan gave them a commanding 2-0 lead before Graham Copson rescued a point for the home side with a narrow 55-47 win over Rob Palin.

Mick Pearson's 56-20 defeat of M Rhodes restored Pot Black's two frame advantage - and they went further ahead thanks to Neil Pearson's final frame win over R Lenevell by 51 points to 41.

Wellington Billiard Hall F, who a few weeks ago were lying in second spot, now find themselves eight points behind Pot Black after falling to a heavy 4-1 defeat away at Hills Lane B.

Lee Harris put the home side in front with a black ball finish against visiting captain Chris Durham and the Wellington side soon found themselves further behind as wins from Andy Morris over Rob Cook and Kev Davis against Richard Tranter put the home side three up.

Three soon became four as Steve Powell wrapped up the next frame too and only a last gasp victory for Steven Weatherall over M Davis prevented the Wellington side slipping to an even heavier defeat.

The Billiard Hall are now only a point ahead of Maddocks D who secured their seventh win of the season with a 3-2 success away at Newport British Legion B.

Colin Farge gave the home side the lead when he defeated H Hulme 54-20 but it didn't take Maddocks long to level as Ken Davies got the better of Manjit Gidda in the next.

Mike Doverskog put Newport back in front but Maddocks took the last two frames and the match courtesy of Steve Pritchard and Colin Smith, the latter taking the decider against John Yapp on the final black to secure a 3-2 win for the Oakengates team.

The two Bayley sides in this division were, until recently, both harboring thoughts of promotion, but sadly things don't seem to be working out that way as they both fell to defeats last week which push them down to mid table positions.

Bayley B fell behind when Russ France took the opening frame for Little Dawley C with a 25 break against Robin Sturmey.

Dave Weston replied for the Bayley and when Kevin Ryan took the next frame for them too, 56-36 against Mike King, they must have thought their fortunes had changed for the better.

But it wasn't to be as Craig Walton levelled the match at two frames apiece leaving Paul Spencer to take the plaudits with an excellent 61-40 win over Dicky Beddall to leave the home side victorious overall by three frames to two.

Bayley D were also on the receiving end when they entertained a strong Wellington Billiard Hall B side.

Paul Gubats set the visitors on their way to a 4-1 win as he took the opening frame from Brian Aberdeen and they extended that lead when Alan Francis took the next frame too against Darren Rhoades.

Dave Williams hit back for the Bayley by taking the next on the black from Ken Francis but further wins from Andy Kendrick and Ian Atkinson completed an excellent 4-1 win for the Billiard Hall side.

STEVE FLETCHER    

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

Return To Top