There was a sad start to the new year for everyone connected with the Telford Snooker League (sponsored by Golden Purse Jewelers) when the first matches after the Christmas break took place without one of the leagues most popular players Harold Higgins who died last week.

Harold, or "H" as he was more popularly known, had played in the league since it's inception some 25 years ago and during this time he had looked after the tables at Maddocks Club in Oakengates which are commonly regarded as amongst the best in the league. He worked tirelessly as one of the club's main committee members and will be very sadly missed both as a personality and for all the hard work he put into every aspect of life at the Oakengates club.

His team mates from Maddocks D understandably called off their third division match last week upon hearing the sad news however the remaining games that were played saw Wellington Billiard Hall X extend their lead at the top of Division 3 to six points following a 4-1 win over Bayley B.

However the match itself was much closer than the scoreline suggests as two of the home side's victories were settled on the last black

M Khan's victory over Kevin Ryan was a case in point as the opening frame went the Billiard Hall's way by 59 points to 53. A Ali's 30 break then proved the difference against Robin Sturmey to make it 2-0 and things continued to go the home side's way when John Powell got the better of Harry Parks.

Dicky Beddall finally stemmed the tide by taking the fourth frame for the Bayley with a fine 77-41 win over W Gathercole and the visitors came close to snatching the last frame too only for captain Bob Tracy to lose out on a re-spotted black against M Shadab as the X men completed their tenth win of the campaign.

Pot Black D leapfrog over the Wellington Billiard Hall's F team into second place as they too won 4-1 against the Wellington side.

An exciting opening frame went Pot Black's way as a 26 break helped Mick Pearson to victory against Chris Durham by just a single point and Mick Eagan then doubled the visitor's lead by taking the next frame too against Richard Tranter.

Steve Weatherall replied by pulling one frame back for the Wellington boys but it was all his side could muster on the night as further wins from Kirk Stephenson and Neil Pearson lifted the Oakengates side into second spot, one point ahead of their opponents who drop to third.

Bayley D move up to fourth thanks to a resounding 5-0 win over Maddocks B. Brian Aberdeen set them on their way by taking the first frame against veteran Les Hicks and the rest of his team mates soon followed his lead with Bill France reaching the winning line 67-44 against G Arnold and Darren Rhodes then making it 3-0 with a 69-40 win over visiting captain John Archer.

Mark Beddall soon added a fourth before captain Steve Lane rounded things off with a 53-21 success against Tony O'Neil to leave the home side well placed for a late run up the table.

With 32 points from 12 games the Bayley side will be looking over their shoulders at Hills Lane B who lie just a single point behind them following a 3-2 win at home to Little Dawley C.

Russ France gave the newcomers from Little Dawley the lead but the home side soon levelled matters through Lee Harris and then went in front when Steve Powell won the battle of the two Steves to defeat visiting captain Steve Farrington 64-28.

Craig Walton then forced the decider as the visitors hit back to level the match at two frames all only for Kev Davis to clinch Hills Lanes sixth win by taking the final frame against Danny Childs.

DIVISION 1

Normal service was resumed in Division 1 as the top two teams both posted 4-1 wins to stretch their lead over the chasing pack to seven points.

Hills Lane A maintain their one point lead over Billiard Hall A at the top of the table after they returned home with a closely fought victory against near rivals Little Dawley A.

Ade Henry came close to giving the Little Dawley lads a surprise lead as his opening frame against Shaun Harris went all the way to a re-spotted black only for the Hills Lane man to sink the vital ball to give the visitors the lead.

That lead didn't last though as Jesse Lowe put in an accomplished display to defeat Richard Wade in the next however from then on it was the reigning league champions who took control as first Matt Bailey defeated Richie Heighway and then their last two players both knocked in runs of forty plus to seal their tenth win in some style.

Darren Pountney's 43 break put the visitors 3-1 up before Ian Duffy weighed in with a run of 46 to defeat Graham Wiley as Hills Lane completed a 4-1 win which leaves them just one point ahead of their closest rivals Wellington Billiard Hall A who also won 4-1 at home to Shifnal A.

Paul Harper led the way once more with a super break of 61 to deny Linsay Knox and Morton Hughes then doubled their lead as he took the next frame from Simon Biddulph.

After travelling all the way from Banbury to play the next game, John Fallows could have been excused feeling a little cross after his 69-32 defeat against Nigel Fletcher left the visitors trailing 3-0 but he was no doubt soon back to his usual jovial self after seeing his captain Andy Easthope pull one frame back with a 61-25 success over Spencer Rowley.

However with Graham Darrall taking the last frame against Roy Martin the home side were left with a very valuable four points as they attempt to regain the league trophy having lost out to Hills Lane A in the last couple of years.

Coddon A swap places with their opponents Maddocks A after they too won 4-1 to move into third spot, although they will have to get their skates on if they are to catch the league leaders who lie eight points ahead with nine games left to play.

The Donnington side took the first three frames of this match after Lee Szklarzewicz set them on their way with an excellent 66-43 win over the in form Phil Davis.

Ian Ferriday then made it 2-0 before Dave Lloyd increased the lead still further with a 40 break on the way to victory against Ian Skelton.

Visiting captain Dave France did manage to retrieve one frame for the visitors 59-40 against Darren Weston but it was to be his sides sole consolation as Terry Brenthall wrapped up an excellent win for the Donnington side with a 48-32 final frame win over Adrian Barraclough.

Anstice A are now one place below Maddocks in the table after suffering a second consecutive 3-2 reverse at the hands of Dawley Social.

The home side were rocked by a double whammy as Chris Woods gave Dawley the lead and then Mark Jones got the better of Nick Oakley to put Dawley 2-0 ahead.

Keith Price's 31 break helped him to pull one frame back for the Anstice against Pete Nolan but Dawley soon restored their two frame advantage as Sean Nolan accounted for Mick Cahill in the next.

However Neil Price followed his brother's lead to retrieve the last frame for the Madeley side to leave Dawley with a well earned 3-2 win and the Anstice a point ahead of Bayley A who surprised themselves by taking all five points away to Shifnal F.

Steve Fletcher took the opening frame on the blue against Wally Harper before Steve Nicholls secured the second frame against Chris Painter.

Arthur Burrows then stuck to his task well to take the next against Ivor Peplow before super sub Robin Clark continued the trend by taking the fourth against an under the weather Dave Peplow on a re-spotted black .

And with Chris Adams clinching the final frame too over Nev Whitehead the visitors were left to celebrate an unlikely win which moves them up to half way in the table.

DIVISION 2

Little Dawley B took full advantage of their two closest rivals from the Billiard Hall dropping vital points with two 3-2 wins as they claimed all five points from their visit to Maddocks C to shoot into top spot in division 2.

Ian Eldridge set them on their way as he took the opener against D Thomas and Byron Mitchell soon followed suit as the visitors took control.

Lee Elcock's 51-39 defeat of Graham Hoof reinforced their dominance and they completed their eighth win of the season when the Wincott brothers, Brendan and Darren, got the better of J Hill and Joe Oliver respectively to complete the whitewash and leave them a point clear of Wellington Billiard Hall E who drop to second after losing the last two frames of their home tie with Shifnal E.

Aaron Sparkes, who joins three of the youngsters from Little Dawley B in the semi finals of the Under 21 competition to be played at the Bayley club next Monday, came from 20 points down against Nigel Stallard to lead by over 20 at one point. However the League's Competitions Secretary stuck to his guns and rattled off the last four colours to take the frame on the black to give the Billiard Hall the lead.

Warren Barber then made it 2-0 before League Secretary Alan Turner secured frame three against Rob Wright as the then second division leaders looked to be in full control.

However Jeff Sparkes sparked a mini revival as he rescued the fourth frame against Ray Evans to leave Fred Harper to take the next frame too for the visitors with a 56-34 win over Chris Morris.

Wellington Billiard Hall C also dropped two valuable points when they travelled to Pot Black A although they too seemed to be in the driving seat as they took both of the opening two frames.

Steve Minshall first got the better of Mike Thompson to give the Wellington side the lead before captain John Rawlins slotted in a super 35 break on the way to victory over Paul Crooks.

Tom Firmstone then potted some great balls to reduce the deficit but the Billiard Hall bounced back through Mick Birch who finished off a scrappy frame against Tony Hall in style to make it 3-1 to the Billiard Hall.

However with Toby Welsh clinching the final frame against Matty Locklin on the pink last season's third division champions now lie in third spot, a point behind their E side.

Coddon B seem to be making a bid for promotion back to division 1 after they too recorded a 3-2 win away at Shifnal D. As the teams above them had done, the Donnington side also let a promising start slip as they took the first two frames only to be pegged back at two all before taking the match on a walkover as Shifnal were unable to field a fifth man.

Andy Jones took the first frame against Geoff French and Mark Wall made it 2-0 before the home side got into their stride with Barry Easthope taking the third frame on the black against Steve Downes and George Nelson then squared things up with a fine 60-22 win over Nick Pearce.

Coddon's C side were not quite so fortunate though as they were beaten 3-2 at home to an Anstice B side who had to come from behind after Frazier MacKinnon had given the home side the lead with a close 66-60 defeat of Nigel Wallcroft.

However wins from John Darrock and George Hammond turned the match in Anstice's favour and they made certain of victory when Steve Smallwood took the fourth frame by a single point against Sef Tusel.

Only Ray Whitehead's last gasp win over Stuart Wimbush saved another point for Coddon who lie in mid table with 28 points from 12 games played.

STEVE FLETCHER    

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

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