The two teams promoted from Division 3 at the end of last season are amongst the early pacesetters in Division 2 as the youngsters of Little Dawley B and the old timers from Billiard Hall C lie first and third respectively at the head of the Telford Snooker League (sponsored by The Golden Purse Jewelers) Second Division.

The Little Dawley outfit have added John Bethell trophy winner Ian Eldridge to their side this season and it seems to have been a shrewd move as Ian put his new side ahead as they entertained Shifnal D.

Ian's 53-39 win over M Smith set them on their way to a 3-2 win against a Shifnal side still to find their true form.

Byron Mitchell doubled the home side's advantage before Barry Easthope pulled a frame back for the visitors with a sound 57-47 victory over Brendan Wincott.

Dale Wincott's 56-35 success over G Nelson restored the home side's two frame advantage only for S Morse to produce a superb display to pull another frame back for Shifnal with an excellent victory over Lee Elcock.

Although not actually ancient, Wellington Billiard Hall's C side's average age is somewhat more than their rivals from Little Dawley, and they had to use all their experience to overcome a strong Billiard Hall E side by three frames to two.

In a match where experience was the key, it was perhaps ironic that it was their youngest player Matty Locklin who stole the show with a superb fightback to take the deciding frame having obtained the snooker he required on the pink to beat an unlucky Nigel Stallard.

In an exciting finale both players missed opportunities to pot the final black and it was Nigel who eventually lost out by just two points when he saw the white trickle slowly in off into the middle pocket.

The C team changed their order of play for this derby clash, and it seemed to be paying dividends early on as Dave Cartledge, so often the anchor man, pulled off a fine opening frame win over Chris Morris to give last season's Division 3 winners the lead.

Mick Hughes soon levelled matters though as John Rawlins was unable to extend his recent run of "Rawlins Specials" allowing Mick to run out the winner by 68 points to 30 as the E string drew level.

Steve Minshall put the "away" team back in front with a 67-33 third frame win over Alan Turner only for former captain Warren Barber to set up the decider with a fine 50-30 success over Mick Birch.

That win leaves the C side just a point behind Little Dawley B who head the table jointly with Minnesota Fats B, both teams having gained 17 points from 5 games played so far.

The Cannongate team dropped just one frame as they made the short trip down the road to play Maddocks C.

S Collins' 51-25 win over Graham Hoof gave the visitors just the start they needed and further wins from K West and Paul Smith, the latter with an excellent break of 33, put Minnesota well and truly on top.

Things got worse for the home side when J Wright took the next frame too against Chris Rowley before Joe Oliver salvaged a point for Maddocks with a 54-33 final frame win over S Osbourne.

Shifnal E will be well pleased with their third win of the season as it came against Coddon C who started the day on the same points as their opponents.

The Donnington side started the brighter though as Frazer MacKinnon gave them the lead with a 67-39 win over Aaron Sparkes.

Rob Wright soon levelled matters before Steve Lumley restored the visitor's lead with a close 54-44 defeat of Chris Petford.

The home side responded brilliantly though to take the last two frames as first Fred Harper got the better of Ray Whitehead to leave Jeff Sparkes to claim the decider with a fine victory over Sef Tusel as the home side left victorious by the odd frame.

The other Coddon side in this division, Coddon B did their promotion hopes no harm at all as they opened up a 4-0 lead at home to Pot Black A only for Dave Welsh to rescue a point for the visitors with a last gasp 60-40 success over Mark Wall.

Andy Jones put the Coddon in front before Jason Yates took the last four balls in succession for a 22 clearance to make it 2-0 against Toby Welsh.

Two up soon became three as Nick Pearce got the better of Tom Firmstone 54-27 before Steve Downes took the next frame too for Coddon with a 66-37 defeat of Tony Hall.

Bayley C were also in a good frame of mind after they recovered from two frames down to record their first win of the season away at Anstice B.

Danny Weaver opened the scoring for the Madeley side as he took the first frame from Jim Lewis before a closely contested second frame went John Darrock's way as he potted the final black for a 44-38 win over Chris Haycox to put the home side two frames up.

The Bayley side are nothing but resilient however and they stuck to their task to grind out a 3-2 win after Pete Woodcock kept his head still to pot the last black for a 54-48 win over George Hammond to reduce the deficit to 2-1.

Craig Whitehead then drew the visitors level as he took the next against Steve Smallwood leaving Mike Healey to complete the comeback with a 59-46 success over Stuart Wimbush.

DIVISION 1

Wellington Billiard Hall A shot back to the top of the Division 1 table after a stylish 5-0 win over Dawley A which included a classy 78 break from individual champion Paul Harper as he once again set the standard for the highest break prize.

Nigel Fletcher showed he too is in fine form as he notched a 45 break on the way to an opening frame win over Pete Nolan before a 22 break from Graham Darrall made it 2-0 against Mark Jones.

Phil Whitbly then made the match safe with a brilliant 62-31 success over visiting captain Rick Bailey and although Barry Roden made an early 24 break against Spencer Rowley, the Billiard Hall man responded with a run of 38 to make it 4-0 before a superb 78 break from Paul Harper completed the whitewash as he added the final frame with victory over Sean Nolan.

Anstice A drop one place to second, a point behind the Billiard Hall after falling to a shock 3-2 defeat away at Bayley A.

Home captain Steve Fletcher gave the Bayley the lead as he took the opening frame against Keith Price on the blue only for Nick Oakley to reply for the Madeley side with victory over Arthur Burrows.

Some excellent safety play earned Steve Nicholls an impressive 64-28 win over Neil Price to put the Bayley in front but the visitors once again drew level as Phil Reynolds continued his fine season with victory over an unlucky Bob Mason, who saw his white go in off on four consecutive occasions at one point.

The Bayley weren't to be denied their third win of the new season though as Chris Morgan Adams put his new tip through it's paces to take the deciding frame by 40 points to 20 against Mick Cahill to leave the home side victorious by three frames to two.

Coddon A, who started the day in joint first place along with Anstice, also fell to only their second defeat when they travelled to reigning champions Hills Lane A.

Ian Duffy put the home side in front with victory over Lee Szklarzewicz before Ian Ferriday levelled matters with a black ball win over Shaun Harris however it was to be Coddon's only success as the home side rattled off the next three frames for a 4-1 win.

Matt Bailey won an exciting third frame with a 43 break to beat Darren Weston 69-55 before Hills Lane captain Darren Pountney took the next with a 26 break against Adrian Smith.

Richard Wade then completed an excellent evenings work by the Madeley side as a run of 38 helped him to a final frame win over visiting captain Dave Lloyd.

Rick Cousins inspired his Little Dawley A side to their third win of the season with some cunning team selection as they raced into a 3-0 lead away to Shifnal A who's bright start to the campaign has faded somewhat over the last couple of weeks.

Ade Henry put the visitors in front as he took the first frame from R Watts and they went further in front as Richie Heighway got the better of Linsay Knox to make it 2-0.

Jesse Lowe then ensured his side of their third win of the season with a fine victory over home captain Andy Easthope before the home side replied by taking the last two frames through Roy Martin and Nick Browne who accounted for Rick Cousins and Tommy Bell respectively.

Maddocks A are now in joint second place, along with Anstice A, following an excellent 4-1 away win at Broseley.

Phil Davis fought his way back bravely to give them the lead with a black ball win over P Humphries and further wins from Leigh France and Ian Skelton put the Oakengates side in the driving seat.

Dave France secured the fourth frame on the black after a 23 break to complete a 53-49 win over John Shepherd before Chris Walker saved the home side's blushes as he took the last frame, on a re-spotted black, against Ade Barraclough.

Wally Harper continued his excellent recent form as he gave Shifnal F the lead away to newly promoted Hadley A.

An early 23 break helped Wally to an 18 point lead on the colours and although Andy O'Brien fought back it was the veteran who crossed the winning line first to take the frame 62-40.

Steve Hoof then hit back for Hadley as he extended a 14 point lead on the colours to eventually defeat Ivor Peplow after the home player gained the upper hand following a series of foul strokes to make it all square at one frame apiece.

Nev Whitehead then put the islanders back in front with a superb blue ball win over Ali Jones, but Mike Watkins soon levelled matters once more as he got the better of debutante Pete Evans, who will be the first to admit that with not playing competitive snooker for some 5 years he was a little out of touch.

John Squire then sealed the match for Hadley with some excellent snooker to beat Shifnal captain Brian Painter to leave the home side victorious by the odd frame in five.

DIVISION 3

Maddocks D head the Division 3 table by one point ahead of Billiard Hall X after the Oakengates side maintained their hundred percent record with a 4-1 win over their B side.

Roy Lowe gave them the perfect start as he accounted for Ant Loveitt in the opening frame but the B side soon levelled through G Arnold's 58-27 victory over Alan Bould.

Colin Smith then narrowly defeated veteran Les Hicks before Roy Adams secured the fourth frame for the D side by the narrowest of margins, just a single point, against John Archer.

S Pritchard then completed a 4-1 win for the "home" side with a final frame win over Tony O'Neill.

Newcomers Wellington Billiard Hall X also retained their unbeaten start to the season when they too recorded a 4-1 win in the derby game with the Wellington club's B string.

M Shadab set them on their way with a 19 break to take the first frame from Andy Kendrick and further wins from A Mahmood and A Ali put them three up.

B Gathercole's close 48-36 defeat of Ken Francis made it 4-0 before Ian Atkinson saved the day for the "home" team by taking the last 48-35 from M Ayaz.

Little Dawley G lie two points further back in joint third spot after they too had a derby match with Little Dawley C and came out on top with the loss of just one frame.

Mike King put the C side ahead with a 53-25 success over G Clement but it was to be his side's only success as the G team reeled off the four remaining frames.

First P Frost beat R France and then R Lenevell accounted for C Newey as the G team went in front.

They never looked back then as further wins from Graham Copson and Paul Perks ensured they stay well placed to push for promotion, level on points with Pot Black D who also enjoyed a 4-1 win at home to Bayley D.

Mick Pearson put the Oakengates side ahead with a 60-34 win over Darren Rhoades before Mick Egan got the better of the Bayley's Ice Man Bill France to make it 2-0.

And they increased their lead still further a Harry Jones saw off the challenge of Dave Williams and although Kirk Stevenson looked to be on the way to making it 4-0 as he swiftly knocked in a break of 24, visiting captain Steve Lane showed his metal to eventually take the frame 57-43 for the Bayley's only win on the night.

Mick Pearson completed the 4-1 win with a 61-33 success over Mark Beddall to leave the Bayley languishing in the wrong half of the table along with Newport British Legion B who also lost 4-1 when they entertained Wellington Billiard Hall F.

They did take the lead though as Colin Farge beat Rob Cook 48-34 only for the visitors to take all four of the remaining frames.

Richard Tranter's 51-42 victory over Alan Davies drew the Billiard Hall level before Chris Durham got the better of Keith Gardner to put them in front.

Chris Fletcher then increased their lead still further before a close final frame also went the way of the visitors with Steve Weatherall snatching victory on the final black against Mike Doverskog.

STEVE FLETCHER    

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

Return To Top