It's hard to believe that it's now 25 years since Doug Tipping started the Telford and District Snooker League. Yet on Wednesday night the new season kicked of for the 25th time as the League commenced it's Silver Jubilee year with a new sponsor to add to it's name - that of the Golden Purse Jewelry of Market Street in Wellington.

Many of today's players still remember that very first season - when the presentation evening was staged with a snooker table inside the Oakengates Town Hall. Two of the day's top professionals, Dennis Taylor and Graham Miles were invited to play an exhibition match before presenting the prizes to the very first League Champions.

In those days the two top teams were Bayley A and Wellington Billiard Hall A. Although the Bayley's fortunes have wained just a little the Billiard Hall still regularly feature amongst the major honours, and indeed they got off to a winning start when they returned home from the Long trip to Broseley with a 3-2 win under their belts.

Victories for Morton Hughes, Graham Darrel and Daryl Grainger meant the Wellington side started off with a win, as did their closest rivals Hills Lane A who began their quest for a third consecutive League title with a hard fought win over local rivals Anstice A.

Keith Price, who last season played for the League Champions, returned to haunt them with a superb display as he notched the highest break of the evening, a 53, to give his new side Anstice A the lead by taking the first frame against Matt Bailey.

His brother Neil then came close to making it 2-0 only to be thwarted by Shaun Harris who levelled the frame scores by taking the next 66-46.

The visitors went back in front though after a determined fightback from Nick Oakley saw him take the last six colours to snatch the third frame from Richard Wade on the black before the home side rallied to take the last two games.

Darren Pountney, returning to Hills Lane after a season at Shifnal, got the better of Mick Cahill to set up the decider which saw Ian Duffy keep his cool to defeat Phil Reynolds 75-30 for a 3-2 win to the reigning champs.

Another team expected to be there or thereabouts come next April are last season's team knockout winners Shifnal A.

They got off to an excellent start as they took all but one of the frames against the Memorial Club's F side. The opening frame was evenly balanced on the colours when Wally Harper saw his attempted pot on the blue wobble in the jaws leaving Matthew Davies the opportunity to clear the last three colours, including a brave pot on the final black along the cushion, to take the frame 51-38 for a 1-0 lead to the A side.

Brian Painter hen had no answer to the quick fire potting of Andy Easthope as the A team increased their lead still further and worse was to follow for the F team as Chris Painter was unable to retrieve the two snookers he required on the blue leaving Linsay Knox to take the third frame by 60 points to 30.

An in-off on the final yellow proved costly for Nev Whitehead as Roy Martin capitalised with some style to make it 4-0 and the A team must have been thinking of a possible whitewash as Simon Biddulph took on the ever dependable Dave Pepl;ow in the last frame of the evening.

However the F team's "Rock of Gibraltar" didn't let them down as he rescued a point for his side with an excellent 63-26 win to leave the final score 4-1 to the A side.

Another side to claim four out of the five points on offer were Hadley A who comfortably negotiated the threat of Dawley A by taking the last three frames after the opening two were both shared.

Andy O'Brien gave last season's Division 2 winners the perfect start only for Sean Nolan to level the scores with a black ball victory over Steve Hoof.

Mark Watkins restored the home side's lead before an excellent performance from Ali Jones saw him defeat Rick Bailey 77-40 to put his side 3-1 ahead.

3-1 then quickly became 4-1 as John Squire rounded off a fine start for the men from Hadley with a 28 break on the way to a final frame victory over Pete Nolan.

Little Dawley A must have been cock a hoop with their first ever game in the top flight as they took on fancied Maddocks A and came away with a brilliant 4-1 success.

Richie Heighway led the way with a close 48-39 win over Leigh France and although Phil Davis pulled a frame back against G Wylea the home side took the last three frames for a famous victory.

Jesse Lowe's fine 65-21 win over Ian Skelton made it 2-1 before further wins from T Bell and Ray Clements sent Little Dawley captain Rick Cousins home happy with his side's first win safely in the bag.

Another side happy to get off the mark were Bayley A who played host to Coddon A and soon found themselves 2-0 down.

Ian Ferriday blasted his way to a 78-49 opening frame win over Chris-Morgan Adams which included a brilliantly taken 36 break before last season's beaten individual finalist Lee Szklarzewicz accounted for Arthur Burrows to put the visitors two up.

Steve Fletcher reduced the deficit to 2-1 by taking the third frame from Adrian Smith before Bob Mason took on Garreth Chapman in the next.

This game was always destined for a close finish - and so it proved as Bob smashed in a long black to take the frame 75-65 leaving Steve Nicholls to battle it out against Darren Weston in the decider.

Steve's decision to ditch his "on - off" snooker glasses seemed to pay early dividends as a 24 carat display saw him rattle in a superb 44 break to leave Darren requiring some 19 points in snookers with just the colours remaining.

However a nail-biting finale saw the Coddon man recoup 18 points with some excellent snookers only for Steve to eventually clinch victory by potting the green to complete an unlikely comeback for the Wellington side who took the match by 3 frames to 2.

DIVISION 2

As in the first division, no side in Division 2 managed a full house as the best any team could come up with was a 4-1 win. This feat was achieved by no less than three teams, and two of them came from the same club, Coddon.

Coddon B opened their account with an emphatic home win over Bayley C who had Mick Healey's black ball win over Nick Pearce in the final frame as their sole consolation.

Mark Wall put the home side ahead by taking the first frame 60-22 against youngster Craig Johnstone and further wins from Andy Jones and Steve Downs put them firmly in control.

There was nothing Bayley favourite Pete Woodcock could do in the next either as Phil Szklarzewicz swept his side into a 4-0 lead leaving Mick Healy to claim the visitors only point in the last.

Coddon C also recorded a 4-1 win as they took on Minesota Fats B on an adjacent table.

Ray Whitehead's 23 break gave him the opening frame against Steve Collins before a crucial 22 clearance proved to be the difference as Frazier McKinnon made it 2-0 with a 67-45 win over K Blackham in the next.

An even closer finish saw Sef Tusel defeat P Devey by just a single point before Steve Osbourne saved the visitor's blushes with a fine 42-31 defeat of Ian Robertson.

However Keith Morris' final frame win over K West made it four points out of five for the home side who currently share top spot with Anstice B who also claimed four points against Pot Black A.

A narrow 55-41 win for Pete McCleary set the Madeley side on their way to a great victory over what is undoubtably a strong Pot Black side.

Nigel Wallcroft increased their lead further with victory over Toby Welsh before Tony Hall hit back for the visitors with a nerve-wracking finish on a re-spotted black to take the third frame against George Hammond.

Steve Smallwod restored Anstice's two frame advantage however and with John Darrock taking the final frame 63-43 against Dave Welsh the home side were able to celebrate an almost perfect start to the new season.

Two teams newly promoted to the second division came face to face as Little Dawley B, runners up in the third division last term, entertained reigning division 3 champions Wellington Billiard Hall C.

The Wellington side took the third division by storm last season, and they started this campaign brightly too as Dave Cartledge took the opening frame by 55 points to 36 against young Lee Elcock.

A superb display from the winner of last season's John Bethell Trophy, Ian Eldridge, saw him turn the tables on turntable king John Rawlins to level the scores at one apiece only for the visitors to go back in front through Steve Minshall who got the better of Byron Mitchell 52-40.

However the two Wincott brothers were not going to let victory slip from their grasp as they took the final two frames for a 3-2 win to the Little Dawley side.

First B Wincott won a close encounter of the fourth frame kind 61-48 against Mick Birch before brother Darren accounted for young Matty Locklin in the decider.

A topsy-turvy encounter at the Memorial club saw Shifnal E take the lead against their D side, only to fall behind after three frames, and then eventually win 3-2 as Chris Petford and Rob Wright took the last two frames for the "away" team.

Steven Charters gave he E team the perfect start as he got the better of Mick Guest by a narrow 58-52 margin only for Geoff French to level the scores with a fine 46-33 success over young Arron Sparkes.

A 17 break then helped S Morse put the D side ahead against Fred Harper and although M Smith weighed in with a run of 18 in the next it wasn't enough to prevent Chris Petford securing the frame on the black to set up the decider which saw Rob Wright cling on to a 45-35 victory to see the E side safely home by three frames to two.

Wellington Billiard Hall E, so unlucky to narrowly miss out on promotion in the last two seasons, will be hoping they can make it third time lucky after opening their account this season with a 3-2 away win at Maddocks C.

However they had to come from behind as Billy Rushton put the Oakengates side ahead with an excellent 57-37 win over Chris Morris.

Despite putting up a very good show, new signing Manajid Shabir was unable to turn the tide as G Hoof made it 2-0 to Maddocks and things looked to be getting even worse for the Billiard Hall when Craig Rowley took on Ray Evans. However the Wellington man stood his ground and eventually ran out the winner by 47 points to 38 to set up a remarkable comeback.

Nigel Stallard soon made it all square at two frames all leaving Alan Turner, who 25 years ago at the start of the league was celebrating winning the league's individual, to wrap things up nicely for the visitors with a 62-25 success over Joe Oliver.

DIVISION 3

It may not have been the best of nights for Maddocks' C team however in the Third Division the Oakengates Club's D side was fairing much better as they entertained Little Dawley G and ran out 4-1 winners.

Harry Higgins opened the scoring with a fine 41-17 defeat of J Rowlinson. However things were quickly brought back to all square after Graham Copson took the next for the visitors against Alan Bould.

Graham's joy was to be short-lived though as the home side then reeled off the next three frames in quick succession. Roy Lowe's 27 break put them back in front but only by the narrowest of margins 49-42 against Roy Lenevell. Roy Adams then put the home side 3-1 up before Colin Smith completed the scoring with a 50-28 success over G Clements.

Maddocks B also returned home from their trip to Wellington Billiard Hall F with a win, but it could have been ever so different had the home side taken their chances in what was a very tight match.

A Loveitt looked to be down and out against Steve Weatherall as he was left requiring a snooker on the pink - but the Maddocks player never gave up and eventually got the one snooker he required before taking pink and black to give his side the early lead.

Les Hicks then made it 2-0 with victory over Chris Durham in the next before Rich Tranter pulled one frame back for the home side with a 53-15 success over Tony O'Neill.

G Tudor then restored the visitor's two frame lead as he slotted home the final black for a 57-56 win over Rob Cook before Chris Fletcher saved another point for the Billiard Hall with an 85-46 final frame success against John Archer.

Newcomers Wellington Billiard Hall X proved too hot to handle for Newport British Legion B as the Newport side left with just a solitary point after M Gidda saved the whitewash with a last gasp win over A Ali.

A 20 break helped Z Sultan to the first frame of the evening against Keith Gardner and the visitors soon found themselves 2-0 down as A Mahmood got the better of Alan Munn.

The X team then moved even further ahead as M Shadab and W Gathercole saw off the challenge of Alan Davies and John Yapp respectively and they were only prevented from taking maximum points by a superb display from M Gidda who rescued a point for Newport by taking the final frame.

Wellington Billiard Hall B were not quite so fortunate however as they fell to a 3-2 home defeat against Little Dawley C.

Craig Newey put the visitors in front before a fine performance from Russ France saw him post a 54-46 scoreline over Andy Kendrick as the visitors moved into a two frames lead.

Ian Atkinson did manage to pull one frame back for the home side before Ken Francis levelled things up niceley with a 65-35 win over Craig Wilton.

That left Roland Hassall to secure victory for the Little Dawley side as he calmly took the deciding frame 60-26 against Alan Francis to leave the visitors happy with a winning start to the campaign.

Another team happy with their winning start was Pot Black D after coming from behind to record a 4-1 win over a new look Hills Lane B.

Alan Morris gave the Madeley side the early advantage with an excellent 42-30 win over Mick Pearson but he could only sit and watch as the home side took control from there on in.

Mick Egan made it one all against Mick Butler before further wins from Rob Palin and Kirk Stephenson put the Oakengates side well and truly in the driving seat.

Neil Pearson then left the result in no doubt with a final frame victory over Matt Davis to leave the final score four frames to one in favour of the Pot Black team.

STEVE FLETCHER    

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

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