It couldn't be closer at the top of the second division of the Telford Snooker League as just three points separate the top four teams after leaders Shifnal F fell to only their third defeat of the season away to Wellington Billiard Hall E.

Indeed, two of those three losses have come against the Wellington side as the Billiard Hall completed the double over their opponents with a resounding 4-1 win to lift them into third place, just a point behind both Shifnal F and Shifnal E who share top spot with 47 points.

Nigel Stallard set the standard by taking the opening frame 64-33 against experienced campaigner Wally Harper and their lead was soon doubled when Chris Morris just pipped Nev Whitehead on the black.

A 26 break from Neville gave him a lead of 19 on the green but alas it was not enough to secure the frame as Chris removed the colours one by one to win 60-54. before an excellent 38 break by Ray Evans against Dave Peplow was enough to seal his frame and put the Wellington boys 3-0 up.

There was some good news for the visitors though as Spencer Rowley saved a point for Shifnal with an 84-21 win over John Powell which included a fine clearance of 35.

Pete Wilkes then hammered home the final nail when he clinched his fame 75-43 against Brian Painter and now with Shifnal having a free week next week, the tables could prove to be very interesting reading come next weekend.

That defeat leaves Shifnal just a point ahead of the Billiard Hall and indeed level on points with their E side after Shifnal E claimed all five points from their home game with Maddocks C.

It could have been different though as the home side only took the first frame after young Aaron Sparkes battled his way back from needing a snooker on the pink to eventually defeat Joe Oliver 44-42 to give Shifnal the lead.

Rob Wright then took the next from Dave Thomas to record his twelfth win of the season to maintain his position at the top of the most wins chart along with the Billiard Hall's Nigel Stallard and Anstice B's Nigel Wallcroft.

Jeff Sparkes then made it three in a row for Shifnal by defeating Graham Hoof 58-21 and with Chris Petford and Fred Harper taking the last two frames against Jim Hill and Billy Rushton respectively, the home side were left to celebrate a fantastic 5-0 triumph to move them ever-closer to that coveted first division place.

However they will have to maintain their current form as Coddon B are also in the hunt for promotion following a 4-1 win away at Anstice B.

Mark Wall and Andy Jones soon put the Donnington side two up before Steve Downs took the next frame too against John Darrock.

Nick Pearce then edged out George Hammond 58-41 to put the visitors four frames up only for Nigel Wallcroft to continue his excellent form of late with a fine 61-36 win over Phil Szklarzewicz to rescue a point for the Madeley side.

Coddon's win leaves sees them in fourth spot on 44 points, just three off the lead and a massive seven points ahead of Wellington Billiard Hall C in fifth.

However, Billiard Hall C could still have a strong say in the promotion battle as the result from last week's game at Coddon C is not yet in and with them having had a bye the previous week the league table shows them ten points behind the leaders on 37 points from only twelve games played.

Wellington Billiard Hall X maintained their mid-table position despite falling to a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Audco A.

Paul Smith gave the Newport side the perfect start with a 61-28 win over Bill Cathercole and things got even better for the visitors when Chris Austin rattled in a 29 break on the way to making it 2-0 against A Khan.

A Ali hit back for the X men with a handy 70-32 win over Ray Hendy before M Shadab squared things up at two frames all by taking the next 57-37 against Mark Matthew.

However with the home side unable to field a last man, Audco were able to record their seven win of the season by taking the match by three frames to two.

It may be tight at the top of the table, and the same could be said at the other end too after Pot Black D eased their relegation worries with a 4-1 win in the derby match with their A side.

Mick Mick Pearson led the way with an opening frame win over Paul Crooks but Tom Firmstone soon levelled for the A Team with a fine 61-34 success over Mick Egan.

Rob Palin's 59-33 defeat of Neil Robinson restored the D side's lead and they never looked back as further wins from Kirk Stephenson over Bob Lane and Neil Pearson against Toby Welsh sealed a well earned win for the D team to move them two points clear of both Pot Black A and Shifnal D at the foot of the table.

DIVISION 1

Coddon A's hopes of lifting the Division 1 title took a knock last week when they fell to only their second defeat of the campaign, going down by four frames to one at near-neighbours Maddocks A.

Spurred on by Darren Wincott's excellent opening frame win over Lee Szklarzewicz, the Maddocks team produced possibly their best result of the season in what was a closely fought contest.

Ian Skelton added a second when he defeated Zenon Lembicz by just eight points before a 30 break helped Phil Davis safely over the line with a 51-41 victory over Darren Weston.

Dave Lloyd did pull a frame back for the Coddon when he won the battle of the captains with a 59-47 success over his opposite number Dave France only for Leigh France to win yet another close game 68-55 against Ian Ferriday.

With Coddon losing, leaders Hills Lane A were able to extend their lead to six points with a superb 4-1 win over Anstice A who started the day in third spot.

Ian Duffy had to come from behind to take the first frame from Neil Price as did Shaun Harris who won the next on the pink against Nick Oakley.

Keith Price retrieved a point for the Anstice with a fine 58-27 win over his former team-mate Matt Bailey only for Darren Pountney, who has hit a rich vein of form just lately, to deny Mick Cahill to put the home side two frames ahead once more.

And with Tim Hicks taking the final frame too, the reigning Champions look all set to retain their crown for yet another year.

Anstice A's defeat sees them slip one place to fourth, with Broseley overtaking them into third spot by a single point following on from their 4-1 victory against Bayley E.

Richie Hulme set the ball rolling with a 53-15 win over Martin Watkins and the home side continued to dominate as Carl Walker and Mick Brezwyn took the next two frames against Steve Hoof and Ali Jones respectively.

The visitor's only consolation was John Squire's excellent win over Kelvin McLeod in frame four as Simon McLeod made no mistake in the next against Bayley captain David France to wrap up Broseley's seventh win of the season.

That defeat plunges Bayley E to the bottom of the table, a point behind Bayley A, who also lost when they entertained Wellington Billiard Hall A.

Nigel Fletcher was in brilliant form to take the first frame from Steve Nicholls as the Billiard Hall moved in front. However, Bayley hero Bob Mason came up trumps for the home side by taking the next on the pink against Morton Hughes to make it all square at one frame apiece.

Ian Eldridge wasted no time in restoring the visitor's lead as he rattled in a quick fire 35 break to defeat Dennis Fletcher and 2-1 soon became 3-1 as Andrew Kendrick powered his way to victory in the next.

And although Steve Fletcher did manage to salvage another point for the Bayley by taking the final frame against Alan Turner it was only enough to move the Bayley side a point away from bottom place in the table.

Dawley Social on the other hand, did their survival prospects a power of good with a 3-2 home win over Minnesota Fats.

Gaz Bradshaw put them in front with a close 54-42 win over Paul Devey only for Steve Collins to level for last season's Division 2 Runners Up by taking the next from the in form Mark Jones.

Chris Woods' 58-40 defeat of Kevin Blackham put the home side in front again, only for Paul Smith to reply for Minnesota with a fourth frame success over Barry Roden.

That left the ever-dependable Rick Bailey to complete Dawley's fourth win of the campaign with a high-scoring 76-57 win over Kev West to leave Dawley a point off the relegation places.

Little Dawley A are now four points off the drop after gaining two valuable points from their trip to play Shifnal A.

And they could have come away with an even better result but for the fact that John Fallows took the opening frame for Shifnal on the black against Richie Heighway. The Little Dawley player started brightly and was unlucky to see his white go in off when potting his fourth consecutive black - but it was the Shifnal man who held his nerve after clawing his way back into the game to clinch the frame by 57 points to 51.

The second frame went all the way to the final black as well but this time it went Little Dawley's way after Linsay Knox missed a vital brown allowing Jesse Lowe the opportunity he needed to take the last four colours for a frame score of 45 points to 39.

Visiting captain Rick Cousins then watched a 35 point lead disappear after calling a foul on himself and leaving one of the last reds over the bag. Andy Easthope duly stepped up and cleared the colours down to the pink to put Shifnal ahead again.

Ade Henry then continued his recent good form with some good long pots to draw the visitors level and set up the deciding frame which, in keeping with the rest of the match, proved to be a close affair.

Simon Biddulph took the early initiative only for Graham Wiley to miss a difficult blue, leaving Simon to sink the blue and pink for a 3-2 win to the Shifnal side.

DIVISION 3

Byron Mitchell set Little Dawley C on their way with a 67-27 win over Rob Cook as the third division leaders took on and beat Wellington Billiard Hall F by three frames to two.

Chris Durham soon levelled matters with an excellent 49-28 success over Lee Drinkwater only for Steve Farrington and Lee Elcock to put the home side in the driving seat with wins over Chris Fletcher and Steve Williams respectively.

However, it was the visitors who had the final say as Steven Weatherall rallied from Mike King's 29 break to eventually take the frame for the Billiard Hall on the final black to leave the final score 3-2 to the Little Dawley outfit.

They now head the table by five points ahead of Hills Lane B who enjoyed a similar result from their away game at Anstice C.

Lee Harris put them in front and captain Kev Davis doubled the lead by taking the next frame 52-41 over Frank Williams.

Steve Weaver made it 3-0 with a black ball win over Kev Smith before the home side found their feet with Jason Mills' 51-27 defeat of Steve Powell.

And the score took on a much better complexion for the Anstice when Steve Camp secured the last frame of the evening with a 54-28 win over Richie Jones.

Maddocks B share second spot with the Hills Lane side after falling to a fifth defeat of the season in the derby match with the Oakengates club's D side.

This was probably the D side's best win of the season and it was Brendan Wincott who opened the scoring with a black ball finish against Les Hicks to give them the lead and they went further ahead when Colin Smith accounted for Doug Morrey in the next.

John Archer's narrow 58-39 victory over Christine Eldridge pulled a frame back for the "home" side only for Roy Lowe to restore the D team's two frame advantage by beating Tony O'Neil.

However, with Geoff Tudor taking the final frame for the B side with a 22 break, the final score saw the D Team, who are second from bottom, come out on top by the odd frame.

Bayley B are now two points further back from both Hills Lane B and Maddocks B after they too fell to a 3-2 reverse against Bayley C.

Their night got off to the worst of starts when Pete Woodcock continued his spellbinding form for the C side to defeat Paul Easthope 69-33.

Bob Tracey then produced a Captain's performance to take the second frame from a 'luckless' Craig Whitehead, to square the match.

The visitors then drew blood again with Jim Lewis taking the third frame from Danny Oliver 67-23, before Ian Johnson never put a foot wrong in securing only the C sides fourth win of the season by outpointing Welsh Wizard Paul Jones 67-30.

Bob Tracey's title contenders salvaged the important final point of the night when Dickie Beddall took an exciting last frame against Mick Healey 69-39 to leave the scoreline 3-2 in favour of the basement boys.

Bayley D had captain courageous Steve Lane in magnificent form once again as they took the lead away to Newport British Legion B.

The Bayley captain took the opening frame against John Yapp before Bill France took centre stage with a black ball win over Alan Davies. The Bayley boys were well pleased with Bill's performance as it was the perfect birthday present for Ice Man on the eve of his 60th birthday.

Darren Rhoades continued the trend by taking the third frame as well for the visitors before Keith Gardner rescued a point for the home side with an excellent 42-30 win over the in-form Dave Williams.

However Mike Doverskog was unable to follow Keith's lead and Dave Dudley took the last frame for the Bayley to leave the final score 4-1 to the visitors.

Little Dawley G had to come from behind to defeat Wellington Billiard Hall B after Gareth Hughes had put the visitors ahead with a 24 break to deny Paul Perks 50-33.

Graham Copson took his own personal tally to eleven wins out of thirteen when he defeated Allen Francis 53-44 only to see Kevin Whitehead restore the Billiard Hall's lead with a 27 break against Graham Clements.

The frame scores were soon level again though as Dave Leneveu got the better of Iain Atkinson and Little Dawley sealed a 3-2 win when Ray Leneveu took the decider against Roy Francis on the final black.

Two results from the intermediate cup matches have been received which saw Shifnal E safely through to the next round of the main cup and Little Dawley A into round two of the Consolation Cup.

After an impressive first round cup defeat of Anstice B, Bayley C were drawn against second division highfliers Shifnal E in the preliminary round of the "Paul The Window Cleaner" sponsored cup, hoping that an advantage of 95 would be sufficient to see them through.

But the islanders had other ideas and quickly set about eradicating the third division team's handicap.

After Fred Harper, and then father and son pairing of Jeff and Aaron Sparkes had put their cues away, a 95 deficit had been turned into a 67 point advantage, without the Bayley players having had even a handful of chances between themselves.

With Bayley skipper Craig Whitehead returning to his old stomping ground, a glimmer of hope was always evident, and with a 31 point victory over Chris Petford reducing the minus column to 36, the Bayley considered themselves still in with a sporting chance.

However any thoughts of a second successive "fairytale" cup result for the Wellington boys soon bit the dust when Shifnal skipper Rob Wright took the table. With a potting streak that made Bayley's potting guru Pete Woodcock's jaw drop, Rob stormed to an unstoppable 85-29 victory over Jim Lewis, to book the islanders place in the first round proper of the cup.

Jesse Lowe was in great form for Little Dawley A as they booked their place in the next round of the Consolation Cup. Breaks of 37 and 20 helped Jesse to victory over Mark Wall only for the Coddon to hit back straight way through Andy Jones' 58-38 win over Graham Wiley.

Richie Heighway then put the home side in a strong position going into the last two frames as some excellent potting helped him to a 57-29 win over Steve Downs.

Home captain Rick Cousins described the next frame as a disaster waiting to happen - and although he admitted to not playing at all badly himself, his opponent Nick Pearce was in top form with some superb long potting to take the frame by 65 points to 26.

And despite a brave fight by Phil Szklarzewicz, it was the Little Dawley side that progressed to the next round as Ade Henry potted the final pink to see the home side to victory by an overall aggregate score of 270 points to 249.

STEVE FLETCHER    

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

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