Wellington Billiard Hall C may well be the dark horses in the race for promotion to division one of the Telford Snooker League. Their 5-0 demolition of fellow title chasers Wellington Billiard Hall E has seen them move up to fifth place in the table, just six points behind leaders Shifnal E and with a game in hand.

Paul Lucas became only the third person this season to defeat Nigel Stallard as the C team took an early lead. Laki Badhan then doubled their advantage with a 38-28 victory over John Powell before Dave Blagbrough's 61-38 success over Chris Morris made it 3-0.

Ray Evans was unable to stop the rot as John Rawlins won the next frame by 67 points to 30 to leave Wayne Weeks to put the seal on a superb win for the C side by claiming the final frame of the evening 45-36 against Paul Wilkes.

The E team's defeat sees them drop to third in the table, four points adrift of Shifnal E who remain top following a 3-2 success away at Pot Black D.

Aaron Sparkes set them on their way with a 63-27 opening frame win over Mick Pearson. Rob Wright continued his recent good form by taking the next on the pink from Rob Palin before Kirk Stephenson pulled a frame back for the home side with a good win over Chris Petford.

Jeff Sparkes' 70-31 defeat of Mick Egan restored Shifnal's two frame lead only for the final frame to go the home side's way when Neil Person narrowly defeated Fred Harper on the pink.

Those three points elevate Shifnal's E side to the top of the table, three points ahead of rivals Shifnal F who had a bye this week. Billiard Hall E lie third - a further point behind on 46 points but ahead of fourth placed Coddon B by virtue of having won one more match.

Coddon B will therefore be ruing having suffered only their fourth defeat of the season as they entertained their C team and fell to a 3-2 reverse.

All looked well early on though as Mark Wall gave the B team the lead with a narrow 47-34 win over Sef Tusel and Andy Jones followed up by taking the next frame too from John Whitehouse.

However, the C team lads never gave up and the fightback began when Matt Bothwell claimed the third frame from Steve Downs. Don Bayliss' 67-56 win over Nick Pearce drew then level and set up an exciting finale between Phil Szklarzewicz and Ray Whitehead.

And it was Ray who held his nerve to edge out Phil in a tense finish as he took the frame by 58 points to 41 to seal a fine 3-2 win for Coddon C.

Despite this loss, Coddon B are still well placed to mount a serious charge for promotion to division 1 as they are still only four points off the lead.

At the other end of the table, Shifnal D and Anstice B both fell to 4-1 defeats to leave them both in danger of slipping into division 3. Shifnal D's defeat came at home to fellow strugglers Pot Black D and has therefore opened up a slight gap between the two, with the Oakengates side moving up to fourth from bottom with 27 points - four points more than Shifnal who, despite having won more matches than the rest of the teams around them, still find themselves rooted to the foot of the table.

Paul Crooks gave Pot Black A the perfect start with a 51-36 win over Mick Guest. Neil Robinson then weighed in with a 32 break to deny Terry Askew as Shifnal fell two frames down early on.

And things didn't get any easier for Shifnal when Mick Thompson took the next frame too from George Nelson. However, they did have something to cheer about when Sanjay Chauhan stepped up to take on Tom Firmstone. The home player won an exciting and high-scoring frame by just two points 61-59 to give Shifnal a potential lifeline.

However, with Dave Welsh taking the final frame over Barrie Easthope the Pot Black side went away satisfied with a good performance to ease their own relegation worries.

Anstice B's 4-1 defeat at the hands of Audco, leaves them precariously placed just four points off bottom slot on 27 points, level with both Pot Black A and Pot Black D.

Paul Smith and Neil Hendy gave Audco just the start they were looking for with wins over Stewart Wimbush and Nigel Wallcroft respectively.

Ray Hendy then made it 3-0 before the visitors saw a glimmer of hope when Bill Watson defeated Mark Matthews 60-33 to pull one frame back.

But with Chris Austin notching a 28 break on the way to a 54-42 final frame victory over George Hammond, the Audco were left to celebrate their eighth win of the season to consolidate their mid-table position.

Maddocks C's 3-2 win over Billiard Hall X seems to have kept them away from the drop zone as they now have 30 points from 14 games.

Jim Hill set the ball rolling with a 52-18 success over A Ali and although M Alyas drew the visitors level by taking the next 44-30 from Dave Thomas, Joe Oliver soon restored Maddock's lead.

Billy Rushton looked as though he might be adding to Maddock's tally when he knocked in a break of 25 against M Shadab - but it wasn't enough to prevent the Billiard Hall from levelling as a 68-37 win for the Wellington man drew his side level.

And with the visitors unable to field a last man, it was Maddocks who recorded their sixth win of the season to keep them three points away from the relegation pack.

DIVISION 3

Little Dawley C still head the third division table - although with no result yet in from their match with Maddocks D their lead at the top has been cut to just two points. Hills Lane B head the chasing pack after recording their ninth win of the season against Bayley B.

The Welsh Wizard Paul Jones left was unable to conjure up any of his usual magic as Lee Harris took the opening frame to give Hills Lane the lead.

Steve weaver put the home side two up with a black ball win over young Danny Oliver, who was unlucky to lose out by just two points after compiling a 20 break early on.

Andy Morris then made it three before the ever-dependable Dicky Beddall pulled a frame back for the Bayley with a 59-34 win over home captain Kev Davies.

And although Richie Jones had a 23 break in the last, it was the Bayley man, Paul Easthope who ran out the winner by 64 points to 30 to leave the final score 3-2 in favour of the Madeley side.

Hills Lane had started the day level on points with Maddocks B - but the Oakengates slipped to a 4-1 defeat at Wellington Billiard Hall B to drop down one place to third.

Kev Whitehead led the way with a fine break of 43 - the highest in the division so far, to take the opening frame from Steve Pritchard and the Wellington side took the next frame too thanks to Roy Francis' 67-34 win over former Billiard Hall player Doug Morrey.

John Archer did manage to pull one frame back for the visitors with an excellent 54-36 win over Ken Francis, but it was all his side could muster as Iain Atkinson and Allen Francis, the latter on the black, took the last two frames for a 4-1 win to the Wellington side.

Anstice C have almost silently crept their way up to fourth spot in the table and they now lie just five points off the lead following an excellent win at Bayley C.

It has taken 14 weeks for Division Three basement boys Bayley C to succumb to a 5-0 defeat, but that's what they were dealt when visitors Anstice C rolled into town.

Steve Ward opened the Madeley side's account by defeating Chris Haycox before Kevin Smith outpointed a disappointing Craig Johnson.

The outcome off third frame swung several ways before Bayley's in-form Pete Woodcock lost out to John Smith 39-25.

The night was hardly young when Ian Johnson took to the table for the fourth frame at 10:15pm, but opponent Jason Mills wasn't concerned as he recorded chalk 4, before Steve Camp potted his way to a fine win against home skipper Craig Whitehead to seal a super night for the promotion chasing side.

The Wellington side will be looking forward to the return of some key players to help take on all of the division's tops sides over the next few weeks.

Bayley D are one point behind the Anstice after recording their seventh win so far with a 3-2 triumph over Little Dawley G.

The Wellington side welcomed back Brian Aberdeen and the Bayley favourite produced a brilliant comeback to force the second frame to a re-spotted black, before drilling in the final ball for a 53-46 win over Garry Clements. Brian's heroics balanced out Graham Copson's opening frame win for the visitors over Bill France and inspired Darren Rhoades to another black ball win as he took frame three from Gary Clifford 43-41.

Captain courageous Steve Lane then made it 3-1 with a close 54-38 win over Ray Leneveu only for the visitors to claim the final frame of the evening through Dave Leneveu's 59-47 defeat of Dave Dudley.

Wellington billiard hall F was also in fine form to record an excellent 4-1 win over bottom of the table Newport British Legion.

Rob Cook and Richard Tranter gave them a two frame lead early on and things got even better for the home side when captain Chris Durham played brilliantly in the next to deny Keith Gardner.

Alan Davies' 56-24 win over Steve Williams reduced the deficit to 3-1 only for Steve Weatherall to take the last for the Billiard Hall against Mike Doverskog to complete a good night for the Wellington side

DIVISION 1

Hills Lane A maintained their six point lead over closest rivals Coddon A at the top of the first division after both sides recorded similar 3-2 wins.

The Madeley side made the trip to the team who have historically been their greatest adversaries. However Wellington Billiard Hall soon found themselves two frames down after Matt Bailey's 68-35 success over young Ian Eldridge and Shaun Harris' 70-43 triumph over Morton Hughes.

Nigel Fletcher replied for the home side with a fine victory over Tim Hicks as the Billiard Hall began to fight back. Graham Darrall made no mistake either as he drew the Wellington side all square with a fine win over Darren Pountney only for Ian Duffy to seal Hills Lane's thirteenth win in fourteen with a final frame win over Andrew Kendrick.

Coddon A's 3-2 win came at home to Dawley A but they will have been disappointed to have let a 3-0 lead slip as they attempt to reduce the gap at the top of the table.

Zenon Lembicz put them in front with an opening frame success over Chris Woods. Adrian Smith followed suit to post a 52-25 win over Gaz Bradshaw before Lee Szklarzewicz sealed the next frame with a 46 break to deny Mark Jones.

Rock Bailey hit back for Dawley with a 31 break to pull a frame back by taking frame four 64-45 from Ian Ferriday leaving a rejuvenated Barry Roden to rise to the occasion with a superb 59-47 win over Darren Weston.

Anstice A move up to third on the back of a 3-2 win over lowly Bayley A - and they had to come from behind as the visitors took a shock 2-0 lead.

Arthur Burrows will have to forget the key to his cue case more often - as he had to borrow teammate Chris Morgan-Adams "self potting" cue to take on John Jones in the first frame of the evening.

And Arthur found the new cue to his liking as he potted blue, pink and black for a 52-48 win to give the Bayley the lead.

Steve Fletcher made it 2-0 with a 56-38 win over Nick Oakley before the home side hit back in some style.

Neil Price soon reduced the deficit with a 60 break against Bob Mason - Neil looked all set to clear the table but missed a tough final brown along the top cushion. Nonetheless the tide had turned and Phil Reynolds drew the Anstice level with victory over Steve Nicholls by 66 points to 41.

The best frame of the evening saw two of the league's best potters come together as Chris Morgan-Adams took an early 20 point lead against Madeley's Keith Price.

A fine 25 break saw the initiative swing Keith's way only for Chris to take 24 before potting the penultimate red only to see the white agonizingly drop into the middle pocket.

Keith later took the last red and all the colours down to the pink to end a high quality, quick-fire frame and give the Anstice an important win as they chase the Coddon for a possible runners-up prize.

Broseley A are hot on their heals though despite falling to a 3-2 defeat away to Minnesota fats.

John Wright gave the home side the lead with a black ball win over Paul Humphries only for John Shepherd to draw Broseley level by taking the next 66-53 from Steve Collins.

Richie Hulme then put Broseley in front before Kev west took another close frame 54-46 to deny Simon McLeod as the home side drew level once more.

That left Paul Devey to tip the balance in favour of the home side with a final frame win over Tony Butler to leave Minnesota triumphant by three frame to two.

At the other end of the table, Little Dawley A found themselves drifting back towards the relegation zone after falling to a 5-0 reverse at the hands of Maddocks A.

Darren Wincott gave Maddocks just the start they were looking for with a fine 56-43 win over Richie Heighway

A closely fought second frame also went to the visitors when some excellent potting saw Phil Davis safely through to a 59-49 win over Graham Wiley. Ian Skelton never looked back after a great start against Jesse Lowe to put Maddocks three up and things didn't get any easier for the home side as Dave France won the battle of the two captains to defeat Rick Cousins 54-24 for a 4-0 lead.

And although Ade Henry clawed his way back from needing three snookers against Leigh France, the Maddocks man eventually took the frame 55-42 to complete the whitewash and leave Little Dawley perilously close to rejoining the relegation battle.

JESSE LOWE SEALS INTER-TOWN VICTORY

Telford A moved into the third round of the West Midlands Inter-Town competition with a close fought 5-2 win over local rivals Oakengates last week.

The match had generated a fair bit of interest and it was nice to see so many people turn up at the Bayley Club to see the two teams do battle.

There was an unlikely hero for the "home" side too as the spectators were treated to a superb display of table craft from Little Dawley's Jesse Lowe. Jesse, who didn't know he was playing until the night before, used all his experience to claw back an eight point deficit on the colours to deny Oakengates captain Dave France on the brown and clinch the all important fourth frame that Telford needed to make sure of victory.

The home side had raced into an early 3-1 lead with Ian Duffy making a 28 break before finally potting the green and all the colours to take the first frame against Phil Davis by 73 points to 36.

Shaun Harris produced his usual solid display against Darren Wincott to put Telford two up and a keenly fought third frame saw Anstice's Keith Price come out on top against Darren Pountney.

Ian Skelton pulled a frame back for Oakengates with a controlled display of potting and safety play to defeat Neil Price by 64 points to 27 to leave the best of seven frames match delicately poised at 3-1.

That meant that Telford need just one frame to progress into the next round - and with two tables in use the match looked at one stage as if it could be heading for a final frame decider.

Rick Bailey was in tremendous form for Oakengates on table 1 and despite some excellent escapes from seemingly impossible snookers there was nothing debutante Martin Watkins could do to prevent Rick pulling another frame back for the visitors. And with the game on table 2 proving to be a tight affair there were a few nails being bitten before Jesse popped up with several crucial snookers to seal victory for the Telford.

And with Steve Fletcher coming out on top in the final frame against Leigh France the home side were able to look forward to a place in the last eight of this prestigious competition.

STEVE FLETCHER    

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

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