What a week it has been for the top teams in Division 2 of the Telford Snooker League with all four of the teams hoping for promotion to the top flight playing each other.

Coddon B are the new leaders after a superb 4-1 win over Wellington Billiard Hall E sees them head the table for the first time this season as they take over at the top from Shifnal F who fell to a disappointing 4-1 defeat in the derby game with their E team.

Mark Wall's black ball win over Pete Wilkes gave Coddon B just the incentive they needed as they took on a Wellington Billiard Hall side lying second in the table at start of play.

John Powell's 70-25 defeat of Andy Jones drew the visitors level but it was all downhill from then on for the Wellington side as Coddon took all three of the remaining frames for a 4-1 win.

But it wasn't as easy as it sounds with the next two frames proving close affairs as first Steve Downs accounted for Ray Evans by 63 points to 52 and then Phil Szklarzewicz saw off the challenge of Chris Morris 66-42 to put the home side 3-1 up.

And with Nick Pearce taking the final frame over Nigel Stallard, the Donnington side move into top spot a point ahead of former leaders Shifnal F who drop down to second following a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Shifnal E.

Aaron Sparkes led the way for the E side with a fine win over Wally Harper. Wally had an opportunity on the last three colours but unluckily saw the blue hang over the pocket enough for Aaron to clear up to give the home side the perfect start with a frame-winning score of 47-21.

Aaron's dad Jeff then made it 2-0 after a ding dong battle with Spencer Rowley ended with the E team man potting a superb final black to take the frame 57-47.

The rocket Rob Wright may have slowed down somewhat in recent weeks - but he was back to his best again as he made the match safe with a emphatic win over Chris Painter who was forced to concede on the yellow.

'Dependable' Dave Peplow put did manage to put some spirit back into the F side as he took the last four colours to beat Fred Harper 54-29 but Chris Petford then popped up to put the icing on the cake for Shifnal E with a convincing win over Nev Whitehead to put his side back in contention for the silverware as they move up to fourth place five points behind the leaders, but with a game in hand.

Shifnal F are by no means out of the race themselves though as they still lie second - just one point behind Coddon B but with a game in hand over the Donnington side and third placed Wellington Billiard Hall E who, with 58 points are four points adrift of the leaders.

Wellington Billiard Hall C remain fifth following an excellent 4-1 win over their X team.

John Rawlins and Laki Badham set them on their way by taking the opening two frames from A Mahmood and Bill Gathercole only for A Ali to retrieve the third frame for the X Men with a close 67-54 victory over Wayne Weeks.

Dave Blagbrough soon restored the home side's two frame advantage by taking frame four from M Shabir leaving Alex Turnbull to wrap things up with a black ball finish against M Shadab.

Their victory leaves the C side on 54 points - and although they are eight points off the lead they do have a game in hand on both Coddon B and Billiard Hall E above them.

Audco secured their tenth win of the season when they travelled to Shifnal to play the War Memorial Club's D team.

Chris Austin was the Newport side's hero, taking the deciding frame by 57 points to 29 to deny Barrie Easthope as the visitors completed a 3-2 win.

Pete Smith had earlier given Audco the lead with a 60-40 win over Steve Morse only for the home side to reply through Terry Askew's black ball win over Ray Hendy and Geoff French's 40-19 victory against Neil Hendy.

Mark Matthews kept Audco's hopes alive though with a 59-49 defeat of Mick Smith leaving Chris Austin to tidy things up by taking the decider.

Jim Hill set Maddocks C on the way to a 3-2 triumph over near neighbours Pot Black A, notching a 27 break on the way to an opening frame win over Phil Crooks.

But the home side's lead was short-lived as Neil Robinson's 49-26 success over Geoff Hoof squared things up at one frame apiece.

Wins from Dave Thomas, on the black against Mike Thompson, and Joe Oliver who beat Toby Welsh 52-26, put the result beyond doubt as Maddocks took a 3-1 lead only for Dave Welsh to claim the final frame 56-45 against Billy Rushton to leave the final score 3-2 to Maddocks.

Pot Black D fared somewhat better then their A side as they entertained Coddon C and came out on top by four frames to one.

Mick Pearson won a high scoring first frame 71-49 against Sef Tusel only for Mat Bothwell to level with a 56-44 win over Rob Palin.

Mick Egan restored Pot Black's lead with a 57-36 frame score against Don Bayliss and 2-1 soon became 3-1 as Kirk Stevenson made no mistake against Fraser MacKinnon.

And the home side saved the best to last, with Neil Pearson compiling breaks of 32 and 31 on the way to taking the final frame from Ray Whitehead to put the seal on a fine 4-1 win in favour of the Oakengates side.

DIVISION 3

It's still close at the top of the third division as just three points divide no fewer than six teams who are all in the hunt for the second promotion place.

With leader's Little Dawley C having all but secured their place in Division 2 next season with a 3-2 win away to Maddocks D, the race is now between the next six sides to see who will join them in division two come the end of the season.

Hills Lane B currently occupy that second berth - but only by a single point after a 4-1 win over bottom of the table Newport British Legion.

Steve Powell set them on their way with a 61-35 opening frame victory over John Yapp and they never looked back with Lee Harris and Steve Weaver taking the next two frames over Dave Edwards and Manjit Gidda respectively.

Richy Jones then made it 4-1 with a 60-31 defeat of Mike Doverskog and only a last gasp black ball win for Alan Davies rescued a point for Newport with a 42-35 final frame score against home captain Kev Davis.

Bayley B drop down to third following a 3-2 revere at fellow promotion hopefuls Little Dawley G - however things could have been worse had they not rallied to take the last two frames of the evening.

Chris Gifford gave the home side the prefect start with a fine 41-31 defeat of Bayley captain Bob Tracey and the home side continued to shine with Graham Copson and Dave Leneveu taking the next two frames to put them into a commanding 3-0 lead.

However young Danny Oliver held his nerve to rescue frame four for the Bayley with a 47-30 success over Gary Clements and the visitors kept their own promotion hopes on track with Dicky Beddall's 51-29 win over Ray Leneveu in the last frame to leave the Bayley in third with 49 points overall - a point ahead of both Little Dawley G and Maddocks B.

Maddocks B stay in the hunt for honours after holding runaway league leaders Little Dawley C to a narrow 3-2 win.

The Little Dawley side recorded their fifteenth win in eighteen starts to open up an eleven point gap over second placed Hills Lane B - but they had to work hard for three points with young Lee Elcock sealing victory with a 63-30 deciding frame win over Geoff Tudor.

Byron Mitchell gave the leaders the lead with a narrow 62-52 win over Doug Morrey and things continued to go their way in the next with Mike King coming out on top against Steve Pritchard.

Veteran Les Hicks was determined not to let his side slip further behind and made no mistake against Steve Farrington to pull a frame back for Maddocks with a 68-47 win over the Little Dawley captain.

John Archer then drew Maddocks level with a superb black ball win over Lee Drinkwater but the home side were unable to complete the comeback with Lee Elcock claiming the decider for a 3-2 win to Little Dawley.

Maddocks now have 48 points - the same as Wellington Billiard Hall F after they came out on top by the odd frame at home to Wellington Billiard Hall B.

Rob Cook gave the F string the lead by the narrowest of margins - winning out by just a single point against Alan Francis.

Kev Whitehead drew the B team level by taking the next against Steve Weatherall only for Chris Durham - no doubt spurred on by West Bromwich Albion's recent good form - put the "home" side in front again with a 51-14 victory over Graham Hughes.

Ron Francis made it all square again soon afterwards though as his 51-26 win over Richard Tranter set up the deciding frame between Chris Fletcher and Ian Atkinson.

And it was the F team man who kept his cool to win through by 69 points to 29 to keep the F side in with a shout of promotion to division 2.

Bayley D's chances of promotion are not so much in with a shout now as a whisper following a 4-1 reverse at home to Anstice C.

Steve Ward opened the scoring for the visitors with a black ball win over Bill France and John Smith followed with another close victory, 54-43 against Darren Rhoades.

Kev Smith put the Anstice further in front by taking the next against Brian Aberdeen to leave the Bayley side still pointless after three frames.

However, just as things looked bleak for the Bayley up stepped home captain Steve Lane to brighten up proceedings with his luminous red socks.
And they did the track as he dazzled his way to a 26 break to pull a frame back with a 54-32 win over Jason Mills which left his team-mates vowing to all wear red socks for next weeks' match.

Dave Dudley's socks didn't quite have the same power as Steve Camp took the final frame for the Anstice to leave the Madeley side victorious by four frame to one.

Bayley C suffered a similar fate as their D team - going down to a 4-1 defeat at home to Maddocks D.

Brendan Wincott took the opening frame against Pete Woodcock and Ken Davies doubled their advantage with a 53-46 success over Chris Haycox as the visitors took control.

Roy Lowe and Colin Smith then made it 4-0 with wins over Mick Healy and Craig Whitehead respectively before Jim Lewis saved the day for the Wellington side with a 56-31 win over Martin Wincott.

DIVISION 1

Martin Watkins was in excellent form for Bayley A as the bottom of the table side took the lead against league leaders Hills Lane A.

Martin, opened up with a 46 break to take the first frame against Ian Duffy who also had a run of 31 - but despite their bright start the home side were unable to capitalize and Hills Lane eventually ran out 4-1 winners.

It could have been very different though as Andy O'Brien was unlucky not to make it 2-0, knocking in a 30 break only to lose out on the black to Mat Bailey.

Tim Hick's 47-25 win over John Squire put the visitors in front and they never looked back as Darren Pountney and Shaun Harris secured Hills Lane's seventeenth win in eighteen to consolidate their lead at the top of the table.

Coddon remain second - eight points behind Hills Lane - after they too came from behind to defeat last season's runners-up Wellington Billiard Hall A4-1.

Nigel Fletcher took the first frame for the home side on the black against Ian Ferriday but Darren Weston soon drew Coddon level with a 56 break against Morton Hughes.

Adrian Smith put the visitors in front with a black ball win over Ian Eldridge and with Terry Brenthall getting the better of Andy Kendrick, and Dave Lloyd coming out on top against Alan Turner, the Donnington completed a good 4-1 win.

As a result, Coddon have opened up a seven point gap over third placed Anstice A who slipped to a surprise 4-1 defeat at home to Broseley A.

Things seemed to be going to plan for the Madeley side as Adam Moore took the first frame against John Shepherd with runs of 30 and 25.

Richie Hulme replied with breaks of 35 and 50 to level matters against Nick Oakley and Paul Humphries put Broseley in front with a 60-47 success over Neil Price.

Simon McLeod followed with an identical scoreline to deny Keith Price leaving Mick Brezwyn to complete a brilliant win for the Broseley outfit with a 69-30 success over John Jones.

Broseley's win keeps them in fifth place, just behind Maddocks A who also recorded a 4-1 win when they entertained Dawley Social.

Darren Wincott took the opening frame for Maddocks with a 25 break against Gaz Bradshaw and further wins from Phil Davis and Dave France put the home side well and truly in the driving seat.

Rick Bailey did manage to give his side some respite as he claimed the next with a 43 break against Leigh France but with Ian Skelton knocking in runs of 30 and 42 to deny Mark Jones in the last, the home side were able to run out comfortable 4-1 winners.

Dawley will have been pleased with their point though as they fight to stave off relegation as they now move a point ahead of Bayley A who returned pointless from their trip to Shifnal A.

John Fallows set Shifnal on their way by taking the opening frame against Steve Fletcher on the blue and things didn't improve for the Bayley as Golden Wonder boy Linsay Knox put in a crisp performance to defeat Bob Mason 63-29.

Roy Martin then doubled the pink the length of the table to complete a 42-24 win over Arthur Burrows as the home side moved further ahead.

Steve Nicholls put up a brave fight in the next to lead by 30 points early on but Andy Easthope replied with a 33 break before taking the frame on the black to put Shifnal four up.

And with Simon Biddulph wrapping things up against Chris Morgan-Adams the visitors returned to Wellington contemplating second division snooker next season as they are now just a point ahead of bottom placed Bayley E and two points behind Little Dawley A after they went to Minnesota in desperate need of some frames to stave away the threat of relegation

They got off to a bad start though as Jon Wright was in sparkling form for the home side defeating Graham Wiley 64 - 15 to put Minnesota in front.

Paul Devey potted well against Richie Heighway, running out a 62 - 26 winner to increase Little Dawley's woes but the visitors didn't have to wait long to have something to shout about as Jesse Lowe held off Paul Smith 52 - 44 to give Little Dawley a chance.

A fine finish to the frame for Rick Cousins gave him a 57 - 37 victory against Kev West to level the scores but unfortunately for the visitors Ade Henry was unable to continue the comeback, and some excellent potting from Keith Blackham saw the home side through 3 - 2.

STEVE FLETCHER    

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

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