Wellington Billiard Hall E will be playing first division snooker next season after a 4-1 win over their X team ensured them of second place in the Telford Snooker League second division - behind Champions Shifnal F who ended their season with a 3-2 home win over Maddocks C.

The runners-up spot had been in doubt right up to the final night's matches so the Billiard Hall players must have been relieved to have finished their campaign on such a high note - finishing two points clear of Coddon B who once again fell just short of a return to the first division having been relegated a few seasons ago.

Nigel Stallard gave Billiard Hall E the perfect start with a 52-35 win over D Khan but the X men were soon level as A Ali took the next frame on the black against John Powell.

Chris Morris restored the E team's lead by beating M Shabir 52-16 and they never looked back from then on as Pete Wilkes made it 3-1 with a close 43-40 win over Bill Gathercole and Ray Evans won a nail-biting fifth frame 49-39 against M Shadab.

And with Coddon B only managing a 3-2 win at Pot Black D and Shifnal E falling to a 3-2 reverse at home to Billiard Hall C, the E team were able to celebrate gaining promotion to the top flight having narrowly lost out last term.

They will be joined there by Shifnal F who, having started the day five points clear at the top, had already secured promotion.

As it was the Shifnal lads celebrated their Division 2 championship with a 3-2 home win over Maddocks C to end the campaign four points ahead of Billiard Hall E

Spencer Rowley was put into bat first against Graham Hoof and although the scores were level on the colours it was the Shifnal man who reached the tape first with a scoreline of 59-40.

Wally Harper then made it 2-0 by defeating Dave Thomas 51-24 but Jim Hill then pulled one back for the foundry men by pipping Nev Whitehead on the blue 65-40.

Brian Painter playing only his fourth league game and deputising for son Chris, then took on Joey Oliver and played a blinder, snatching victory on the last pink to win 57-35.

Last frame and on stage came the 'Rock' Dave Peplow versus the 'Gritter' Bill Rushton. The frame went all the way with Dave taking from yellow to pink with a reasonable potting chance on the black, but alas it wasn't to be and Bill stepped up to take a cracking pot on the black to end all hopes of Dave taking the divisions best averages.

Coddon B's hopes of a return to the top flight were put on hold for another year at least as they ended their season with a 3-2 win away to Pot Black D.

Mick Pearson's 58-21 defeat of Mark Wall gave the home side the lead but they failed to build on Mick's opening salvo and the Donnington side won the next three frames on the trot.

Andy Jones levelled matters with a 68-23 win over Rob Palin and further wins from Steve Downs against Mick Egan and Phil Szklarzewicz who beat Kirk Stephenson put the Coddon into a commanding 3-1 lead.

Neil Pearson had the last say for Pot Black though as he claimed the fifth and final frame 59-40 to deny Nick Pearce and leave Coddon in third spot - two points shy of the runners-up spot.

Shifnal E's season petered out to a disappointing end when, having promised so much early on, they fell to a 3-2 home defeat against Wellington Billiard Hall C.

Laki Badhan set the Wellington side on their way to a thirteenth win of the season with a 60-45 win over Aaron Sparkes - and the visitors doubled their lead soon after when John Rawlins took the next frame from Jeff Sparkes.

Mick Birch then got the better of Rob Wright as the Wellington side threatened to end the season in style only for Shifnal to rally and take the last two frames through Chris Petford and Fred Harper.

Chris rattled in a 34 break to come out on top against Wayne Weeks leaving Fred to finish things off with a 55-36 win over Alex Turnbull.

STEVE FLETCHER    

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

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