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The Telford Snooker League is up and running again for another
season - although the opening two weeks have featured only
second division matches due to an uneven number of teams in
that division
With thirteen teams rather than the usual twelve, the second
division's campaign will be a month longer than divisions
1 and 2 with two of these extra four weeks being tagged onto
the each end of the normal 22 week season.
Reputations counted for little as the opening night got underway
with new boys Audco defeating last year's runaway Division
3 champions Wellington Billiard Hall X by three frames to
two.
The Newport side might prove to be dark horses this term
with two of their players notching 20 plus breaks as they
came from behind to record a winning start to the new season.
P Smith's 21 break couldn't prevent the first frame slipping
from Audco's grasp as A Ali claimed a 70-40 success to give
the Billiard Hall the early advantage.
N Hendy soon drew the home side level when he took the next
by 49 points to 11 against Bash Hussain but they fell behind
once more despite a brave performance from R Hendy who knocked
in a 25 break only to lose out to M Shadab in a close finish
64-49.
A Heathcote drew Audco level again leaving M Matthews to
take the decider 59-48 against Nawajid Shabir to put Audco's
first win on the board.
The X side continued in the same vane the following week
when they entertained Maddocks C and fell to another defeat
by just the odd frame.
Dave Thomas gave the visitors the perfect start with a first
frame victory over Kamran Fiaz and things continued to go
Maddock's way when Joe Oliver took the next frame on the black
against A Ali.
Graham Hoof's 57-32 win over Azhar Khan made it 3-0 before
the X men staged a revival when M Surfraz pulled a frame back
and then M Shadab defeated an unlucky Billy Rushton by just
3 points to leave the final score 3-2 to the Oakengates boys.
That win helped make amends for Maddock's opening day reversal
at home to Shifnal E when they will have been pleased to have
rescued two points after falling two frames behind thanks
to wins from Chris Petford and young Arron Sparkes.
D Hodson held his nerve superbly in only his second ever
league match to edge out an unlucky Jeff Sparkes on a re-spotted
black as Maddocks retaliated and the game seemed to have swung
the home side's way when J Hill snatched the fourth frame
from Rob Wright to set up the decider.
However Billy Rushton was unable to complete the comeback
as an excellent display from Fred Harper secured victory for
Shifnal E.
Fancied Shifnal F's hopes of a swift return to the first
division snooker took a tumble as they were beaten in their
opening match by Wellington Billiard Hall E.
Wellington's Nigel Stallard looked all set to take the 1st
frame from Wally Harper when he quickly rattled in a 32 break
leaving Wally needing the last four colours to win - the veteran
duly obliged and ran out a 57-52 winner to give the home side
the lead.
John Powell then squared matters when he defeated Chris Painter
67-30 before Nev Whitehead had a ding dong battle with Chris
Morris.
In a game which included a number of free balls for both
players it was the Wellington man, Chris who crossed the finishing
line first on the pink 57-44 to give his side a 2-1 lead.
Away player Pete Wilts then chipped in with a 23 break against
Ivor Peplow and ran out the winner 56-31 to clinch the match
for the Billiard Hall.
Anchor man for the Islanders, Dave Peplow then played host
to Ray Evans who found he wanted a snooker on the green. However
Ray saw a glint of hope when a miss was called on his opponent
only for Dave to knuckle down again to win the frame 65-32.
The Billiard Hall then followed up that win with a 4-1 success
at home to their C team the following week.
Nigel Stallard put last week's disappointment behind him
to take the opening frame against Wayne Weeks 68-55 and they
then doubled their advantage when John Powell got the better
of P Stokes by 59 points to 25.
A Turnbull was then in scintillating form for the "away"
side as he reduced the deficit with a fine win over Chris
Morris, but it was to be the C team's only success as further
wins from P Wilkes, with a 28 break and Ray Evans, who notched
a run of 21, continuing the E team's winning start to the
new season.
That defeat leaves the C team with just 2 points from their
first two games after they also lost their opening fixture
at home to Coddon C by four frames to one.
Sef Tusel gave Coddon the lead when he defeated Wayne Weeks
41-27 and further wins from Fraser Mackinnon and Matt Bothwell,
the latter on the black, gave the visitors a 3-0 lead.
The last two frames were then shared as Don Bayliss got the
better of Alex Turnbull to put the visitors further ahead
only for Paul Lucas to save the day for the Wellington side
with a last gasp 53-30 success over Ray Whitehead.
Coddon B also got their season off to a flying start as they
came from two frames down to defeat Anstice B 3-2.
Nigel Wallcroft's 27 break clinched the first frame over
Tony Garmston to give the visitors the lead and things looked
to be going smoothly for the Anstice when John Darrock made
it 2-0 with victory over Mark Wall.
However Nick Pearce soon stopped the rot as the home side
began to turn the tide. Nick's 55-30 success over George Hammond
inspired the Coddon to overall victory as Steve Downs powered
his way through the next frame leaving the ever-dependable
Phil Szklarzewicz to complete the comeback with a final frame
win over Danny Weaver.
Newly promoted Pot Black D took the lead in their derby match
with Pot Black A thanks to Mick Pearson's 60-24 defeat of
Mike Thompson.
However their joy didn't last long as the "visitors"
wrapped up the four remaining frames to take the match 4-1.
Paul Crooks levelled matters by defeating Rob Palin and further
wins from Dave Welsh and Tom Firmstone put the A team firmly
in the driving seat. Toby Welsh's close 52-40 final frame
win over Neil Pearson put the icing on the cake as the A team
got their season off to almost the perfect start.
STEVE FLETCHER
Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com
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