What a season it's proving to be for the Anstice club in Madeley as two of their four teams in the Telford Snooker League head their respective divisions as the league nears it's halfway stage.

Whilst Anstice A lead the way in division one their C team are rapidly making a name for themselves in the third division after a 3-2 win away at Minnesota Fats C leaves them four points ahead of their closest rivals Bayley F.

Darren Wilkie's 57-30 defeat of Dave Welsh set them on their way but they didn't have things all their own way as Neil Robinson took the next for the home side with a 22 break against Ken Smith.

The home side then took the lead through Tom Firmstone whose 69-31 win over Tom Smith made it 2-1 but any hopes the Canongate boys had of claiming a famous victory were soon dashed as Jason Mills and Frank Williams took the last two frames to secure the Madeley side's seventh win of the campaign.

Young Tom Maxfield gave league newcomer's Bayley F the perfect start against Wellington Billiard Hall B as he edged out Roy Francis on the black before dad Paul got the better of Gareth Hughes 56-42 to make it 2-0.

Chris Shaw then got in on the act with a 51-39 victory over Alan Francis and things continued to go their way when Eddie Whitehead took frame four with a 57-17 win over Iain Atkinson.

But the visitors had the final say thanks to Kevin Whitehead's final frame defeat of Andy Cummings - but nonetheless the Bayley's 4-1 win keeps them in line for a rapid promotion to division 2 next term.

They'll have to watch out for Maddocks B though who are now right on their heals after a 3-2 home win over Little Dawley B.

Doug Morrey set the ball rolling by taking the opening frame against Gary Clements only for Phil Cottey to level matters by the narrowest of margins as he pipped veteran Les Hicks by a single point 54-53.

John Archer restored the home side's lead on the pink against Rob Barlow and another close finish saw Ant Loveitt claim frame four for the home side with a 68-58 score against Steve Ward.

However they were unable to convert a 3-2 lead into anything better as Ray Clements took the last frame for Little Dawley to leave Maddocks with a 3-2 win which keeps them in touch with Bayley F - just two points behind, although they have played a game more.

Bayley D are now hot on the heals of Bayley B after the B string fell to a 3-2 defeat and the D side won through by the odd frame.

Bayley C racked up back to back league wins for the first time in nearly two seasons, when they defeated their visitors Bayley B by the odd frame.

Kelvin McLeod got the B side off the mark when he scrambled over the winning line, sinking the final black left over the centre pocket by Ian Johnson.

Chris Haycox then recorded the home side's first chalk, running out a 56-46 victor against Danny Oliver.

But much credit should go to the youngster, who showed tremendous temperament to fight back after watching his opponent take an early lead.

In the third frame neither home skipper Mike Healey nor visitor Dickie Oliver had managed to trouble the 20 point marker when reaching the colours, but it was Dickie who came through the hard fought game to give B team the lead.

Craig Whitehead and Bob Tracey then produced another tough and competitive frame, but the home player took revenge for last seasons defeat by sinking brown, blue and pink to run out 50-33 winner and take the match to the deciding frame.

It was left up to Jim Lewis and Dickie Beddall, riding high in the Division 3 averages, to fight out the match, and after taking an important 20 point lead early on, Jim wrapped up matters with a yellow to blue visit to give the basement boys a huge fillip prior to their tough match with highfliers Anstice C next week.

Bayley D's season seems to have taken a turn for the better these last few weeks and they kept their recent good run going with a 3-2 away win at local rivals Billiard Hall F.

Captain Darren Rhoades led by example with a 55-23 success over Steve Wetherall and Dave Williams duly followed his captain's lead with a 63-31 success over Chris Durham.

Richard Tranter recorded the Billiard Hall's first point with a 61-22 win over Brian Aberdeen and the home side drew level when Rob Cook got the better of Steve Lane to make it all square at two frames apiece.

However Dave Dudley is always a man cool under pressure and so it proved as he took the deciding frame against Chris Fletcher to give the Bayley side their fourth win of the season.

DIVISION 1

Anstice A take over at the top of the first division table by a single point despite falling to only their third defeat of the season away at Shifnal A.

Neil Price looked set to take the opening frame for the Madeley side as he knocked in a good 40 break only for Angus Way to pop up and snatch victory on the final black to give Shifnal, themselves one of the teams with title aspirations, a one frame lead.

Keith Price then became the first player this season to take a frame off John Fallows as the Madeley side drew level and they went ahead when Shaun Harris claimed the third frame against home captain Andy Easthope.

Simon Biddulph's 52-41 defeat of Noel Stones set up the deciding frame which saw Linsay Knox hold his nerve with a pink ball victory over Ian Duffy.

That win keeps Shifnal in touch with the leaders on 29 points - two behind both Coddon A and Broseley, who lie joint second after the Donnington side took all five points when the two sides clashed in the match of the day.

Darren Weston halted Richie Hulme's unbeaten run with a 77-43 opening frame victory over the in form Broseley man.

Zenon Lembicz took the next with a 44 break against Tim Hicks and they went 3-0 up courtesy of a 37 break from Lee Szklarzewicz as he took the next 77-37 from Paul Humphries.

Dave Lloyd's victory over Simon McLeod continued the trend and the Coddon completed a great win when Ian Ferriday took the final frame against Mick Brezwyn.

Despite this result, Broseley still stay in second spot on "goal difference" ahead of Coddon who have won one less match.

Maddocks A move up to fifth on the back of an excellent 4-1 win over Minnesota Fats A.

But they had to come from behind after Paul Devey had given the visitors the lead with a 69-21 win over Darren Wincott.

That lead didn't last long however as Phil Davis levelled matters with a good win over Steve Collins.

Son and father Leigh and Dave France then made it 3-1 to the home side leaving Ian Skelton to finish the match in style with a 68-21 final frame victory over Keith Blackham.

Anstice D went one better than Maddocks as they took all five frames on offer against Wellington Billiard Hall A.

Andy Elliot opened the scoring with a fine 59-29 win over Nigel Fletcher before a 36 break secured the next frame for Adam Moore against Steve Minshall.

Graham Darrell came close for the visitors in the next - but his luck ran out on the final black as Nigel Wallcroft took the frame 58-54 to put the home side into a commanding 3-0 lead.

And things continued to go Anstice's way with Phil Reynolds taking the next against Alan Turner and Darren Stevens putting the icing on the cake with a 65-48 final frame victory over Mick Hughes.

Shifnal F gained three valuable points when they visited old rivals Wellington Billiard Hall E.

Nigel Stallard made an excellent start with his frame against Wally Harper when a 30 break gave him a 25 advantage on the colours. But Wally fought back hard to take the frame on a brilliant potted black 65-64.

Chris Painter started with a 38 lead before Phil Whitby knocked in a 36 break to square the points and then the miss rule plagued Chris to give the Wellington man the chance to wrap up the frame 66-40.

Spencer Rowley then put the Islanders ahead with his triumph over Ray Evans 67-45 leaving Nev Whitehead to seal the match with his win over A Ali 52- 37.

M Shadab saved the blushes for the Wellington side when he pipped Dave Peplow on the black 57-50 to leave Shifnal the victors by the odd frame.

Little Dawley A celebrated the same score when they played host to Dawley A. Darren Pountney took an early lead against Pete Nolan only to see his opponent knock in a quick-fire 35 break to take the lead. And the Dawley man then potted a great blue only to miss the pink leaving Darren the chance to clinch the frame 73-56.

Ade Henry's fine 71-29 defeat of Mark Jones made it 2-0 to the home side and they continued to set the pace with Jesse Lowe's win over Barry Roden.

Dawley are nothing but resilient however and Rick Bailey proved why he's always a hard player to beat with a 42 break against Richie Heighway as the visitors pulled a frame back. And they took the last frame too with Chris Woods defeating home captain Rick Cousins.

DIVISION 2

Bayley E continue to set the second division alight and they now head the table by four points ahead of their A team - but they didn't have things all their own way when they entertained Little Dawley G.

Pete Frost gave the visitors the lead when he slotted home the final black to deny Andy O'Brien and although the Bayley took the next two frames courtesy of Steve Hoof and Martin Watkins, making a welcome return to the fold, they were soon pegged back again as Dave Leneveu made it two frames apiece with a 47-22 win over Ali Jones.

However captain David France wasn't about to see his side slip to what would have been only their third defeat of the season as he secured the match for the Bayley with a 51-25 defeat of Ray Leneveu.

As a result the E team increase their lead at the top of the table as their closest rivals at start of play, Bayley A, fell to a 3-2 defeat away to Coddon C.

Don Bayliss set the home side on the way to a seventh win in ten as pipped Bob Mason on the pink.

Ray Whitehead then took the next frame against Arthur Burrows and the home side stretched their lead even further when Sef Tusel potted the last three colours to deny Steve Nicholls.

Matt Bothwell then opened up an early 20 point lead against Steve Fletcher but the Bayley captain rallied to take the frame on the brown and the visitors took the final frame of the evening as well through Chris Morgan-Adams' 69-36 win over Fraser MacKinnon.

The Donnington side now lie in fourth spot just a point behind both Bayley A and Shifnal E who enjoyed a 3-2 win at home to Maddocks C.

Arron Sparkes gave Shifnal the start they were hoping for with a 65-21 win over Jim Hill and they soon found themselves three up after wins from Matthew Davies and Jeff Sparkes.

But the visitors rallied superbly as Billy Rushton began a mini fightback with his 58-30 defeat of Chris Petford and Colin Smith finished things off with a good win over Rob Wright in the last.

Little Dawley C also won through by the odd frame as they entertained Minnesota Fats B.

Rob Palin gave the visitors the early lead though with a fine 56-32 win over Byron Mitchell but Lee Elcock soon levelled for the home side and they went ahead when Lee Drinkwater took a nail-biting third frame on a re-spotted black against Mick Pearson.

Another black ball finish saw Rob Withington come out on top against Harry Jones but the visitors took the final frame through Kirk Stephenson's 53-26 result over Steve Farrington.

Wellington Billiard Hall C also raced into an early lead as they took the first three frames of their encounter with Audco A.

John Rawlins and Ian Eldridge, the latter with a 35 break, put the home side two up and they increased that lead when Wayne Weeks got the better of Steve Higgins in the third.

However captain Pete Smith retrieved a frame for the Newport side with a fine win over Aaron O'Donnell and they claimed another point when Mark Matthews came out ahead of Alex Turnbull in the last.

Steve Downs was in fine form for Coddon B, knocking in a 32 break on the way to giving them the lead over Anstice B.

Andy Jones made it 2-0 before Bob Dando joined in with a 45-19 success over George Hammond.

Nick Pearce's 54-31 defeat of Steve Smallwood continued the trend and Phil Szklarzewicz completed the nap hand with a 56-42 defeat of Billy Watson in the last.

Telford B moved into the Second Round of the West Midlands Inter-Town competition when Simon Biddulph took the deciding frame for a 4-3 win over Dudley B at the Shifnal War Memorial Club last week. Telford were represented by Shifnal players Andy Easthope, Linsay Knox (captain) and Simon Biddluph as well as Tim Hicks, Matt Bailey, Paul Humphries and Simon McLeod who all play for Broseley.




GUNNELL'S TV DEBUT

Telford snooker fans had the opportunity of seeing one of the league's former players in action on the television last week when Adrian Gunnell took on world number one Ronnie O'Sullivan in the Second Round of the Powerhouse UK Open at the Barbican Centre in York.

Gunnell who is ranked number 70 in the world represented the Pot Black club in Oakengates and since turning professional has steadily progressed up the rankings - reaching the televised stages of a ranking event for the first time when he defeated former World Champion John Parrot 9-5 last week.

His reward for that heroic victory was a second round clash with the Rocket Ronnie O'Sullivan who is not only the current world number one but is also the holder of the UK title.

And it looked as though Adrian was going to make a dream start as he forged into the lead in the opening frame only to miss the green off the final red leaving his opponent to clinch the frame on the blue.

O'Sullivan won another close frame on the pink before, to the delight of his supporters, Adrian claimed the third frame with a superb brown to black clearance.

However it wasn't to be his day as O'Sullivan surged into a 7-1 lead including two back to back century breaks and although Adrian took the penultimate frame 77-1 O'Sullivan took the eleventh frame to complete a 9-2 victory.

Nonetheless his achievement in reaching the last 32 of what is the second most prestigious tournament after the World Championships will have earned him precious ranking points and will hopefully prove the springboard for many more appearances on the big screen.

STEVE FLETCHER    

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

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