Andy Summers rocketed to the top of the Telford Snooker League third division highest break chart last week when he notched the division's first half-century of the season to clinch the vital fifth and deciding frame for Bayley F as they entertained Little Dawley B.

A super long red set the ball rolling for Andy as he took on Craig Darrock in a bid to secure the home side's eleventh win of the campaign. And secure it he did - in some style, knocking in a delightful 50 break which would have been more had the first of the six colours not jawed in the corner pocket and stayed out.

Nonetheless the division's first 50 break puts Andy in pole position in the race for the high break prize, eclipsing the previous mark of 45 set by Anstice C's Darren Wilkie.

Not only that but the Bayley side's 3-2 victory leaves them sitting pretty at the top of the third division - four points ahead of Anstice C whose result from the previous week has not yet been included.

It is believed that the Madeley side lost the missing match by four frames to one against Little Dawley B who were the visitors for Bayley F last week.

It was therefore vital that the Wellington side got off to a good start against their in-form opponents and they were grateful to Paul Maxfield for providing just that as he took the opening frame against Gary Clements 59-48.

Phil Cottey soon drew the visitors level though with a 24 break on the way to taking the second frame from young Tom Maxfield and although Eddie Whitehead continued his own recent good run with a 61-32 success over Mike Rhoades the Little Dawley side drew level again through Rob Barlow's win over Chris Shaw.

That left Andy Summers to take the deciding frame for the home side to maintain the Bayley's push for promotion in what is their debut season in the Telford League.

Anstice C will be pushing them all the way though and they too kept their own title hopes intact with a 3-2 away win over Shifnal F.

Darren Wilkie set them on the way to a tenth league victory with a solid 56-31 win over Mick Guest.

Steve Camp then made it 2-0 by beating Terry Askew before Sanjay Chauhan replied for the home side with a 34 break against Kevin Smith.

Geoff French then levelled matters with a fine 66-23 defeat of Jason Mills before Frank Williams settled the match in Anstice's favour by taking the final frame against George Nelson.

As a result the Anstice remain in second place four points adrift Bayley F but if their missing result is added as a single point then the gap narrows to three points with six games remaining.

Maddocks B are hot on the heals of the Madeley side after they too recorded a 3-2 win as they entertained Minnesota Fats C who started play just one point and one place behind Maddocks in fourth place.

Doug Morrey took a tight opening frame 55-43 to deny Dave Welsh before Les Hicks put Maddocks firmly in the driving seat with a 52-34 success over Neil Robinson.

Tom Firmstone soon replied for the visitors by taking the next from Ant Loveitt and the Canongate side were on level terms soon afterwards as Toby Welsh got the better of John Archer in a close tussle which ended 55-43 in favour of the Minnesota player.

However the home side were not finished by any stretch of the imagination and Steve Pritchard rose to the challenge superbly to take the final frame 71-31 against Bob Lane to open up a two point gap between themselves and Minnesota who still stay fourth.

Bayley D now join Minnesota on 43 points following an excellent 4-1 win over the Wellington club's B team.

New captain Darren Rhoades seems to have rallied his troops superbly in the last few weeks as after a disappointing start to the season the Wellington side now have an outside chance of promotion - and it was Darren who led by example as a 44-24 win over Kelvin McLeod put the D team one up.

Dave Williams then doubled the lead by beating Dickie Oliver 53-23 before the "visitors" claimed what was to be their only frame of the evening through Dickie Beddall's pink ball win over Bill France.

Brain Aberdeen restored the D Team's two frame advantage with a 59-29 success over Dickie Oliver to leave Dave Dudley to round things off nicely with a 66-23 win over Robin Sturmey in the last.

Wellington Billiard Hall F also contested a derby game as they entertained the Billiard Hall's B side and came out 3-2 winners.

Chris Durham's high scoring 72-42 win over Ken Francis was cancelled out by Kev Whitehead's defeat of Richard Tranter as the first two frames were shared.

Steve Weatherall put the F team in front again only for Iain Francis to make it two frames all with a 55-29 win over Chris Fletcher.

However the F team needn't have worried with Rob Cook in fine form in the last, notching a 21 break on the way to defeating Roy Francis to claim their seventh win of the campaign.

Bayley C stumbled home by the odd frame against hosts and bottom side Newport B, but it was to be a laborious evening for the visitors.

Alan Davies got the home side off to a perfect start with a "terrier" like display against Mark Taras. Alan took an early 40 point lead and never looked like succumbing to Mark's attempts at the snookers he eventually required, as he gave the home side a 1-0 lead.

The tables were turned in the second frame however, with visitor Craig Whitehead taking a 55 point advantage onto the colours against Alan Munn. The home player plotted and persevered for almost 20 minutes to get the snookers he needed, but eventually conceded on the pink.

Keith Gardner then took to the table against Chris Haycox and after a tight affair, which went down to the colours, the home player potted a great green and brown and followed this up with the blue and pink in one visit to take the third frame. But another long frame meant the players left the table at 10.20pm.

John Yapp stepped up looking to secure the match for the Div III strugglers, but after another tough encounter, John ended up going in-off the final black to hand the frame 53-40 to his opponent Ian Johnson, which squared the match.

Mike Doverskog then took on Bayley anchorman Jim Lewis. Jim had seen his seven match winning sequence come to an end the previous week and he had to use all his experience, as well as a pair of matchsticks to keep his eyes open, to land the deciding frame with a great long pot on the final black, which he sunk at 11.45pm, to give the visitors a 3-2 win.

The Bayley lads celebrated with a pinta from the milkman they passed down the road on their way home!

My thanks to Craig Whitehead for his report on the above match.

DIVISION 1

Anstice A leapfrog over Broseley at the top of the first division after the Madeley side claimed all five points from their game with Shifnal F and Broseley dropped two points away at Minnesota Fats A.

Shifnal F's recent good form came to an end when they were brought down to earth by title-chasing Anstice A who took all five frames of the night.

Shaun Harris set the ball rolling with a 58-19 win over Wally Harper and Ian Duffy overcame Chris Painter 77-42.

Spencer Rowley was a little unlucky not to pinch one for the Islanders as he trailed by 30 points with two reds remaining against Keith Price but then cleared up to the blue only to miss one of his specialty pots in centre pocket and Keith stepped in to take the frame 53-33.

Nick Oakley added to the home side's misery by taking the next 63-33 from Dave Peplow leaving Noel Stones to tackle Shifnal skipper Nev Whitehead and with some excellent potting he sewed up the frame 70-25.

Shifnal now face an important time as they play away next week to second-placed Broseley who won 3-2 away to Minnesota Fats A last week.

Richie Hulme kept level with Anstice's Shaun Harris in the race for the most wins trophy by taking the opening frame for Broseley against Steve Collins.

Kev West's 31 break helped Minnesota draw level as he took the next from Mick Brezwyn and the home side then took the lead thorough Paul Devey's black ball finish against Tim Hicks.

Paul Humphries' 29 break drew Broseley level once more and they clinched their twelfth win of the campaign courtesy of Simon McLeod's deciding frame win over Paul Waters.

Coddon A are now five points off the lead following a 4-1 win away to Little Dawley A who claimed the last frame to prevent a whitewash.

Darren Weston gave the Donnington side the lead with a black ball victory over Ade Henry before Lee Szklarzewicz took another tight frame on the black 63-57 against Jesse Lowe.

Zenon Lembicz's victory over Richie Heighway made it three in a row for Coddon who stretched their lead even further when captain Dave Lloyd beat Graham Wiley by 45 points to 26.

Any hopes the visitors had of taking all five points were soon dashed though as Darren Pountney saved the day for Little Dawley with a 42-22 final frame win over Ian Ferriday to rescue a point for the home side as they continue to stave of any threat of relegation.

Shifnal A also fell to a 4-1 defeat when they travelled to fourth-placed Maddocks A.

Darren Wincott led the way for the Oakengates men with a 38 break on the way to taking the opening frame from John Fallows.

Ian Skelton looks to be the league's most in-form player at the moment - a fact underlined by a brilliant 74 clearance to take the second frame 90-43 from Linsay Knox and the breaks continued to flow in the next frame and well with Phil Davis posting a 27 on the way to beating Angus Way.

Leigh France's victory over Roy Martin put the home side four up before Simon Biddulph rescued a point for Shifnal with a final frame victory over Maddocks' captain Dave France.

The two teams currently sitting in the relegation places both had tricky away ties last week and although they both lost out only by the odd frame neither managed to make any headway in their attempts to avoid the drop to Division 2.

Darren Stevens gave Anstice D the lead as bottom of the table Dawley A travelled to Madeley - but his black ball win over Pete Nolan was soon cancelled out as Mark Jones took the next for Dawley, also on the black, against John Jones.

Another close frame went Anstice's way with Nigel Wallcroft denying Barry Roden 48-36 before Andy Elliott made it 3-1 with a 74-50 success over Rick Bailey.

However Chris Woods' 42-29 final frame win over Adam Moore salvaged another point for Dawley who remain three points adrift of second-from-bottom Wellington Billiard Hall A.

The Billiard Hall didn't have far to travel as they were away to their E side who have been enjoying their first season in the top flight having been promoted last term.

Ray Evans set the E team on their way to a 3-2 win by taking the first frame from Alan Turner and they continued to dominate the early proceedings with A Ali knocking in a 36 break on the way to making it 2-0 against A Phelan.

Phil Whitby's 23 break secured the next frame too against Mick Gears before Mick Hughes began an A team fightback.

Breaks of 31 and 25 ensured the A team of at least a point as Mick claimed the fourth frame against M Shadab and although Nigel Stallard rattled in a 36 break in the final frame it wasn't enough to stop Graham Darrall claiming another point for the A side with a 65-54 frame score.

DIVISION 2

Match of the Day in Division Two saw leaders Bayley E take on third placed Bayley A with the A side looking for a good result to pep up their fading promotion challenge.

However it was the E team who lived up to their billing as title favourites with a good 3-2 victory

Martin Watkins set them on their way with a 77-51 triumph over Steve Nicholls only for Arthur Burrows to reply for the A team with a cool display to deny Karl Owen 52-33.

Steve Hoof has been in fine form for the division's leaders this season and he continued his own good run with a fine display against Bob Mason. Steve potted the green to leave his opponent requiring snookers and although Bob's persistence saw him land Steve in three consecutive snookers the E team player successfully negotiated them all to take the frame 56-21.

Steve Fletcher's 62-25 win over Andy O'Brien levelled matters once more but the E team took the spoils courtesy of Ali Jones' solid display against Chris Morgan-Adams in the deciding frame.

Wellington Billiard Hall C had started the day level with Bayley A in third spot - but they drop one place to fourth after falling to a 4-1 defeat against second placed Shifnal E.

With their director of snooker Rob Wright away on holiday, the Shifnal side could have been forgiven had they let their recent high standards slip a little, but there was no reprieve for the Wellington side as Matthew Davies gave Shifnal the lead with a 62-35 victory over Ian Eldridge.

Chris Petford's 45-36 defeat of John Rawlins made it 2-0 and the visitors took another close frame 44-36 when Rob Edmunds got the better of Alex Turnbull.

Aaron O'Donnell hit back for the Billiard Hall by taking the next frame from Jeff Sparkes only for Aaron Sparkes to claim the last frame for the visitors with a 39 break against Wayne Weeks.

Shifnal's win leaves them sandwiched between the two Bayley sides, three points adrift of leaders Bayley E but five points ahead of third placed Bayley A.

Maddocks C share fourth spot with the Billiard Hall after suffering a rare defeat away to Coddon B.

They started brightly though through Jim Hill's 63-28 victory over Bob Dando but the next two frames both went the way of the home side as Andy Jones got the better of Joe Oliver and Steve Downs beat Dave Thomas.

Nick Pearce took the fourth frame for Coddon too as he just pipped Billy Rushton on the black but with Colin Smith taking the final frame for Maddocks against Phil Szklarzewicz the final score ended 3-2 to the Donnington side.

Minnesota Fats B also won 3-2 when they travelled to Little Dawley G. Mick Egan gave them the lead against Pat Frost only for Graham Copson to level by knocking in a string of 20 plus breaks, three in all on the way to defeating Mick Pearson.

Roy Leneveu put the home side in front for the first time with a close 55-41 win over Rob Palin but the last two frames both went to Minnesota with Neil Pearson beating Darren Leneveu and Kirk Stephenson making no mistake against Christian Leneveu.

STEVE FLETCHER    

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

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