There was a Hawaiian theme to the top of the Telford Snooker League first division last week with each of the top three teams recording "Five O" scorelines in a bid to pull away from the chasing pack.

But the destination of the winners garland will not be known for some weeks yet as just one point separates leaders Anstice A from Broseley who in turn stay four points clear of last season's runners-up Coddon A.

Shaun Harris ran hula hoops around Ray Evans as he took the opening frame for the Madeley side with a 51 break and the title hopefuls made it 2-0 against newly promoted Wellington Billiard Hall E through Ian Duffy's 72-30 win over A Ali.

Neil Price made it three in a row against Phil Whitby before the visitors looked like claiming a consolation as Nigel Stallard took on Nick Oakley.

However it wasn't to be as Nigel, whose reputation this season has spread wide and far - even across the Atlantic, went in off the brown three times enabling his opponent to clear the last four balls to make it 4-0.

And with Noel Stones wrapping things up with a 56-39 final frame success against M Shadab the Anstice boys were left to ponder on their rival's performances knowing that they themselves had done all that they could to cling onto top spot.

And cling is perhaps the operative word as their closest rivals Broseley also scored maximum points from their home clash with Shifnal F.

For the visitors the threat of relegation seems to be looming ever-closer as for the second successive week, they failed to score a single point.

Home player Richie Hulme claimed his fifteenth scalp of the season by beating Wally Harper 63-19 which keeps him level with Shaun Harris in the race for the most wins award.

Paul Humphries had a harder task beating Chris Painter 54-42 before Tim Hicks sewed up the match by giving Spencer Rowley little chance with an accomplished display.

Mick Brezwyn crossed swords with Dave Peplow in the next and made sure of the frame on the blue to put Broseley four up before Simon Mcleod followed up by securing his frame, again on the blue, against Nev Whitehead.

Coddon A would have been hoping the teams above them might have slipped up as they too raced to a 5-0 win as they entertained Anstice D.

Darren Weston's 58-37 opening frame success against John Jones set the tone and the Donnington side soon found themselves two up after Zenon Lembicz accounted for Andy Elliott.

Adrian Smith took a close third frame 61-50 from Phil Reynolds before home captain Dave Lloyd knocked in a 33 break on the way to making it 4-0 against Nigel Wallcroft.

That left Ian Ferriday to put the icing on the cake with a 37 break in his final frame victory over Darren Stevens to leave the Coddon still with an outside chance of lifting the title.

Although no match card has been received for Maddocks A's clash at Wellington Billiard Hall A it is believed the Oakengates side won 4-1 to stay in fourth some six points adrift of Coddon.

Shifnal A's season took a turn for the better too as they also won 4-1 at home to Little Dawley A.

Angus Way set the ball rolling, taking the first on the pink against Ade Henry only for Jesse Lowe to reply for the visitors with a fine 65-37 triumph over John Fallows.

Linsay Knox put the home side in front again, denying Richie Highway 65-51 before home captain Andy Easthope made it 3-1 with a 27 break against Darren Pountney.

Simon Biddulph completed the scoring for Shifnal with a 55-36 final frame victory over Colin Gittus as Shifnal got back to winning ways in style.

Dawley Social may be bottom of the table but they did their hopes of avoiding the drop a power of good last week with a resounding 4-1 win at home to Minnesota Fats.

Barry Roden gave Dawley the lead by taking final pink & black in the first frame to defeat Jon Wright 56-48.

Mark Jones, with the aid of a 30 break, defeated Steve Collins 59-18 to give Dawley a 2-0 lead before Pete Nolan potted excellently to defeat Keith Blackham 72 -36 and open up a three frame gap.

Rick Bailey added frame four to Dawley's account by defeating Steve Osborn on the black 55 to 51 before an excellent final frame saw Kev West take an early lead with a 28 break against Chris Woods.

Chris then compiled a break of 30 himself consisting of five blues into five different pockets to tie the frame score at 36 all.

But a scrappy end to the frame saw Kev save his team from the whitewash by potting the final pink to take the frame 59-45 to claim a consolation for Minnesota.

DIVISION 2

The contest for the second division title is looking increasingly like a two-horse race after the top two, Bayley E and Shifnal E both won 4-1.

Bayley E maintained their three point lead over Shifnal with a comprehensive display away at Minnesota Fats B

Martin Watkins led the way with a 45 break on the way to a 72-32 opening frame victory over Mick Pearson and Steve Hoof doubled the advantage with an equally impressive 64-23 defeat of Mick Egan.

Neil Pearson's 61-33 success over Andy O'Brien provided some respite for the Canongate side only for Ali Jones to restore Bayley's two frame lead with a 54-12 win over Rob Palin.

John Squire completed another good performance for the Bayley boys by claiming the final frame from Kirk Stephenson to leave the Bayley three points ahead of Shifnal E who also won 4-1 when they entertained Coddon C.

Former English Amateur Champion Matthew Davies took the opening frame against Fraser MacKinnon and the home side went two up courtesy of Aaron Sparkes who defeated Matt Bothwell in a close encounter 59-43.

There was another close encounter - of the third frame kind - when Jeff Sparkes took on Don Bayliss but sadly for the home side it was Don who stopped the rot with a 61-53 frame score to put Coddon's first point on the board.

Chris Petford's excellent display against the in-form Sef Tusel putt the home side two frames clear again before a very tense final frame went all the way to the final ball.

Coddon's Ray Whitehead had first bite at the cherry but missed an opportunity to sink the final black allowing Rob Wright what looked to be a simple pot on into the corner.

However Rob had other ideas, somehow contriving to miss the pot into the corner - but fluking it into the middle with an amazing cocked hat double.

Shifnal's win leaves them a massive six points ahead of Bayley A who won 3-2 at home to Anstice B.

Danny Weaver gave the visitors the lead with a super 68-54 win over Chris Morgan-Adams but the Bayley levelled with super sub Dennis Fletcher taking the next on the black to deny Steve Smallwood.

The Bayley thought they'd taken the lead soon afterwards when Arthur Burrows potted the pink in the middle pocket only to see the white trail into the opposite middle giving George Hammond just the chance he needed to take the last two balls for a 2-1 lead to the Anstice.

Steve Nicholls levelled by taking the fourth frame on the blue against Mick Cahill leaving Steve Fletcher to complete a 3-2 win for the home side with a final frame victory over John Darrock.

Maddocks C started the day level with Wellington Billiard Hall C in fourth place - but both teams had contrasting fortunes with the Oakengates side maintaining their promotion hopes with a 3-2 win over Little Dawley G whilst the Billiard Hall fell to a heavy 5-0 defeat against Little Dawley C.

Graham Hoof gave Maddocks the lead with a 25 break against Roy Leneveu only for Chris Leneveu to draw Little Dawley G level with a 56-29 success against Dave Thomas.

Jim Hill put the home side back in front again with an excellent result against Graham Copson but they were pegged back again when Darren Leneveu got the better of Joe Oliver on the black.

But with Colin Smith securing the final frame for Maddocks against Pete Frost the home side stay in the hunt for league honours. The Billiard Hall's chances diminished a little though as they fell to a shock 5-0 reverse at the hands of Little Dawley C.

Mike King set the home side on the way to a famous victory by taking the first frame from Wayne Weeks.

Lee Elcock won the battle of the young potters as he took on Ian Eldridge. In a high scoring encounter the Little Dawley youngster came out on top 72-64 to maintain the early momentum.

Lee Drinkwater made it 3-0 against John Rawlins before Byron Mitchell took another close frame for Little Dawley, 46-36 against Alex Turnbull. And with the visitors unable to field a fifth man the home side celebrated claiming all five points to put themselves on the verge of the promotion frame.

DIVISION 3

In the third division, leaders Bayley F would have been hoping that their club's D side could do them a favour or two as Bayley D travelled to second placed Anstice C.

But instead it was the Madeley side who had a profitable evening as they came out on top by the odd frame, with the leaders slipping to a surprise 4-1 defeat at Minnesota Fats C.

Darren Wilkie's opening frame win over Darren Rhoades was added to by Steve Camp who defeated Dave Williams 52-36 to put the Anstice two up.

Brian Aberdeen replied for the Bayley with a good 55-22 success over Kev Smith and the Wellington side drew level as former captain Steve Lane announced his return to the side with a 26 break against Frank Williams.

The result of this match then hung in the balance for some time as the deciding frame went all the way to the black with Colin Westwood just pipping Dave Dudley 57-50 to give the Madeley side their their eleventh win of the season.

Bayley F looked to be in good shape early on as they travelled to Minnesota Fats C but the wheels came off after Paul Wood had given them the lead with a black ball win over Dave Welsh.

The home side drew level through Neil Robinson's 64-31 triumph over Eddie Whitehead - the Bayley man suffering a rare defeat due largely to Neil's 29 break which turned the match Minnesota's way.

And they never looked back as Mike Thompson made it 2-1 against young Tom Maxfield and further wins for Tom Firmstone and Toby Welsh completed a fine 4-1 win.

Third placed Maddocks B's title challenge received a set back when they went down by three frames to two away to a Bayley C side who continue to grow in confidence - and they deservedly secured 3 points with an excellent performance.

Craig Whitehead took the first frame for the home side, and in doing so threw the Division Three most wins title wide open as he became only the third player this season to defeat Doug Morrey with a scoreline of 62-25.

A result that will please the average chasing Dave Dudley and Darren Wilkie, and with five matches to go, give Craig a very outside chance of picking the award up himself.

Jim Lewis, also with an outside chance of taking the most wins title then took on veteran Les Hicks and soon the home side were enjoying a 2-0 lead against the third division highfliers, as Jim took the frame with a 57-42 win.

But the visitors showed why they are genuine title contenders as they came straight back with wins from Steve Pritchard and Ant Loveitt, to level the match.

Steve had to endure a nervous period late on however, when his opponent Ian Johnson managed to pick up the 3 snookers he needed on the green and take the colours down to the pink, but the visitor scrambled over the winning line by sinking the final black.

Little Dawley B went one better however as they took all but one of the frames on offer at home to Shifnal D.

It was a close run thing though with Phil Cottey giving them the lead by taking the first frame against Terry Askew on the black.

Sanjay Chauhan recorded what was to prove a consolation for Shifnal with a 47-34 win over Rob Barlow before the home side clicked into gear with Mike Rhoades restoring their lead against Arthur Aston.

Gary Clements then made it 3-1 against Geoff French before another close finish saw Craig Darrock claim the final frame for Little Dawley with a 48-40 victory over Barrie Easthope.

STEVE FLETCHER    

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

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