The New Year looks bright for Anstice C and Bayley F as the top two in Division 3 of the Telford Snooker League have opened up a five point gap ahead of the chasing pack as they push for promotion to the second division.

The Madeley side now have 39 points from 12 games following on from a 3-2 home win over Wellington Billiard Hall B with the new boys from the Bayley just a point further back after a similar result against Bayley B.

Darren Wilkie won his eleventh game of the season with a 24 break against Gareth Hughes to put Anstice in front and they soon doubled that lead as Jason Mills took the next frame from Ken Francis with a score line of 63 points to 25.

Kev Whitehead prevented the visitors from slipping further behind however with a stylish display against Steve Camp which included runs of 24 and 25 but there was nothing he could do to prevent Dave Harper restoring Anstice's two frame advantage as the Madeley man overcame Iain Atkinson 52-28 to put the home side 3-1 up.

The visitors had the final say though when Roy Francis claimed the last frame 61-26 from Colin Westwood but it wasn't enough to prevent the home side recording their ninth win of the season.

Bayley F's 3-2 win saw them notch their eighth success of their debut season but they had to come from behind after Danny Oliver gave the "visitors" the lead with a 56-27 win over Paul Maxfield.

That lead didn't last long though as young Tom Maxfield made amends with a 26 break on the way to a fine win over B team captain Bob Tracy.

The B side then went back in front courtesy of Dickie Oliver's black ball win over Andy Summers - but it was the new boys who finished the stronger with Chris Shaw and Eddie Whitehead clinching the final two frames against Dickie Beddall and Robin Sturmey respectively.

Minnesota Fats C lost ground on the leaders as they fell to only their fourth defeat of the season at Shifnal D.

Mick Guest took the opening frame for the hosts on the final black to deny Neil Robinson but honours were even again after Mike Thompson levelled for Minnesota, also on the black, against Terry Askew.

S Chauhan put the home side in the lead again with a fine display off potting against Tom Firmstone but once again parity was restored as Dave Welsh took the fourth with a 52-33 defeat of Geoff French to set up a tense finale.

And the deciding frame went all the way to the final ball with Barry Easthope just pipping Toby Welsh 43-41 to secure an excellent win for the Shifnal side.

As a result Minnesota stay in third spot but are now six points behind the leaders and five behind Bayley F

Fourth placed Maddocks B also fell to a rare defeat when they travelled to play Bayley D.

The Wellington side's fortunes have taken a turn for the better just recently - coinciding with the return of their number one supporter Aubrey Massey - and their steady rise up the league table now sees them in fifth spot with an outside chance of promotion following on from their 3-2 win over the Maddocks side.

Doug Morrey is now just one game behind Anstice's Darren Wilkie in the race for the most wins prize after the former Billiard Hall player notched his tenth win of the season against Bayley captain Darren Rhoades.

Dave Williams replied for the home side with a 48-35 success over veteran Les Hicks only for the visitors to regain the lead when Steve Pritchard won a high scoring game 66-56 against Bill France.

But any thoughts the visitors had of claiming a tenth win of the season were soon dashed as Brian Aberdeen drew the Bayley level with a 51-43 defeat of John Archer and Dave Dudley claimed the decider with a close 58-43 win over Ant Loveitt.

Bayley C took a 2-0 lead away at Little Dawley B but in the end had to settle for a 3-2 win after the home side hit back.

Jim Lewis' 57-40 defeat of Gary Clements proved to be just the start the Bayley were looking for and things got even better for the visitors when Mark Tars beat Phil Cotey 53-29 to make it 2-0.

Mike Rhodes' 52-20 defeat of young Craig Johnson reduced the deficit - but not for too long as Ian Johnson slotted the black ball home for a 41-33 win over Rob Barlow to restore the Bayley's two frame advantage.

However the home side took the final frame of the evening courtesy of Craig Darrock's fine win over Mike Healey to leave the final score 3-2 to the Bayley.

The basement battle between Wellington Billiard Hall F and Newport British Legion B went the way of the visitors from Newport as the Wellington side continued their recent poor run with a 3-2 defeat.

They fell behind when John Yapp took the opening frame for Newport against Andy Fletcher and Keith Gardner then doubled the visitor's advantage with a 52-34 win over Richard Tranter.

John Tranter, making a rare appearance for the Wellington boys, will no doubt be able to give himself a good write up on the league's web site as he took a break from updating the web page to defeat Darren Edwards 55-29 to start something of a mini revival for his side.

Chris Fletcher followed John's lead with a 67-56 win over Manjit Gidda to pull the home side level but the spoils went to Newport as Alan Davis claimed the final frame of the evening with a 64-26 defeat of Rob Cook.

DIVISION 1

The title race in Division 1 looks to be one of the most exciting for years as just two points separate Anstice A, Broseley A and Coddon A at the top of the table.

Leaders Anstice recorded their ninth win of the season with a 3-2 result in the derby match with their D team but Broseley made up ground as they too claimed a ninth win with a 4-1 win at home to Wellington Billiard Hall A.

John Jones was in scintillating form for Anstice D as he opened the scoring with a 24 break on the way to defeating visiting captain Ian Duffy 70-38.

Shaun Harris' 67-43 success over Darren Stevens drew the A team level but they fell behind again when Nigel Wallcroft got the better of Keith Price 65-32 in the next.

The A side drew level once more courtesy of a fine win for Nick Oakley over Phil Reynolds and they won the match on the final black as Noel Stones clinched what could prove to be an invaluable victory with a 51-47 defeat of Andy Elliott in the last.

Broseley's fine season continued - as did the good form of Richie Hulme who not only holds the current highest league break this season of 75 but won his eleventh game out of twelve with a 35 break against Mick Hughes to give the home side the lead.

Tim Hicks took a close second frame 45-35 against Graham Darrell and although M Gears produced a fine performance to deny Carl Walker in the next, the night belonged to Broseley as they took the last two frames for a 4-1 win.

First Simon McLeod accounted for A Phelan 57-35 before Mick Brezwyn sealed an excellent 4-1 win with a 64-26 success over Alan Turner.

Coddon A remain in the hunt for honours after they too won 4-1 away at Minnesota Fats A to leave themselves just two points behind Anstice A.

Ian Ferriday gave them the perfect start with a 56-25 win over Jon Wright and they doubled their advantage as Zenon Lembicz got the better of Steve Collins to make it 2-0.

A high quality third frame also went Coddon's way as Paul Devey's 38 break was all but matched by Darren Weston whose run of 30 proved decisive as the Donnington man took the frame by 88 points to 51.

An excellent 58-45 win for Kev West over Coddon captain Dave Lloyd retrieved a point for the home side but it proved scant consolation as Terry Brenthall wrapped up a good win for last season's runners-up by taking the last frame 60-40 against Steve Osborn.

Maddocks A cling onto fourth place - but are now six points adrift of the leaders following a good 3-2 win away at Wellington Billiard Hall E.

A Ali put the home side in front with a fine 52-35 win over Darren Wincott and they went further ahead when John Powell triumphed 68-37 against Phil Davis.

And the home side continued to shine in the third frame as Phil Whitby knocked in a 31 break against Ian Skelton - but it wasn't to be the Billiard Hall's day as Ian rallied to take the frame by 64 points to 45 to start a Maddocks revival.

Leigh France then drew the visitors level with a 58-37 win over Chris Morris leaving dad Dave to clinch the decider and secure Maddocks eighth win of the season, by taking the deciding frame against M Shadab.

Dawley Social did their hopes of avoiding the drop no harm at all as they started the New Year with a bang by defeating high-flying Shifnal A by three frames to two - although no match card is available for this game.

And it proved to be a disappointing night all round for the Shifnal club with Shifnal F only taking one of the five frames on offer at home to Little Dawley A.

Our congratulations go to Darren Pountney and his wife Kate who celebrated the birth of their second child, Lara just before Christmas. All those sleepless nights don't seem to be doing Darren any harm as he was in devastating form against Wally Harper - knocking in breaks of 31 and 40 in successive visits to give the home side the lead.

Richie Heighway then made it 2-0 with a 58-28 win over Chris Painter and things continued to go the visitor's way as Jesse Lowe got the better of Spencer Rowley by 71 points to 34.

Ade Henry's 73-34 success over Dave Peplow made it 4-0 and the visitors looked to be on the way to a fifth as well when Graham Wiley led Nev Whitehead by 25 points with just one red remaining.

But Nev clawed his way back into contention only for his opponent to fluke the final pink to take the frame to a black ball finish - but Nev returned the compliment by fluking the black to rescue a point for the home side who now reside in the bottom three.

DIVISION 2

Bayley E look set for a quick return to Division One as they head the Second Division table by a point even though their result from last week's match is not yet in.

The Wellington side have 37 points from eleven games with Shifnal E holding on to second spot a point behind the Bayley after falling to a 3-2 defeat at Coddon B.

Bob Dando set the Coddon on their way to an eighth win of the season with a 30 break in his 58-25 opening frame victory over Aaron Sparkes.

Jeff Sparkes replied for Shifnal with a 55-31 win over Phil Szklarzewicz and the visitors then took the lead through Matthew Davis' 69-23 defeat of Andy Jones which included a 42 break.

Steve Downs hit back for the home side with a brilliant win over the inform Chris Petford to set up the decider which saw Nick Pearce come out on top against Rob Edmunds to complete a 3-2 win for the Coddon which leaves them well placed to challenge for promotion as they now lie fifth with 33 points from 12 games.

Third placed Bayley A also lost 3-2 when they travelled to Maddocks C. Steve Fletcher gave them the lead by taking the first frame from Dave Thomas but Jim Hill replied for the home side with a good win over Bob Mason to level matters at one frame all.

An excellent long pink gave Joe Oliver victory over super-sub Dennis Fletcher in the next as Maddocks went in front only to be pegged back again as Arthur Burrows played superbly to deny Graham Hoof 61-30.

That left Billy Rushton and Chris Morgan-Adams to battle it out in the deciding frame - and battle they did - all the way to the final black. And it was the Maddocks man who clipped in the finest of cuts to take the frame 47-34 to leave Maddocks still in with a shout for second place as they are now seventh in the table - just four points behind second placed Shifnal E.

The Bayley side now have to share third spot with Wellington Billiard Hall C who started the New Year in some style - taking all five points from their game with Little Dawley G.

Wayne Weeks led the way with a 29 break in the opening game and John Rawlins made it 2-0 with a 61-35 success over Ray Leneveu.

Ian Eldridge then got the better of Graham Copson and further wins for Aaron O'Donnell over Chris Leneveu and Alex Turnbull, who beat Dave Leneveu completed the whitewash.

Little Dawley C move into sixth place following a 3-2 win away at Audco.

Mike King's victory over Pete Smith set them on their way to their seventh win of the season and they then increased their lead to 3-0 as Byron Mitchell accounted for Neil Hendy and Lee Elcock got the better of Ray Hendy.

The home side never gave up though and were rewarded when A Heathcote salvaged a point with a 46-26 success over Rob Withington and Chris Austin claimed the last with a 58-25 win over Steve Farrington.

STEVE FLETCHER    

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

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