The first division title race was thrown wide open last week when two of the fancied teams to lift the Telford Snooker League title found themselves on the wrong end of 4-1 scores.

The season may be just two weeks old, but already three of the likely contenders, Coddon A, Anstice A and Maddocks A have each lost one of their opening fixtures to throw the championship race into the melting pot.

Broseley A will have done their own title aspirations no harm at all with a stunning performance at home to Anstice A who had started the day level with Maddocks A at the top of the table having claimed a maximum five points from their first game.

However their hundred percent record was soon under threat as Richie Hulme took the opening frame for Broseley, winning a high-quality encounter with Neil Price on the black 60-53.

And although Shaun Harris drew the Anstice level with victory over Carl Walker in the next the home side took all three of the remaining frames for a famous victory.

Tim Hicks, who last season helped Hills Lane to the title, produced a brilliant performance to deny last year's individual runner-up Keith Price and Paul Humphries kept the momentum going by taking frame four from Nick Oakley by 61 points to 25.

Mick Brezwyn, himself a former runner-up in the league's individual competition, then took on Noel Stones - and wasted no time in turning a 3-1 lead into a 4-1 victory as he claimed the last frame of the evening for a Broseley side who themselves are looking like possible contenders for the title.

Broseley's win was matched by a brilliant display from Anstice D who dented Maddocks A's hopes of remaining in top spot when they took four frames from their home tie with the Oakengates side.

Former individual champion Adam Moore led the way with a black ball win over Mark Finucane and his side never looked back as Phil Reynolds rattled in a break of 28 on the way to making it 2-0 against Darren Wincott.

Phil Davis rescued a point for the visitors with a close 68-50 success over Darren Stevens but it proved only a temporary blip for the Anstice who regained their two frame advantage when Nigel Wallcroft took the next from Dave France with the aid of a 41 break.

And with John Jones claiming the final frame 46-34 from Leigh France the Anstice boys were left to celebrate a fine victory over one of the league's top sides.

Last season's runners-up Coddon A were looking to improve on their opening night defeat at home to Minnesota Fats when they made the trip to Shifnal F.

And they soon found themselves a frame down as home captain Nev Whitehead gave the Islanders the lead with a fine 57-31 success over Zenon Lembicz - in a frame of mostly good safety play by both players Nev took the spoils on the blue.

Chris Painter then came close to making it 2-0 but was just pipped on the black as Ade Smith took the next frame 50-38 to draw Coddon level.

The visitors then went ahead as Darren Weston opened up with a 24 break and never looked back eventually taking the frame 68-22 from Spencer Rowley.

Another black ball game this time went the way of Shifnal after Ian Ferriday had given away a couple of misses and a foul on the black to give Brian Painter a 20 point lead with just the last four balls left. The Coddon man fought back strongly though taking brown to pink only to leave Brain a chance on the black which he took with some aplomb to set up a deciding frame between Coddon's Paul Harper and Shifnal's "Rock" Dave Peplow.

And it was Paul who managed to soften the "Rock" with a 54-16 winning margin to give Coddon their first win of the season - to leave them level on points with both Anstice A and Maddocks A.

Shifnal A are another team with possible title aspirations - and why not as they completed a 4-1 win over Minnesota Fats to add to their 3-2 win over Dawley the previous week.

Paul Devey had no answer to the in-form John Fallows as the Shifnal man notched a 35 break on the way to giving the visitors the lead.

Kev West replied for the home side with a 25 break on the way to defeating Linsay Knox but Shifnal were in no mood to allow their hosts any sort of comeback as Andy Easthope produced a captain's performance to restore their lead with a 55-30 success against Steve Osborne.

Roy Martin put their third point on the board with a close 40-31 win over Jon Wright and with the home side unable to field a fifth man, Shifnal left with four very valuable points in the bag.

Little Dawley A had debutante Darren Pountney in their side as they made the trip to newly promoted Wellington Billiard Hall E. And Darren, another member of last season's title winning Hills Lane side, didn't let his new team-mates down with an assured display against Ray Evans. However there was nothing he could do to prevent his new side slipping to a 3-2 defeat as Phil Whitby took the opening frame from Richie Heighway and Jon Powell got the better of Colin Gittus.

Jesse Lowe replied for the visitors with a fine 53-26 defeat of Chris Morris and although Darren made it all square at two apiece A Ali's 61-49 success over Graham Wiley secured the E team's first win in the top flight.

The Billiard Hall's A side also won by the odd frame when they made the short trip to play Dawley Social.

It was a close thing though as Alan Turner just pipped Gaz Bradshaw 53-44 in the opening frame and Steve Minshall won another close frame 54-41 against Pete Nolan.

Mark Jones began something of a mini comeback as he got the better of Graham Darrell in the next and Rick Bailey followed suit with a 78-28 win over Andy Kendrick to give Barry Roden a chance of glory as he took on reigning individual champion Nigel Fletcher in the decider.

But it wasn't to be Barry's night as Nigel claimed the frame by 51 points to 26 to complete a 3-2 win for the Wellington side.

DIVISION 2

Bayley E's hopes of a quick return to Division 1 received a boost when they raced into a 4-0 lead against near neighbours Billiard Hall C.

However the visitors claimed some consolation from the performance of Wayne Weeks who played superbly to deny John Squire on the final black to prevent the whitewash after Martin Watkins opened the scoring for the Bayley with a 45 break on the way to an opening frame victory over Laki Badhan.

Andy O'Brien made it 2-0 with a fine 45-28 defeat of John Rawlins who sadly suffered a lack of "Rawlins Specials" and Alex Turnbull was perhaps unlucky in the next frame too as he narrowly lost out in a high-scoring game with C Owen by just five points.

Ali Jones made sure of his victory over Aaron O'Donnell before the final black as he secured a fourth point for the Bayley who are hoping for a quick return to the top flight having been relegated last season along with their A team.

Bayley A are finding life in division two a little tougher than their E team are - but they still recorded their first win of the new season when they made the trip to Newport to play an Audco A side who sadly only had four players on the night.

Arthur Burrows was in fine form to give the visitors the lead as he produced some solid snooker to take the opening frame.

Steve Nichols followed suit before Bob Mason made it 3-0 on the black. Chris Morgan-Adams then looked to have the next frame sewn up as well as his opponent needed snookers on the colours - but it wasn't to be his night as the home side pulled a frame back on the black to leave the final score a 4-1 to the Wellington side.

Coddon C were also celebrating taking four frames out of five when they put in a solid display at home to Anstice B.

Mick Cahill was the Madeley side's only bright spot as he took the third frame with a close 61-51 win over Sef Tusel - Don Bayliss and Fraser MacKinnon having earlier given the Donnington side the lead, with wins over Danny Weaver and John Darrock respectively.

Matt Bothwell's 73-41 defeat of Steve Smallwood made it 3-1 and with Ray Whitehead tidying things up with a 59-43 final frame win over George Hammond the Donnington side completed a fine 4-1 win.

Maddocks C followed last weeks' 3-2 win at Bayley A with a similar scoreline, this time at home to Minnesota Fats B.

Colin Smith's 60-41 defeat of Mick Pearson was swiftly followed by Graham Hoof's win over Rob Palin as the home side went two up early on.

Mick Egan pulled a frame back for the visitors with a 48-37 triumph over Pete Davidson only for Dave Hodson to restore Maddock's two frame advantage by taking the next 46-26 from Kirk Stephenson.

However Billy Rushton was unable to continue the trend as Neil Pearson claimed the final frame for Minnesota by 44 points to 23 to leave the final score 3-2 to the Maddocks boys.

Having narrowly missed out on promotion last term, Shifnal E will have been disappointed with their 3-2 defeat away to newly promoted Little Dawley G.

Ray Lenevue gave the home side the lead by the narrowest of margins, taking the first frame from Arron Sparkes by a single point 51-50 but Arron's dad Jeff responded in fine fashion with a 53-17 success over Pete Frost to level the score at one all.

Graham Copson's 62-47 victory over Chris Petford put the home side in front again only for Rob "Latvian Bob" Wright to restore parity again with a cool 52-39 defeat of Chris Leneveu.

The deciding frame proved to be a tense affair with the wheel of fortune spinning kindly for Dave Leneveu to take a nail-biting final frame on the black to deny Fred Harper 44-39.

DIVISION 3

Young Tom Maxfield was the toast of newcomers Bayley F as they played host to Newport British Legion B and won 5-0. Tom, who at nine years old is the youngest player in the league, potted in hurricane style to take the opening frame 55-37.
Currently coached by local professional Adrian Gunnell, Tom is clearly one to watch for the future and the rest of his team followed his lead by tasking all four of the remaining frames.

Dad Paul made it 2-0 with a 56-34 win over Keith Gardner and further wins from Chris Shaw and Eddie Whitehead, which included a 22 break, put the home side in the driving seat.

Andy Summers then calmly wrapped things up with victory over Alan Davies in the last to complete a fine win for the Bayley side.

The other three Bayley teams in the third division were not quite so fortunate as they all fell to defeat in one form or another.

Bayley D were unlucky to lose out by the odd frame as Toby Welsh took the deciding frame from Dave Dudley on the black after the first four frames had been shared.

Neil Robinson took a closely fought frame from Bill France to give Minnesota Fats C the early lead and although captain Darren Rhoades took the next for the home side, Tom Firmstone's 63-30 defeat of Steve Lane put the visitors back in front.

Dave Williams proved to be something of a rascal as he made it two frames all with a fine 64-36 defeat of Mike Thompson, but it wasn't enough to prevent his side slipping to defeat by the odd frame overall.

Bayley B also returned home with just two points after they made the trip to play Anstice C and found Darren Wilkie in excellent form.

The Madeley marksman took the opening frame 62-31 and the home side continued to set the pace as Steve Camp took Frame Two with a 27 break to deny young Danny Oliver.

Dickie Oliver then made a rare appearance for the Bayley and came up trumps with a brilliant 63-36 success against Colin Westwood and things were looking up for the visitors when Dickie Beddall drew them level, taking the next from Kevin Smith.

However Anstice had the final say as Jason Mills made no mistake in the deciding frame with a 58-26 success over Kevin Ryan to secure a well-earned victory for the Madeley side.

John Askew and Geoff French put Shifnal D well and truly in the driving seat as Shifnal D took charge of their game at home to Bayley C.

Arthur Aston continued to pile on the pressure with a 61-30 defeat of Mark Tarras and although Ian Johnson pulled a frame back for the visitors with a fine 45-24 win over B LeBrun it was to be his side's only success as Barrie Easthope won the battle of the captains with a 58-16 final frame win over Mike Healey.

Wellington Billiard Hall F recovered from their opening night defeat at Newport British Legion to record a fine 4-1 win at home to Maddocks B.

Things looked promising for the visitors early on as Doug Morrey returned to his old stamping ground with a 61-28 opening frame win over Steve Williams.

Chris Durham drew the Billiard Hall level though and they never looked back with Richard Tranter and Steve Weatherall both scoring over 50 points as they defeated Ant Loveitt and John Archer respectively.

And there was nothing Tony O'Neil could do to stop the rot either as Rob Cook sealed a fine 4-1 win for the Billiard Hall by taking the final frame 65-46.

Wellington Billiard Hall B only managed half that number of frames however as they returned home from Little Dawley B having suffered a 3-2 reverse.

Kevin Davies gave the Wellington side the perfect start with a 46-16 success over Craig Darrock but there was nothing Allan Francis could do against the in-form Steve Ward who drew Little Dawley level with the aid of a well-crafted 22 break.

Ray Clemence put the home side in front for the first time with a good victory over Iain Atkinson in the next and although Roy Francis took the next frame with a 26 break against Rob Barlow, Phil Cottey's final frame victory over Gareth Hughes secured a 3-2 win to the Little Dawley team.

STEVE FLETCHER

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

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