There was a welcome distraction for some teams this week as the Telford Snooker League programme took a back seat to allow the first round of the Team Knockout (sponsored by Dones Bookmakers of Madeley) to take centre stage.

The cup competitions always bring up some intriguing ties as third division sides are pitted against teams from the upper echelons of the league and although there were no real giant killing acts one or two first division sides will be thanking their lucky stars that they managed to scrape through.

Holders of the Cup Coddon A were one such team as they survived a spirited performance from Minnesota Fats C to move into round 2 by just thirteen points overall.

The Donnington side were conceding some 180 points to their third division opponents and they set about reducing that deficit with Ian Ferriday overcoming Toby Welsh in the opening frame.

Lee Szklarzewicz and captain Dave Lloyd aided the visitor’s cause by taking the next two frames as well before Zenon Lembicz got the better of Tom Firmstone to leave Coddon 22 points in front on aggregate going into the final frame.

The home side may have been forgiven for giving up any hopes of proceeding further in the competition – but they did nothing of the sort as Neil Robinson bravely fought to take the final frame 47-38 against C Giles to leave Minnesota just 13 points short of their target.

There was an even tighter finish when third division leaders Maddocks D took on Little Dawley A in another third versus first division clash.

Lee Elcock’s 74-38 win over Ken Davies saw the visitors claw back some of the 100 points start they were conceding but a brilliant 89-29 success for Brendan Wincott over Ade Henry saw Maddocks move into pole position with just three games remaining.

Richie Heighway and Darren Pountney took the next two frames for Little Dawley though leaving Jesse Lowe to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat with an 84-52 win over Fred Spragg to edge Little Dawley home by a total of 375 points to 364.

There was only thirteen points difference too when Newport British Legion hung onto their 100 point start to put the frightners on Shifnal B.

M Shadab’s 28 break clinched the first frame for Shifnal against John Yapp by 51 points to 31 and although the home side failed to win any of the remaining four frames they never let their opponents get away from them with some fine individual performances.

Keith Gardner and Manjit Gidda only narrowly lost out to A Ali and John Powell respectively and although Nigel Stallard took the penultimate frame for Shifnal by 38 points it was up to Ray Evans to guide them safely over the finish line with a 57-32 final frame win over Alan Davies.

Bayley F are currently in third spot in the third division table and they must have fancied their chances of an upset as they received 110 points start in the derby game with last year’s cup runners-up Bayley E.

Their hopes didn’t appear to be unfounded either as Eddie Whitehead took the opening frame for the F team with a brilliant 61-41 win over Martin Watkins.

However the E team, currently riding high in third spot in the first division, soon found their feet and good wins for Andy O’Brien and Steve Hoof over Mike Healey and Chris Shaw respectively put them back in the game.

The match continued to swing their way as a 39 break from Ali Jones against Ian Johnson meant the F side’s lead had been cut to just five points with one game remaining.

And although Andy Summers put up a brave fight in the last he was unable to prevent John Squire securing victory for the E team with a 66-43 final frame win.

One third division side who did make it through to the next round were Anstice B and they did so at the expense of second division Coddon B.

Andy Jones’ 53-19 opening frame win over George Hammond ate into the home side’s handicap of ninety points but the Madeley side perked up in the next when Danny Weaver knocked in a 32 break on the way to beating Steve Downs 78-42.

Mark Hall put the visitors back in the driving seat with a good win over Mick Cahill and with Nick Pearce beating Steve Smallwood on the black the home side began the final frame just nine points in front.

They made that nine points count though as Stew Wimbush successfully staved off the challenge of Phil Szklarzewicz to claim the frame by 52 points to 39 for an overall winning margin of 22 points.

The draw threw up yet another derby clash as two second division sides came face to face when Dawley A were drawn at home to their newly formed B string.

The 20-point start received by the league newcomers was always going to prove difficult to protect and so it proved as Sean Nolan got the better of Steve Hewitt by 69 points to 30 to take the opening frame.

Kevin Jones replied by taking the next on the black against Chris Woods but Pete Nolan’s victory over Mick Tart and a 35 break from Mark Jones put Dawley A’s noses in front as they approached the final hurdle.

Rick Bailey then sealed a comfortable win for one of the second division’s title favourites as he took the final frame of the evening against his former A team colleague Barry Roden to put Dawley A into the hat for the second round.

It’s not all bad news for Dawley B though as they join all of the other first round losers in the hat for the first round of the Consolation Cup.

That may be no consolation for Wellington Billiard Hall B however as they fell to a 485 – 406 defeat at the hands of Shifnal D.

The Memorial Club side may still be looking for their first win in Division 3 – but they made no mistake against their fellow third division opponents building on their 30 point start to eventually come out victorious.

Terry Askew was their hero early on with a stunning performance in the opening frame against Alan Francis.

Sanjay Chauhan’s 28 break put the home side further in front – but the wheels threatened to come off in the next frame as the visitors hit back strongly through Kev Whitehead’s win over Geoff French, which included a 24 break.

Danny Francis then got the better of veteran Arthur Aston and although Ian Atkinson fought to save his side’s hopes in the final frame it wasn’t to be as Barrie Easthope’s 37-36 win saw Shifnal D to their first win of the season.

Shifnal E also progressed to the second round courtesy of a good win over Bayley A – who will have another chance in the Consolation Cup after being runners-up last season.

Aaron Sparkes was in scintillating form to take the first frame in style against Steve Nicholls – and the visitors were pleased to be receiving an extra 40 points start – making their total 60 points – as former English Amateur Champion Matthew Davies took on Chris Morgan-Adams in the next.

However it was Chris who produced some of his usual attacking potting early on only to leave Matt in with a chance which he took with some aplomb with a run of 40.

Undaunted, Chris potted a brilliant brown and blue only for his opponent to take the last two colours for a 75-39 scoreline.

Jeff Sparkes victory over Arthur Burrows extended the home side’s lead before Spencer Rowley’s 69-45 success over Rob Wright gave the visitors a glimmer of hope leaving Steve Fletcher 75 points adrift going into the last.

An early 31 break helped the Bayley captain to reduce Shifnal’s lead but his efforts proved to be in vain as Chris Petford rallied superbly to secure victory for his team by claiming the last few reds with colours.

Shifnal A had their work cut out as they entertained reigning champions Anstice A with a 40 point start to help them on their way.

Neil Price reduced Shifnal’s lead by taking the opening frame 61-38 from John Fallows and Nick Oakley put the visitors ahead with a 68-25 success over Roy Martin.

Shifnal replied through Angus Way’s 59-42 win over Keith Price and Linsay Knox’s single point victory against Noel Stones but it wasn’t enough to deprive Anstice of a place in the second round as Ian Duffy sealed a 285-252 win by beating Simon Biddulph in the last.

Another first division side safely through are Minnesota Fats A after they accounted for Little Dawley G of the second division.

Jon Wright led the way with an opening frame victory o ver Graham Copson and although Roy Vickery gave the home side hope with a super 70-35 success against Steve Collins, it was the Canongate outfit who edged ahead again through J Morris’ black ball win over Chris Leneveu.

Further wins from Steve Osborne and Kev Blackham saw Minnesota safely through to the nest round where they will join Broseley A who accounted for second division Wellington Billiard Hall C by 352 points to 264.

Graham Long didn’t waste much time as he wiped off the visitors 90 point start with a fantastic display of potting to take the opening frame.

Richie Hulme and Carl Walker then added to the visitor’s woes and breaks of 34 from Mick Brezwyn and 56 by Simon Mcleod left the Billiard Hall with no chance as Broseley took the match in style.

Wellington Billiard Hall A suffered a similar fate as they entertained high-flying Maddocks A with just 20 points start.

Ian Eldridge’s opening frame win over Graham Darrell put Maddocks in front and they never looked back with further wins from Phil Davis and Darren Wincott putting them firmly on the road to victory.

Ian Skelton made the home side’s task nigh on impossible with a fine win over Andy Kendrick and although League Secretary Alan Turner took the final frame on the black against Leigh France it was not enough to deny Maddocks victory.

The Oakengates club’s A side will be joined in the second round by Maddocks C after they comfortably saw off the challenge of third division Bayley B who received 10 points start.

Things looked good early on for the visitors though as Kelvin McLeod took the first frame 58-37 from Graham Hoof.

However Nev Whitehead, Billy Rushton and Colin Smith all scored over 70 points each as did Joe Oliver whose 71-34 final frame win over Dickie Beddall secured an overall points win of 471-331 for the home side.

Maddocks B also progressed courtesy of a good solid all round display away to Hadley A.

Hadley only joined the league this season and soon found that their 60-point start was going to prove difficult to defend as veteran Wally Harper took the opening frame for Maddocks by 55 points.

Doug Morrey took the second frame too as Maddocks went in front and although S Dicken Senior came close to taking the third frame for Hadley, Noel White’s black ball win kept the visitors well in control.

Les Hicks made L Hayes’ task in the final frame almost impossible and although the Hadley player defeated John Archer 73-22 it wasn’t enough to prevent his side slipping to defeat by 320 points to 187.

Mick Pearson’s 64-38 win over Phil Cottey set Minnesota Fats B on their way to victory over Little Dawley B who received a 70-point start.

Rob Palin followed suit with a 75-47 success over Garry Clements and the home side took the remaining three frames as well through Mick Egan, Kirk Stephenson and Neil Pearson as they comfortably moved through to the next round.

Third division Wellington Billiard Hall F’s hopes of completing an upset were turned upside down as Darren Wilkie and Adam Moore took the first two frames for Anstice D to all but wipe out the visitor’s 110 point start.

Phil Reynolds and Nigel Wallcroft continued the trend by beating Steve Weatherall and Richard Tranter respectively and although Chris Bates lost out in the final frame by just twelve points to John Jones there was nothing he could do to save his Billiard Hall side from having to compete in the Consolation Cup next time around.

Anstice C will also be in the Consolation Cup as they failed to recoup the 30-point start they were conceding to Bayley D as the home side ran out the winners by 262 points to 229.

Darren Rhoades took the opening frame for the third division side and things continued to look good for the Bayley with Steve Lane notching a 28 break. But the former Bayley captain had forgotten his lucky socks and Steve Camp hit back to take the frame 79-56 in a ding-dong battle.

The topsy-turvy nature of the match continued with Dave Williams taking the next from for the home side with a 22 break only for Jason Mills to reply for the Anstice with a fine 54-36 success over Dave Dudley.

And despite Colin Westwood claiming the final frame too for the Anstice it was Brian Aberdeen who ensured the Bayley won through with a 22 break as he fell to a narrow 44-40 defeat in the last frame of the evening

Don Bayliss retrieved 22 of the 30 points his Coddon C team were conceding when they made the trip to play Little Dawley C of the third division.

Don’s 78-56 win over Mike King paved the way for a fine performance from the Donnington side who eventually won the match by 57 points overall.

John Bowen’s fine win over Barry Naylor put the home side back in contention though – only for Alan Hedgecock to pip Colin Gittus 47-43 in the next.

Another close game then went Little Dawley’s way when Graham Wiley beat Matt Bothwell 57-53 and although home captain Steve Farrington took the final frame for Little Dawley with a 53-45 win over Ray Whitehead it wasn’t sufficient to prevent the Coddon from clinching the match.

STEVE FLETCHER    

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

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