Bayley A set their sights on a return to the first division of the Telford Snooker League (sponsored by Romeo & Juliets) with a stunning five star display against title challengers Maddocks B which sees them move up to top spot in Division 2.

The Wellington side started the day in third spot – a point behind both Dawley A and their opponents from Oakengates – but they finished the evening a point clear of Dawley and four in front of Maddocks after claiming all five points from their top-of-the-table clash.

Home captain Steve Fletcher will have to dash off after playing more often if the effect it had on his team is anything to go by. The Bayley player took the opening frame against Doug Morrey with a 43 break before making a hasty departure to go to a sportsman’s evening with Jack Charlton at Telford United.

Although his captain wasn’t present to see it, Spencer Rowley then became only the second player this season to defeat Wally Harper when he sank the final pink for a winning score of 62 points to 41 before Chris Morgan-Adams potted them off the lampshades, compiling a 42 break on the way to defeating Steve Pritchard.

Another close finish went the Bayley’s way when Arthur Burrows sneaked home on the final black against Maddocks skipper John Archer before runs of 30 and 35 from Steve Nicholls completed the Bayley’s best result of the season as Steve took the final frame against Nigel White.

The Wellington side still have a lot to do however if they are to reclaim the first division status they lost two seasons ago as Dawley Social, themselves relegated from the top flight last term, are hot on their heals after recording their sixth win of the season at home to Coddon C.

Don Bayliss gave the visitors the lead with a narrow 52-40 win over Chris Woods but Dawley soon levelled matters as Mark Jones won his ninth game in ten outings with a 66-35 success over Fraser MacKinnon.

Alan Hedgecock’s 63-39 defeat of Alex Nolan restored Coddon’s advantage but the home side were soon level once more courtesy of a 69-49 win for Pete Nolan over Ray Whitehead.

And Dawley went on to take the match by three frames to two when Rick Bailey claimed the deciding frame 77-36 against Matt Bothwell to leave Dawley in second place, just a point behind the Bayley

Little Dawley G move up to joint third place – level with Maddocks B – after they also won by the odd frame away to Coddon B.

Darren Leneveu set them on their way with an opening frame victory over Mark Wall only for Simon Yeats to clinch the second frame on the black for Coddon against T Hill.

Graham Copson’s 61-25 success over Terry Garmston put the visitors back in front but they had to wait to claim their sixth win of the season as Steve Downes took the next against Roy Leneveu to force the decider.

However win number six duly arrived for Little Dawley when D Vickery got the better of Phil Szklarzewicz 55-30 to keep the visitors well placed for an assault on the title.

Minnesota Fats B are only a point further back on 26 points following a 3-2 home win over Little Dawley C.

Rob Palin’s opening frame success over Mike King was cancelled out when John Bowen came out on top against Mick Pearson by 75 points to 34.

Kirk Stephenson restored the home side’s lead and Neil Pearson made certain of a sixth league win for his side by taking the next by some 59 points to 19 to deny Steve Farrington.

The visitors had the last laugh though when Colin Gittus slotted home the final black against Mick Egan to save another point for the visitors as they fight to stave off the threat of relegation to division three.

Indeed the two points they gained remain the difference between themselves and second-from-bottom Anstice C after the Madeley club also lost out by the odd frame against Maddocks C.

Graham Hoof and Nev Whitehead gave the home side an early two frame advantage with wins over Kev Smith and Colin Westwood but Steve Camp reduced the arrears with a super 71-44 success over Colin Smith.

A good win for Jim Hill over Dave Harper made it 3-1 to the Oakengates side but Michael Musgrave’s 65-49 success against Billy Rushton left the visitors with two very valuable points as they stay four points clear of bottom club Wellington Billiard Hall C.

The Wellington side got off to the perfect start as Wayne Weeks took the opening frame in some style, rattling in two breaks of 27 on the way to beating Steve Hewitt.

But the wheels came off when Dawley B took all four remaining frames for a comfortable 4-1 win which moves them four places ahead of their opponents in the table.

Barry Roden levelled the scores before Gareth Jones put Dawley ahead after his opponent, M Shabir has made a 21 break.

Don Pugh then made it 3-1 against Chris Morris before Kevin Jones completed the scoring with a 57-27 win ver Aaron O’Donnell.

DIVISION 1

Reigning champions Anstice A look set to retain their first division title as they now head the table by a massive six points after taking all five on offer at home to Bayley E.

They nearly fell behind though as Andy O’Brien agonizingly watched his attempted pot on the black roll around the jaws of the middle pocket giving home captain Ian Duffy the easiest of pots to maintain his own personal hundred percent record.

Ian’s tenth successive victory gave the Anstice the early initiative and they never looked back with Neil Price making it 2-0 with a 58-35 win over Martin Watkins.

Keith Price then rattled in a 60 break – just seven points short of the current highest break in this division set by that man again Ian Duffy – as he defeated Steve Hoof to make it 3-0.

Noel Stones then continued the trend with 31 break against Ali Jones before Nick Oakley rounded things off with a final frame win over John Squire.

Anstice’s victory was made all the sweeter as their closest rivals for the title lost for only the second time this season when they travelled to Little Dawley A.

The Oakengates side have played some super snooker this season but they will no doubt be disappointed to have come away with just a single point – although had Ian Skelton not rescued a close final frame with a 63-55 win over Ade Henry things could have been even worse!

As it was the home side put in some brilliant displays as typified by veteran Jesse Lowe’s fine 61-42 win over Ian Eldridge in the first frame of the evening.

Darren Pountney followed Jesse’s example with an excellent win over Phil Davis and further wins from Richie Heighway over Leigh France and Lee Elcock against Dave France saw the Little Dawley side claim only their third win of the campaign.

Minnesota Fats A are having a tremendous season so far and they moved to within three points of Maddocks A after beating Shifnal B by four frames to one.

Steve Collins’ opening frame win over Nigel Stallard was swiftly followed by a 65-39 success for Jon Wright over John Powell.

Jamie Morris made it 3-0 with a fine display of potting against Ray Evans before the home side got on the scoreboard through A Ali’s 62-42 victory over Keith Blackham.

However it proved to be only a temporary reprieve for the home side as Paul Devey took the final frame against M Shadab with a run of 34 to leave Minnesota with four points in the bag.

Having narrowly missed out on the runners-up spot last term Coddon A will have to come from behind if they are to make up the seven points difference between themselves and second placed Maddocks A.

However they had the best possible start when Ian Ferriday took the opening frame against former English Amateur Champion Matthew Davies.

Ian’s 58-37 victory should have spurred his side on to even greater things – but instead the visitors twice levelled the frame scores.

First Jeff Sparkes got the better of Adrian Smith and then, after Dave Lloyd had restored Coddon’s lead, up popped Aaron Sparkes to make it 2-2 with a black ball win over Lee Szklarzewicz.

However Coddon did have the last word as Zenon Lembicz took the deciding frame with a 52-32 defeat of Dave Peplow.

Wellington Billiard Hall A had Alan Turner in fine form as they entertained Anstice D.

The League Secretary’s 66-28 win over Adam Moore was superceded by John Rawlins’ narrow 53-40 success against Darren Wilkie.

However the home side were unable to build on their early successes as the visitors turned on the style with Phil Reynolds pulling a frame back against Graham Darrall with a 22 break.

Andy Elliott followed with a run of 30 in his 68-56 win over Alex Turnbull leaving Nigel Wallcroft to complete the Anstice comeback with a 49 break against Andy Kendrick.

Shifnal A moved to within a point of Broseley when they claimed the last three frames for a 4-1 victory over last season’s runners-up.

John Fallows put Shifnal in front with a 52-36 defeat of Graham long only to see Paul Humphries draw Broseley level with a 65-49 win over Linsay Knox.

Andy Easthope edged out Carl Walker to put Shifnal ahead once more and further wins from Roy Martin and Angus Way, the latter with a 37 break against Simon McLeod, completed a good win for the home side.

DIVISION 3

Third division leaders Maddocks D now head the table on “goal difference” only after dropping two frames at home to Minnesota Fats B.

Bayley F’s 4-1 success at home to Wellington Billiard Hall B means that the Wellington side now have the same number of points as Maddocks but have won two matches less.

Mick Wincott set Maddocks on the way to their ninth win of the season with a close 44-33 defeat of Tom Firmstone and the home side continued to set the pace as Ken Davies took the next frame as well by 53 points to 37 against Granville Thompson.

Dave Welsh replied for the visitors with a super display against Mick Lucas and the visitors drew level when Toby Welsh beat Fred Spragg on the black.

However Brendan Wincott was in no mood to see his side slip to what would have been only a second defeat of the season as he made certain of Maddocks ninth win in ten games with a good win over Rob Lane in the deciding fifth frame.

Bayley F had Chris Shaw in fine form early on as they took the lead at home to Wellington Billiard Hall A.

Chris’ opening frame win over Kevan Murk was swiftly followed by young Tom Maxfield’s victory over Gareth Hughes.

Kev Whitehead grabbed what proved to be a consolation point for the Billiard Hall when he won a close third frame 58-46 against Paul Maxfield as further wins from Eddie Whitehead and Andy Summers completed a 4-1 win for the Bayley side.

Third placed Bayley B lost ground on the leaders when they fell to a 4-1 defeat against rapidly improving Anstice B.

Danny Weaver took the opening frame for the home side with a 22 break against Chris Haycox only for Allan Wheatley to level matters with a 52-40 win over Steve Smallwood.

Mick Cahill put Anstice in front again and they secured a sixth win of the season with John Darrock’s 64-28 success over Dickie Beddall.

And with George Hammond taking the final frame as well, the Madeley side moved to within six points of the leaders with Bayley B staying third – three points behind Maddocks D and Bayley F.

The Telford United Sportsman’s evening had robbed the Bayley D of the services of former captain Steve Lane although his chances of a recall to the side will have been improved as they fell to a surprise 3-2 defeat at home to Newport British Legion B.

Things looked good for the Bayley early on as Darren Rhoades took the first frame against Manjit Gidda and Dave Williams beat Alan Davies on the black to put them two up.

However a close third frame went the visitor’s way when Mike Doverskog defeated Brian Aberdeen 41-32 and an even closer match saw John Yapp level the frames score by beating Jim Lewis 49-40.

Les Stirling then became only the second player this season to defeat Dave Dudley as he coolly wrapped up the decisive fifth frame to put the seal on a fine comeback by the Newport side.

There was no such comeback for Hadley A though as they entertained Wellington Billiard Hall F and soon found themselves trailing by four frames.

Chris Bates was in superb form for the visitors as he took the first frame against Dave Barnett Senior and they increased their lead when Chris Fletcher got the better of S Dicken Senior by 53 points to 43.

Paul Spencer then made it 3-0 against Alan Barnett before Rob Cook pipped Dave Barnett Junior by a single point to claim a fourth point for the visitors.

Only Rob Goldie’s 51-35 victory over Steve Weatherall was able to save the home side’s blushes as the Billiard Hall finished up winners by four frames to one.

Little Dawley B enjoyed a similar result as they entertained Shifnal D.

The first two frames were shared with Gary Clements’ taking the first for Little Dawley and Ivor Peplow replying with a 49-37 success over debutante Jamie Evans.

However the home side then took control as Mike Rhodes got the better of Geoff French and further wins from Tommy Wotherspoon and Rob Barlow sealed a fine win.

STEVE FLETCHER    

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

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