The new Telford Snooker League season kicked off two weeks ago with a new league sponsor in the form of Romeo and Juliets of Trench – appropriate enough for the start of the new campaign where each team are wondering whether this is “to be or not to be” their season.

And in keeping with the Shakespearean theme, last season’s League Champions Anstice A performed their own version of the “Taming of the New” with a 4-1 victory over newly promoted Shifnal E

Ian Duffy’s 63-27 defeat of Rob Edmunds put the Madeley side in front and Neil Price doubled their lead with a similar win over young Arron Sparkes.

Arron was unable to perform the heroics of the previous week when he celebrated his eighteenth birthday in style with a stunning pot on the final black to commence his first season in the top flight with a win in the derby game with Shifnal A.

Shifnal E narrowly lost that opening fixture against their A team by the odd frame and they soon found themselves three frames down against the Anstice as Keith Price got the better of Jeff Sparkes in the next.

The home side, newly promoted to Division 1 after finishing runners-up to second division champions Bayley E last term, did pull a frame back when Rob Wright saved their blushes with the narrowest of victories 60-59 against Noel Stones.

But Nick Oakley ensured last year’s League Champions remain in top spot as he secured the final frame against Chris Petford to leave the Madeley side in joint first place with nine points from their first two games.

Just like the Anstice, Coddon A have also dropped just one point from their opening two games following a 4-1 away win at Little Dawley A.

Paul Harper led the way with a 55-36 success over Richie Heighway before Ian Ferriday weighed in with a 41 break to take the second frame from Byron Mitchell.

Dave Lloyd was also in fine form, notching a run of 48 on the way to making it 3-0 against Jesse Lowe before Lee Elcock rescued a point for the home side with a fine 57-36 defeat of Darren Weston.

And Little Dawley almost snatched another frame as Ade Henry only just lost out when Terry Brenthall slotted home the final black to complete a 4-1 win for the Donnington side.

Bayley E started their first season back in the top flight with a resounding 5-0 win over Little Dawley A in their opening fixture – and followed that up with a creditable performance this week as they lost out by the odd frame away to last season’s runners-up Broseley A.

Former Inter-Town teammates Richie Hulme and Martin Watkins came face to face in the opening frame – with Martin just edging out the Broseley man 44-43 to give the Bayley the early advantage.

Mick Brezwyn drew the home side level with a good win over Steve Hoof and they went in front soon afterwards as Carl Walker got the better of Ali Jones by 47 points to 31.

Broseley’s lead was increased further when Graham Long accounted for John Squire in the next but the Bayley rallied to claim the final frame of the evening courtesy of Andy O’Brien’s 63-29 win over Simon McLeod.

Maddocks A recovered from a frame down to record their second successive 3-2 win after Jon Wright took the first frame for Minnesota Fats with a fine victory over Ian Eldridge.

Reigning Individual champion Phil Davis levelled things up for the Oakengates side by taking the next 56-29 from Paul Smith and although the home side took the next frame through Paul Devey Maddocks rallied to claim the last two.

First Leigh France got the better of Keith Blackham 52-26 before Ian Skelton wrapped things up with a deciding frame victory over Kevin West.

That win leaves Maddocks in fourth spot level with Shifnal A who also repeated their opening day success with another 3-2 victory, this time at the expense of Anstice D.

Linsay Knox and John Fallows were their star players early on as Shifnal raced into a 2-0 lead only to see that lead evaporate as first Phil Reynolds got the better of Angus Way by 68 points to 51 and then Nigel Wallcroft saw off the challenge of Simon Biddulph.

That left Andy Easthope to take the plaudits with a fine win over John Jones in the decider to leave Shifnal with six points from their opening two matches.

DIVISION 2

Three teams share top spot in Division two with seven points and two wins each.

And who would bet against Coddon C, Dawley A and Maddocks C all being in the shake up for the division’s honours come next April after they were the only teams to maintain an unbeaten start to the season?

Coddon will have been well pleased to protect their unbeaten record after coming from two frames down to defeat Little Dawley C at home.

The visitors had thrashed Bayley A 4-1 the week before and looked likely to maintain their good start after Mike King put them in front with a narrow 53-43 win over Barry Naylor.

Another close frame went the visitor’s way as Graham Wiley edged out John Whitehouse 51-39 in the next before Coddon grabbed a foothold through Alan Hedgecock’s 54-29 defeat of visiting captain Steve Farrington.

Matthew Bothwell then drew the home side level by beating John Bowen before Sef Tusel rose to the occasion with a superb 58-45 final frame win over Colin Gittus.

Dawley A must also be amongst the favourites for the second division title after being relegated from the first division last term – and they’ve set about their task of making a swift return to the top flight with two solid displays.

Sean Nolan set them on the way to a second win in two matches as he took the opening frame from Anstice C’s Chris Westwood.

However the Madeley side, winners of the third division title last term, were not going to be outclassed and Kev Smith levelled matters by taking the next from Chris Woods on the black.

Pete Nolan put Dawley ahead once more and the visitors secured three points when Mark Jones took frame four as well.

However Steve Camp’s excellent 67-50 defeat of Rick Bailey left the home side with a well-earned two points and prevented Dawley from claiming top spot in their own right.

After gaining four points from last week’s match, Maddocks C collected another three as they also won by the odd frame in five when they entertained Coddon B.

Andy Jones gave Coddon a perfect start when he clinched the opening frame on the pink against Nev Whitehead 45-27.

Joe Oliver then put in a solid performance to level the scores. Joe secured a 20-point lead on the final green but had to sustain a spirited comeback from Mark Wall before running out a 48-34 winner.

A 42 lead on the colours by Ironman Jim Hill was enough to put Maddocks ahead as he took the next against Simon Yeates 63-16.

Colin Smith then secured the match as a 21 break at a vital moment enabled him to pip Steve Downes 45-34 before Phil Slarzewicz then saved another point for the visitors as he ran out the victor against Bill Rushton by 71 points to21.

That defeat leaves Coddon B as one of two teams on six points – the other being Little Dawley C.

Bayley A moved into joint sixth spot – just two points off the leaders – as they reversed the previous week’s 4-1 defeat at Little Dawley C by beating Wellington Billiard Hall C by the same score.

Bob Mason held his nerve to sink the blue and pink as he took the opening frame against Nick Turner and Steve Fletcher made it 2-0 after staving off a brave comeback from Wayne Weeks.

Andrew Edwards pulled one frame back for the visitors with a solid display and a 21 break against Dennis Fletcher but Arthur Burrows restored the Bayley’s two-frame advantage as he claimed another frame on the pink to deny Craig Davis.

That left Chris Morgan-Adams to put the seal on a fine win for the Bayley with a 64-45 success over Aaron O’Donnell to leave the Bayley level on points with Maddocks B and Little Dawley C – who faced each other last week.

The Little Dawley boys must have been full of confidence following an initial 4-1 victory the week before – but the boot was on the other foot this time around as Maddocks B took the first four frames before Ray Vickers rescued a point for Little Dawley with a 57-22 win over Ant Loveitt.

Veteran Les Hicks claimed the first frame for the visitors with a fine 65-45 win over Roy Leneveu and Wally Harper followed suit by defeating Graham Copson to put the Oakengates side in the driving seat.

Steve Pritchard and Nigel White then secured the next two frames for Maddocks as they recorded their first win of the season in some style.

Newcomers Dawley B came close to recording their first win only to lose out be the odd frame after Mick Pearson had given Minnesota Fats the lead with a black ball finish against Don Pugh.

Former Dawley A player Barry Roden soon levelled matters however with a fine 56-29 victory over Rob Palin only for Mick Egan to restore Minnesota’s lead with a 55-30 success over Gareth Jones.

Kirk Stevenson then made it 3-1 before Steve Hewitt took a high-scoring decider 70-67 on the black.

DIVISION 3

Maddocks D are the outright leaders of Division 3 as they followed an opening day 3-2 win by going one better at home to Little Dawley B.

Ken Davis set them on their way to a 4-1 win as he took the first frame 67-34 from Gary Clemence and Ron Adams doubled their lead when he got the better of Rob Barlow in the next.

Former Bayley favourite Fred Spragg made Maddocks’ lead impregnable with a fine 52-21 success over Mick Rhoades and although Phil Cottey rescued a point for the visitors Brendan Wincott’s final frame win over Craig Darrock put the seal on a good win for the Oakengates side.

Newport B have had a bright star to their campaign too – as they remain unbeaten after a 3-2 win at home to Anstice B.

Alan Davies’ 47-21 win over Danny Weaver paved the way for Manjit Gidda to make it 2-0 before Mick Cahill replied for the Madeley side with a narrow 56-47 defeat of Keith Gardner.

George Hammond continued the fight-back by beating Nigel Simpson only for Les Stirling to steal the show with a 66-31 deciding frame win over Billy Watson.

Wellington Billiard Hall B also recorded a second successive 3-2 win when they travelled to Shifnal D.

But they didn’t have things all their own way early on as Terry Askew gave the home side the lead and Sanjay Chauhan took the next as well for the home side with a super win over Danny Francis.

Kev Whitehead was in no mood to see his side slip to a first defeat of the season as he duly set his side off on the comeback trail.

Kev’s 57-23 win over Geoff French clearly inspired Allen Francis and Iain Atkinson as they defeated George Nelson and Barry Easthope respectively to turn the match on its head.

Wellington Billiard Hall F raced into a three-frame lead at home to Bayley B but eventually had to settle for a 3-2 win.

Richard Tranter’s 18 break secured the opening frame against Danny Oliver and Pete Smith made it 2-0 with a 56-25 win over visiting captain Bob Tracey.

Steve Weatherall then weighed in with a 20 break to claim the third frame only for Alan Wheatley and Dickie Beddall to salvage the last two frames for the Bayley by beating Martin Chapman and Rob Cook respectively.

Bayley F, who narrowly missed out on promotion last term, let a two-frame lead slip when they entertained Bayley D in the derby clash at the Wellington club.

Eddie Whitehead took a high-scoring opener 75-45 against D team captain Darren Rhoades and young Tom Maxfield made it 2-0 with a 20 break against Bill France.

However the D side have been close to promotion themselves in recent seasons and will again be hoping to finish in the upper reaches.

They will therefore be please to have come back from the brink of defeat as Dave Williams began their recovery with a 58-46 win over Chris Shaw.

Former D team captain Steve Lane, still smarting from losing out to a fluked black the previous week, made no mistake in the next to draw his side level giving Dave Dudley the chance to seal a remarkable comeback by beating Mike Healy in the decider.

STEVE FLETCHER    

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

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