It was normal service resumed this week after a break for the divisional individual competition, and the first match to report comes from Anstice versus Maddocks C. Maddocks were well pleased to hit top spot in their last league match, but this week as they visited Anstice they were beaten 4-1, which reversed the positions of these teams in the table. Ian Duffy opened the match, and had breaks of 39 and 30 as he took the frame easily from Steve Hassack. The next frame was an even easier win for Keith Price, as Keith knocked in a 35 break and beat Darren Wincott 82-6. A bit closer the next frame, but this one went to Keith’s brother, Neil, who edged out Darren Wilkie to make it 3-0. The next frame saw Joe Oliver take a point for Maddocks C in his frame with Keith Blackham, this score line, 57-47 to Joe. Simon Yeates for Anstice made it 4-1 when he defeated Mick Wincott.

Maddocks A were at home to the Shifnal B team this week, and encountered a match which could have gone either way. Ian Eldridge for Maddocks won the opener playing Aaron Sparkes, with Ian winning a tight frame. The next frame went to Shifnal with D. Millward coming up against our leagues most talented player, Matt Davies. Matt had breaks of 45 and 35 to win the frame comfortably against D. Millward, who was making his debut for the Maddocks side. Phil Davies had a great win over Angus Way, that score, Phil 39, Angus 3. Maddocks 2-1 up, then saw Leigh France lose in the tightest of battles against Lindsay Knox, 43-41. The decider saw Dave France lose to John Fallows to give the reigning champions a 3-2 win.

Audco C, mid table, had a 5-0 victory over Coddon A, but not as one sided as the result appears. Marcus Thomas making his first appearance just got the better of Steve Downes 62-57, and just as close in the next frame with Roger Lewis for Audco beating Tony Garmson 55-47. Paul Proctor had a 34 break when he played Mark Wall, and this was a comfortable win for Paul. The next frame looked like a nail biter too, as Andy Lycett beat Dave Lloyd 55-49. In the last frame John Williams made it a white wash for Coddon with Andy Jones losing out in this match, 58-43, so for Coddon, although a good display no points for them unfortunately which leaves them joint bottom with Bayley A.

Bayley E were the home side in a local derby match with Bayley club A week, and it was the home side that took this match 4-1. Andy Obrien took the first frame from Steve Fletcher who has only just returned to the fold after working away for a few weeks. D. Beyer then lost to Bob Mason to make it one each. John Squires regained the lead for the “E” side beating Arthur Burrows, with Ali Jones getting a comfortable win over Maxwell Hodson to take his team into a 3-1 lead. In the final frame, Dave France also scored well against Chris Morgan-Adams, 67-11, to make the final score 4-1 to Bayley E.

Shifnal F were playing host to Broseley in this week fixtures, and it was the Broseley side who took the honours in this match. John Briscoe, for Shifnal lost the first frame to Simon McLeod, but Dave Peplow took the next one for Shifnal when he played, and beat Graeme Long. So, one each, and next to the table was Chris Painter playing Neil Caswell. It was the Broseley man, Neil who won this one 52-43. Spencer Rowley made his debut for the Shifnal side, but was on the losing end in this one to Mick Brezwyn. A close frame followed between Chris Petford and John Banks in the last, and it was John who gave the Brosley side the win, to make a final score of 4-1 to the Broseley side.

Second Division

Bayley B are joint leaders this week after their local derby match with Bayley F. Phil Whitby proved too strong for Kevin Mcloud, and put the “F” team into the lead with some fine potting, and is still undefeated, and, also, enjoying his snooker after some time spent away from the game. Tom Mulholland, also undefeated until this match, played Alan turner, and to be fair., Tom will think lady luck deserted him in this frame. Although playing out of some tricky spots, all the luck was with Alan, and everything Tom missed seemed to end up over the pocket. Tom missed a great chance to retrieve this frame after missing a comfortable brown, which Alan potted to leave Tom wanting a snooker. A lovely cue action this Tom, and one to watch! Danny Oliver was next up for the “B” team, and was matched with Steve Watkins. What a frame this was! Danny went into a 24 point lead, but Steve with the help of a fluked blue came back into the frame with a 23. However, it was probably a lack of match play which cost Steve in the end, although to be fair to Danny, after going through a bleak patch, soon recovered to come out an easy winner in the end. The steadfast Kev West beat Mick Hughes, and in the decider Dickie Bedall managed to get the better of Graham Darrell, 53-44, to give the Bayley B side a 3-2 win.

Minnesota Fats A have a good thing going at the moment, and this week they hosted the Second Club Trench A side. Aaron O’Donnell for Min Fats had an easy win over Bob Lane to put the team 1-0 up. Mick Pearson didn’t find the going so good against Ian Ferriday, although I have it from the horses’ mouth that Ian felt “lucky” to have won this frame. So, at 1-1, Mick Egan for Min Fats than played Neil Robinson and won a close frame 45-35 to put the Oakengates side back in front. Kirk Stevenson was up next, and his form has been good, but in this frame he suffered defeat from the hands of Toby Welsh. Match all level now, and in the decider it was Phil Bufton for the home side who took the frame from David Welsh to make it 3-2.

Dawley B, who are in the bottom half of the table, were at home toLDSG this week, and although Nigel Brazenall got the home side off to a good start when he eat G. Clements, the end result was a 3-2 loss to Dawley B. Tommy bell for the Little Dawley side came back with a win for his side against Tom White to even things up, and Grant heighway was in good form to run out an easy winner against Rob Withington. In the fourth rame Barry Roden was no match for Roy Levenue who won this frame 67-30. That also applied to Liam Goodman, the Dawley B player, who suffered a 60-15 loss to Graham Copson, a formidable payer when he’s on his game.

Maddocks B entertained the Shifnal A side, a nice bunch of chaps, and in this match it was the Shifnal side who welcomed their first match win of the season. In the first frame Wally Harper, a great tactician of this game, and also, in my day, a fine break builder during his frames, lost out to Steve Jones, only just! 54-42. Doug Morrey for the Maddocks side, and currently plating out of his skin, beat Richard Davies 66-13. Veteran, Les Hicks than played in a very high scoring game, and was beaten by M. Ainsworth 61-57. Geoff Tudor was no match for Ian Postins and this frame gave the visitors a 3-1 lead. The excitement didn’t stop there however, as in the last frame. John Archer, who always gives a hundred percent, beat Mark Jones in a close frame, 55-46.

Third Division

Shifnal D entertained division leaders LDS C this week, and found the visitors holding their form well. Terrie Askew played Colin Gittus in the first frame which looked like and humdinger, this frame went to Terrie, 61-57. Another high scoring frame followed, but this time it was Sam Drake for the Little Dawley side, beating Sanjay Chauhan 74-55. One each, and next to play was Arthur Aston against Mark Randall. Not such an high scoring frame, but very close with Mark shading it 39-36. Geoff French found Richie Heighway too good, and lost that one for the Dawley side to go 3-1 up. Chris Lawson, also for the Dawley side made it 4-1 when he defeated Barrie Easthope 58-18.

The Second Club B side were at home to high fliers, Dawley C. Chris Coterill had a 20 break in the opening frame against Sean Cross to put second club one up. Luke Edwards hit back for Dawley with a comfortable win over Alan Kynaston. The same applied to Chris Gifford with a score line of 68-22, when he was matched with Nick Holmes from the Second Club. The impetus was carried on in the match by the Dawley side, with Andy Shaw adding the next, playing Keith mears, but in the final frame Roger Smith pulled a point back for the Second Club with a defeat over Nick Davis. So, a good win away from home for the Dawley lads to keep them around the top of the division.

Hadley united, as the name on the card appears this week, were at home to the Anstice B side this week. This Hadley team will be far too good for this division I fear, and in this weeks match they recorded a 4-1 win. Ken Booty beat John Darrock 59-10, followed by J. Wright who had a closer frame with Mick Cahill, that score, 56-46, with Mick losing. Next, Darren Pountney had a comfortable win over Noel Stones, but it was George Hammond who took a frame back for Anstice with his win over D. Smout. In the final frame Matt Bailey had a convincing victory over Billy Watson, 76-22. This win puts Hadley three points behind the leaders with a game in hand.

Bayley Q increased their work rate this week, and recorded their second win of the season. Chris Durham got the first under the belt when he played Dave Dudley of the Bayley D side. The local derby continued with Mark Bedall pulling one back for the “D” side, with a win over Lee Newton. Andy Fletcher restored the lead beating Dave Williams, and Steve Weatherall made sure of his teams overall win in a closely fought frame with Jim Lewis, the score of that one, 63 to Steve and 57 for Jim. The final frame saw Craig Whitehead having his first game of the season, and he duly obliged with a 58-26 victory playing Richard Tranter.

There will not be a report next week due to holiday.

Alan Turner    

Alan.Turner@telfordsnooker.com