It was crunch time in Division One of the Spalding and District Snooker League as the top two clashed on Thursday night – and it was leaders Pyramid A who cemented their position with victory over Holbeach C.
With only three rounds of fixtures left this season, Pyramid prevailed 4-2 thanks to a final frame win from Dean Cole (O7), sending the Bourne side 12 points clear at the summit.
Holbeach had won the first two frames courtesy of Dan Ashton (O7) and Nick Edwards (R7), but Norman Vaughan (O14), Matt Chapman (scr) and Cole hit back to edge Pyramid closer to the league’s top prize.
Behind the leading pair, third-placed Pyramid C enjoyed a 5-1 win at fellow high-fliers Sutton Bridge B to move to within two points of second place and a possible one-two for the club.
Richard Skellett’s (O14) 33 break was their highlight, while Stuart Atkin (O49) pocketed a 27 break for Bridge.
Services A are fourth despite going down 4-2 at Donington C, for who star man Neil Reynolds (O49) managed a cool 25 clearance.
Bourne SC A remain in the hunt for a top five finish after they picked off hosts Consti G 5-1. Their in-form star Mark Gray (O105) managed breaks of 67 and 45 in that one, while Consti’s Kieran Richards-Witham (O21) managed scores of 30 and 27.
At the other end of the table, Holbeach A are two points adrift at the foot – albeit with games in hand – after losing 4-2 at fellow strugglers Services C.
Courtney Balding (R21) settled that one in the penultimate frame.
Pyramid D are second-from bottom despite James Sharpe (O49) making a 38 break in their 4-2 home reverse at the hands of Boundary A.
In Division Two, it’s still very much a four-horse race for the title.
Second-placed Bourne SC C are a point off leaders Sutton Bridge A afrer a tight 4-2 win over Donington A.
The first three of the five frames went to the final black, before Martin Ulyatt (O7) clinched the clash for Bourne in the following frame.
Consti F slipped up, though, as the third-placed side lost 5-1 at relegation-threatened Holbeach F.
Colin Dodd (O21), Dan Mayfield (O28), Susan Lefley (R21) and David Lefley (R21) were all on winning form to boost Holbeach off the foot.
Elsewhere in the second tier, Stuart Sullivan’s (O21) 24 break helped Holbeach E win 4-2 at Gosberton A and Doug Lythgoe’s black-ball success over Ian Smith (scr) in the final frame saw Bounday B defeat Services E 4-2.
In Division Three, leaders Pyramid B saw their charge towards the title halted by a 4-2 home defeat against Whittlesey B. Lester Gaunt (O49) notched two 21 breaks for the hosts, but Michael Foster (O14), Kerry Skutela (R28) and Pawel Skutela (R7) won the last three frames to give Whittlesey the spoils.
At the other end, Consti D move six points clear of the foot with a 4-2 win over also struggling Gosberton C.
John Cooper’s (R14) final frame success was key.
