It remains tight at the top of Division One of the Spalding & District Snooker League, with just one point still separating the leading four teams after they all won their latest matches by 4-2 scorelines.
Consti E hold pole position at the moment but had to battle back from 2-0 down at home to Holbeach C. Nick Edwards (r14) and Paul Ashton (r14) put the visitors ahead before Jack Chilvers (o21) won a black ball game 75-73 against Terry West (r7) to pull one back. Dan Peppercorn (o7) levelled and Martin Ulyatt (o14) scored a break of 20 on his way to the match-deciding victory.
Second-placed Services C beat Bourne SC A to leave the visitors three points adrift of the title-chasing pack. A high-scoring opener saw Geoff Hemsil (r21) beat Mark Gray (o98) 149-118, despite the visitor’s 24 break. Kev Fitter (o14) made it 2-0 but Ian Gibson (scr) pulled one back. Pete Hodgson-Kerry (o28) struck a 23 in his win to make it all square but Oliver Player (o35) found his break of 26 was not enough to prevent Craig Fitter (o63) securing the home victory.
The Pyramid derby went 4-2 in favour of the hosting C team against the D team. It was all over inside three frames with wins for Dave Pearson (o7), George Neary-Phillips (o21) and Spencer Dawkins (o56), who hit breaks of 40 and 35 in his black ball win. James Sharpe (o49) pulled one back, helped by breaks of 27 and 20, before Jason Green (o56) scored a 44 in his black ball defeat to Pete Sharpe-Grose (r7).
Services A sit in fourth place after chalking up victory at Donington C. Jack Howard (scr) put them ahead but Neil Favell (o14) hit a 24 break on his way to make it 1-1. Vince Fitter (o42) hit a 54 to give the visitors the lead but Kev Goodenough (o14) pulled things level again. Phil Spencer (o7) won the decider.
Consti H fell off the title pace with a 4-2 defeat at Holbeach D. Adam Mayman (o28) and Seb Grimston (o28) – with breaks of 29 and 28 – were their winners. Paul Daw (o28) struck a 50 break in his win, to go with successes for Denis Hix (r7) and Wayne Fobelets (o21) in the home victory.
The night’s other match went 4-2 in favour of Holbeach B at Consti G. Barry Haynes (o7) and Charlie Mullane (r28) put them clear, only for Darren Woodberry (o35) and Neil Grant (scr) to level things. That set the scene for Ady Liquorish (r7) to win the deciding black ball game 51-42 against Joe Garland (o7) to finish the match.
Boundary A took advantage of their closest rivals playing each other to move five points clear at the top of the Division Two table thanks to a 4-2 victory at Consti F. It went to a
last-frame decider though, with Steve Smith (r7) holding his nerve to beat Martyn Stanley (r14).
Pete King (scr) hit a 23 break in his win but Martyn Stanley (r14) levelled. Andy Mowforth (scr) restored the leaders’ advantage only for Bryan Turnell (r14) to make it 2-2 before Smith stepped in.
Holbeach A leapfrogged Services B into second place with a 4-2 away win after a see-saw encounter. Derek Beba (r7) opened the scoring for the visitors but Paul Doades (o7) made it all square. Stuart Atkin (o42) beat Andy Neal (r7) in a black ball game thanks to a 30 break but Jeff Collins (r14) scored a 20 in his win to set up a decider. That saw Sean Swinburn (o56) score breaks of 46 and 23 on his way to a 108-56 victory over Alan Hansard (scr).
Gosberton A are just a point off second place in fourth spot after their 4-2 win at Holbeach E. Jamie Mumby (o21) won the decider to add to a pair of earlier wins from Carl Wand (scr). Rob Coaten (r21) and Chris O’Leary (o21) were the home victors.
Both the bottom teams tasted rare victories. Pyramid E opened a five-point cushion over Consti I with a 5-1 success against Whittlesey C. Jason Bloomfield (o21) ensured the visitors avoided a whitewash. Home wins came from Steve Thompson (r14), John Clapton (r7), Jeremy Radford (scr) and Neil McLean (r7).
Consti I, meanwhile, enjoyed a 4-2 win at Donington A. Nigel Brasier (o21) won the opener for Donington but John Bellerby (scr), David Twelves (o14) and Bellerby again put the result beyond doubt before Tony Scully’s breaks of 25 and 23 helped him to the hosts’ second win.
The other game in this section saw Holbeach F overcome Consti B 4-2 with David Lefley (r21), Dan Mayfield (o21) and Alex Bourne (o21) victorious. Mayfield scored a 32 break in his win. Consti’s points came courtesy of John Christian (scr) and Martin Fear (o7).
Whittlesey A narrowed the gap at the top of Division Three to a single point with a 6-0 win at their B team. Lance Clarke (r14), Andy Blythe (o7), Jason Clarke (o7), Steve Jennings (o35) and Malc Bruce (scr) were the maximum men.
Gosberton D remain top of the pile thanks to a 4-2 win against Consti J after twice trailling. Neil Simmons (o7) and Keith Langley (o21) pulled it all square before Paolo Gensiorskys (scr) potted a 26 break in the deciding frame. Adam Braybrook (scr) and Nev Vickers (r7) were the Consti victors.
Third-placed Pyramid D lost ground after suffering a 4-2 defeat at Consti D where Ray Digby (r28) won the deciding fifth frame. Steve Moore (R14) and John Cooper (r21) were the other home winners, with Phil Cooke (r7) and Roy Jackson (r14) on form for the away team.
Donington B closed in on the top three with a 4-2 victory at Boundary B, courtesy of successes for Pete Burrell (scr), Phil Burrell (scr) and Shaun Pickering (r14). Home winners were Rich Wilson (o7) and Mick Goddard (scr).
Gosberton B gave themselves some breathing space at the foot of the table by inflicting a 4-2 defeat on Donington D. Nigel Goodwin (r21) and Merv Patterson (r21) put them two frames up but Marcus Reynolds (r9) hit back. Simon Slinger (scr) won a black ball game to secure the points before Dan Sawdy (scr) had a clearance of 22 to beat Stuart Ruskin (r7) in another black ball encounter.
Division Three side Whittlesey B pulled off a shock in the Knockout Cup with a 4-2 victory over Division Two side Consti I. Adam Mayman (o28) gave the visitors the lead but the underdogs stormed back with Andy (r14) and Pawel Skutela (r7) putting them in front.
Michael Foster (o14) came close to deciding things in the fourth frame, just missing out 67-64 to Jon Holdershaw (r14) in a black ball game, despite a break of 22. It was left to Kay Skutela (r28) to settle the tie, seeing off Doug Garfoot (o21) 97-39.
There was no shock results at Consti G though, where the Division One team made comfortable progress against Division Three side Boundary B with a 3-0 verdict. Martin Deacon (o14), Neil Grant (scr) and Darren Woodberry (o35) were the winners.
Results – Division One: Consti E 4 Holbeach C 2, Consti G 2 Holbeach B 4, Donington C 2 Services A 4, Holbeach D 4 Consti H 2, Pyramid C 4 Pyramid D 2, Services C 4 Bourne SC A 2. Pyramid A – free week.
Division Two: Consti F 2 Boundary A 4, Donington A 2 Consti I 4, Holbeach E 2 Gosberton A 4, Holbeach F 4 Consti B 2, Pyramid E 5 Whittlesey C 1, Services B 2 Holbeach A 4. Services D – free week.
Division Three: Boundary B 2 Donington B 4, Consti C v Gosberton C – postponed, Consti D 4 Pyramid B 2, Gosberton B 4 Donington D 2, Gosberton D 4 Consti J 2, Whittlesey B 0 Whittlesey A 6. Consti A – free week.
Knockout Cup: Costi G 3 Boundary B 0, Whittlesey B 4 Consti I 2.
