Consti E moved 11 points clear at the top of Division One of the Spalding & District League thanks to a 4-2 victory over Services C.
The match was over after three frames with home wins from Simon Law (scr), Ben Peppercorn (o14) and Jack Chilvers (o26) 51-44 on the black ball against Kevin Fitter (o7). Peppercorn’s win included a break of 36. Shane Cummins (o21) and Nigel Cherry (scr) hit back for Services.
Donington C dropped to third after suffering a surprise 5-1 defeat at home to Holbeach D. They had won the reverse fixture by the same score.
Lee Hemsall kept his cool to win the opening frame 49-48 on the black ball against Denis Hix (r7) but that proved to be mere consolation as the visitors stepped up a gear to win the rest thanks to Paul Daw (o28), Andy Spearman (scr), Wayne Fobelets (o21) and Don Monk (o21). Neil Reynolds (o63) struck a break of 34 for Donington.
Services A moved up to second spot after completing a 5-1 double over Holbeach C. A break of 30 helped Vince Fitter (o42) to an opening frame win and Phil Spencer (o14) made it 2-0. Dan Ashton (o7) pulled one back but that was as good as it got for the visitors, who conceded the last two frames to Martin Spencer (o28) and Jack Howard (scr).
A thrilling opening pair of frames proved decisive for Pyramid D in their 4-2 win at Holbeach B. Peter Sharpe-Grose (r14) won the opening frame on the black ball before Ryan Burton (scr) held his nerve to see off Ady Liquorish (r7) 54-47 on a respotted black.
James Sharpe (o49) wrapped things up with a 25 break before the home side hit back with wins for Liquorish, in his second game, and Neil Harvey (o21), who hit a break of 21.
Pyramid A fell 4-2 at home to Bourne SC but moved level with Consti H at the foot of the table. Victor Rouse (r7) put them one up but Mark Gray (o98) levelled with a high-scoring 133-112 win over Jim Benner (r14), including breaks of 70, 32 and 24.
Carl Gibson (o28) put Bourne ahead, despite a break of 32 from opponent Adam Zignani (o7). John Twell (o7) made it 2-2 to set up a last-frame decider, which went in favour of Pete Hodgson-Kerry (o28).
Consti H crashed 5-1 at clubmates Consti G, who were avenging an early-season 4-2 defeat. Joe Garland (scr) put the hosts ahead but Nathan Wilson (o14) levelled. Garland restored the home advantage in his second game before Darren Woodberry (o35) edged out Jon Houldershaw (r14) 72-71 in a thrilling black ball game and Martin Deacon (o14) completed the nap-hand.
It’s as you were at the top of Division Two after both leading teams chalked up 5-1 wins. Boundary A remain seven points clear thanks to winning the first four frames at Donington A courtesy of Daniel Smith (o21), Elliot Cox (r7), Andy Mowforth (scr) and Tim Burrows (r7). Tony Scully (o42) prevented a whitewash.
Revenge was sweet for Gosberton A who bounced back from their week two defeat at home to Services B by winning the away match equally as convincingly.
It came after Jason Rose (o28) had hit a 23 break on his way to an opening frame victory. Geoff Wand (r14) twice and Carl Wand (o7) made it 3-1, with Alan Jackson (scr) rounding things off with a black-ball 61-60 win over Alan Hansard (scr).
Consti I narrowed the gap at the bottom by a point, despite a 4-2 reversal at Holbeach A. Derek Beba (r7) and Pete Ransome (o35) had put the hosts 2-1 ahead after Jonathan Smith’s (r21) opening frame success. A 45 break from Stuart Atkin (o42) confirmed victory, with Richard Geddes (r28) grabbing a second point for Consti.
Robert Adams’ (o14) re-spotted black third-frame victory over Ian Smith (scr) proved to be the match-winner in Consti F’s 4-2 win against Services D. Darren Stanley (r28) put the hosts ahead but Joely Shears (r14) levelled. Adams won his match before Justyn Stanley (scr) and Russ Morse (o7) traded frame wins.
Richard Parks (scr) and James Crompton (o7) pulled Holbeach E back into their match at Pyramid E after they fell two down to Steve Thompson (r14) and Phil Cooke (r7). However, the points went to the hosts after John Clapton (r7) stopped the rot with a 60-59 win in the final frame.
John Keeton’s (o7) 25 clearance in a first-frame win gave Consti B the lead at Whittlesey C but it was home glory all the way after that with wins chalked up by John Willis (r7), Simon Parker (o7), Garry Thewliss (scr) and Jason Bloomfield (o28).
The top two in Division Three have identical records after overtaking previous leaders Pyramid B, who were without a game.
Gosberton D made it a 4-2 double over Whittlesey B with an away win, while Whittlesey A matched them with a similar result at Gosberton C.
Malc Bruce (o7) was Whittlesey A’s hero in their win, claiming victory in the final frame after his teammates Lance Clarke (r14) and Steve Jennings (o35) had traded wins with Chris Sibley (r14 and Stuart Tamplin (r7).
Neil Simmons (o14), Keith Langley (o28) and Dan Hanger (scr) won for Gosberton D, with Andy Skutela (r14) winning on a re-spotted black and Michael Foster (o14) successful in the last frame for Whittlesey B.
Donington D completed a second 4-2 win of the season over Boundary B to sit in fourth spot. Rich Wilson (o7) notched a 31 break for the hosts, with Dougy Lythgow (o14) also successful for the home side. However, Dan Sawdy (scr), Pat Taylor (r21) and Alan Stanley (r7) secured victory for Donington.
Steve Crane (scr) secured a 4-2 victory in the Consti derby, winning the final frame on a black ball for the C team against Consti D. Mark Craig (r14) won both his games for the ‘hosts’, with Tom Digby (r7) and Martin Perkins (o21) in form for the D team.
The league’s bottom teams both lost 5-1 at home, Consti A to Donington B for the second time this campaign, and Gosberton B against Consti J. Nigel Steadman (scr) was Consti A’s sole victor, with Pete Burrell (o7), Phil Burrell (r7), Paul Stewart (o7) and Darren Templeman (o7) securing the victors’ honours.
Gosberton’s only winner was Mark Howlett (scr) as they were overwhelmed by Consti J’s Les Andrew (scr) in a black-ball 44-43 win, Adam Braybrook, Trev Braybrook (scr) and Stew Davies, who wrapped things up with a 25 clearance.
Results – Division One: Consti E 4 Services C 2, Consti G 5 Consti H 1, Donington C 1 Holbeach D 5, Holbeach B 2 Pyramid D 4, Pyramid A 2 Bourne SC 4, Pyramid C – bye, Services A 5 Holbeach C 1.
Division Two: Consti F 4 Services D 2, Donington A 1 Boundary A 5, Holbeach A 4 Consti I 2, Holbeach F – bye, Pyramid E 4 Holbeach E 2, Services B 1 Gosberton A 5, Whittlesey C 5 Consti B 1.
Division Three: Boundary B 2 Donington D 4, Consti A 1 Donington B 5, Consti C 4 Consti D 2, Gosberton B 1 Consti J 5, Gosberton C 2 Whittlesey A 4, Pyramid B – bye, Whittlesey B 2 Gosberton D 4.
