The race for the Division Two title in the Spalding and District League took another twist last week as the top two sides lost to their nearest challengers.
Table-topping Sutton Bridge A lost 4-2 against Consti F in a close clash, while second-placed Bourne SC C were beaten 5-1 by fourth-placed Bourne SC B to bunch the quartet of sides together.
Third at the start of play, frame wins from Martyn Stanley (R21), Darren Stanley (R28) and Warren Peel (scr) gave Consti the victory against the leaders.
Glenn Ryan (O14) and Shane Balding (O56) did ensure that Sutton Bridge grabbed two points – which keep them at the summit.
That’s after Bourne SC C’s heavy loss, which was much closer than the scoreline suggests.
The B team bagged black-ball wins from Gary Surridge (O7) and Nick Cunnington (O14) to help seal the success, leaving the top four teams more bunched together.
At the other end of the table, the bottom two of Holbeach F and Whittlesey C both picked up welcome wins.
David Lefley’s (R21) final frame victory over Seb Grimston (O21) gave Holbeach a 4-2 success at Consti H, while Whittlesey prevailed 5-1 at Donington B with Neil Burton (O14) making a 20 break in his victorious final frame.
Elsewhere in the second tier, Jamie Mumby (scr) made a 25 clearance as his Gosberton A side lost 4-2 at Services E, while Craig Fitter (O63) sank scores of 27 and 21 as Services B won 5-1 at Donington A.
Up in Division One, leaders Pyramid A took another step towards the title with a 4-2 win over Sutton Bridge B.
Stuart Atkin (O49) managed a 31 break for Bridge, but a final frame victory from John Twell (O14) settled the contest.
Holbeach C remain ten points behind in second after they dispatched Services C by the same 4-2 score.
Shaun Lee (O28) and Mark Gregory (O35) bagged breaks of 23 and 27 respectively as they took the last two frames to clinch the victory.
Third-placed Services A came a cropper 4-2 at home against Consti G to lose ground on the two above.
Vince Fitter’s (O35) 21 break was in vain for Services, as Kieran Richards-Witham (O21) claimed two frame wins and Martin Deacon (O7) finished things off.
Meanwhile, Carl Manning (O21) and Neil Reynolds (O49) were in fine form as Donington C picked up a 4-2 triumph at Pyramid C.
Manning helped himself to breaks of 38 and 22 as he won frame one, while Reynolds pocketed a 32 break en-route to losing frame three.
Down in Division Three, leaders Pyramid B passed a tough test of their title credentials as they dispatched third-placed hosts Gosberton B 4-2.
The in-form Lester Gaunt (O49) made breaks of 35 an 24 for the Bourne side, while Roy Jackson (R7) got them over the line with a final frame success.
Two other sides picked up impressive five-point hauls, with Whittlesey B and Gosberton D the benefactors.
Whittlesey defeated Gosberton C 5-1, with Andy Skutela (R7), Michael Foster (O14), Kerry Skutela (R28) and Pawel Skutela (R7) the frame winners.
Gosberton’s triumph came against Consti D, with Dan Hanger (R14), Andy Adair (scr), Paulo Gensiorsky (scr) and Hanger (again) all on winning form.
