Horden lose national contest

In the round-robin stage, Horden went two-down against Chalk Farm, London but then staged a great recovery to win 14-4. Colchester, the third team in the group, then beat the London team 10-8. This left Horden only needing a draw to progress to the knock out stage. After sixteen frames the scores were level but Horden then grabbed the point they needed to go forward.

Shildon finished all-square in their first match against Lowestoft B, who went on to lose to Brighton and Hove. This meant that Shildon had to beat the Brighton team to qualify, but despite their best efforts, they went down 12-6.

In the knockout stage Horden met the very strong team from Dawley and lost 10-5. The quality of their opponents was shown when the Dawley team went on to the semi-finals before losing to Trent Trophies of Stoke.

CIU Individual Championship

First round results: S. Bowen (Grange Villa) beat S. Wray (Ferryhill); S. Armstrong (High Fell) beat L. Holdsworth (Grange Villa); T. Fenwick (Whitehill Park Tenants) beat M. Maitland (Quarrington Hill); S. Webster (Ferryhill) lost to M. Green (Grange Villa); M. Loxley (High Fell) lost to M. James (Whitehill Park Tenants); S. Corbridge (Ferryhill) beat S. Burnside (Ferryhill); A. Daniels (Hylton Castle) beat L. Cullinan (Tow Law); P. Clark (Alberta) beat M. Leck (Thornley); J. Bambling (Quarrington Hill) lost to B. Hall (Shotton Comrades); J. Mullen (High Fell) lost to M. Bean (Darlington A.S.E.); M. Stephenson (Whitehill Park Tenants) beat D. Wilson (High Fell); P. Best (Cockfield) lost to S. Hann (Crowtrees); R. Murdoch (High Fell) beat G. Tidyman (Newton Aycliffe); T. Sloan (Tow Law) lost to C. Murdoch (High Fell); D. Gleason (Crowtrees) beat B. Pattison (Thornley); D. Riddell (Hylton Castle) lost to C. Turner (Grange Villa); A. Dawbney (Quarrington Hill) beat R. East (Stanley Empire); P. Hickman (Shotton Comrades) beat S. Wilson (Newton Aycliffe); F. Bartosiak (Quarrington Hill) lost to D. Craggs (Tow Law); W. Hill (Quarrington Hill) lost to T. Kay (Darlington A.S.E.); P. Morallee (Crowtrees) beat G. Whitup (Alberta); D. Lowther (High Fell) beat S. Hamilton (Quarrington Hill); D. Turnbull (High Fell) lost to P. Maroney (Cockfield); P. Laverick (Crowtrees) beat T. Wray (Ferryhill); A. Spedding (Hylton Castle) beat P. Graydon (Cockfield); S. Thompson (Hylton Castle) beat J. McVicar (High Fell); I. Stephens (Stanley Empire) beat A. Dixon (Quarrington Hill); S. Sedman (Whitehill Park Tenants) beat N. Eddy (High Fell).

CIU Pairs Championship

Preliminary round results: S. Bowen & L. Holdsworth (Grange Villa) lost to P. Cox & T. Kay (Darlington A.S.E.); G. Whitup & P. Clark (Alberta) beat T. Fenwick & M. James (Whitehill Park Tenants); S. Hann & P. Laverick (Crowtrees) lost to M. Greeh & C. Woodland (Grange Villa); D. Wilson & P. McRobie (High Fell) lost to G. Holding & R. Holding (Osborne); D. Craggs & L. Cullinan (Tow Law) beat S. Johnson & B. Middleton (Stanley Empire); S. Wilson & G. Tidyman (Newton Aycliffe) lost to G. Adamson & K. Hickman (Osborne); A. Burnside & A. Jones (Ferryhill) lost to A. Spedding & D. Riddell (Hylton Castle); S. McPherson & J. McVicar (High Fell) beat M. Maitland & B. Weatherstone (Quarrington Hill).

Brandon and Byshottes League

Week four

Results: Prince Bishop B 6, Dog and Gun A 4; Loves 3, Cricket Club 7; Brancepeth Castle B 6, Station 4; Dog and Gun B 7, Prince Bishop A 3; Stone Bridge 6, Legion 4; Brandon Ridge 6, Brancepeth Castle A 4.

League: Dog and Gun B 27 points; Brancepeth B 25; Brancepeth A 24; Prince Bishop; A 24; Brandon Ridge 21; Prince Bishop B 21; Cricket Club 21; Dog and Gun A 20; Legion 17; Station 15; Stone Bridge 15; Loves 10.

Crook Individual League

Richard Walker became the player of the third night of the competition in Crook Coach and Horses after he potted the black three times but only beat James Ivil by the odd point. Richard cleared his balls in the first frame and then sunk the black but went in-off. James came up dry when he broke in the second frame, and Richard cleared up. He then completed a break and clearance to win the match

Darren Tinkler beat his close friend, David Stephenson by the odd point, whilst Michael Burke showed the pupil cane beat the master when he came through by the odd point against Neil Campbell. Lee Scott was the most fortunate player of the night when he beat his Bishop teammate, Aaron Cowan with an outrageous fluke on the black.

Results: Lee Scott 2 Aaron Cowan 1; Darren Tinkler 2 David Stephenson 1; Michael Burke 2 Neil Campbell 1; Richard Walker 2 James Ivil 1. There are no matches on Easter Monday.

Bishop Auckland and District League

Crook Olde Horse Shoe moved four points behind the leading Bishop Auckland Snooker Club B with a match in hand after they only dropped four points on their visit to Bishop Auckland RAFA Club. The Snooker B team have a one point advantage over Tow Law Station, who are one ahead of the unbeaten Crook Coach and Horses with the Shoe another point adrift.

The RAFA had two singles points from Bob Chambers with Lisa Gaskins and Richard Drennan adding one each. The Shoe had two singles points from Cliff Owen and Johnny Mason with Richard Walker and Gavin Witton adding one each. The Shoe's Owen and mason added the doubles, before Gavin Witton beat David Sedman in both captain's games.

Bishop Auckland pulled off a good home win over Crook Coach and Horses B with two singles points from Lee Diaz, Tony Lambert and Mark Quinn, whilst the visitors replied with two points for Stephen Heyes and Stuart Hall. The footballers took the doubles through Lambert and Diaz before Quinn and Heyes shared the captain's games.

Results: Bishop Auckland Cumberland Arms 3 Spennymoor Weardale 10; Bishop Auckland Football Club 8 Crook Coach and Horses B 5; Crook Coach and Horses A 9 Toft Hill Three Tuns 4; Witton Park Rose and Crown 3 Tow Law Station 10; Spennymoor Ash Tree 8 Henknowle Manor House A 5; Bishop Auckland Snooker Club A 10 Willington Brewer's Droop 3; Crook White Swan 7 Bishop Auckland Derby 6; Bishop Auckland RAFA Club 4 Crook Olde Horse Shoe 9; Henknowle Manor House B 3 Bishop Auckland Snooker Club B 10.

Crook League

Crook Coach and Horses A edged into equal third place in the First Division with a narrow two-point wins at Crook Mill House. The Mill had two singles wins from Alan Saville and one each from Mark Nichol, Peter Clement and Michael Thompson with Sanderson and Nichol adding the doubles. The Coach replied with wins from lee Scott, Stuart Hall, Brian Lee, Paul Fiddis, Arthur Martin and Phil Tobin with Martin and Hall adding a doubles to take them to 7-65 ahead. The Mill failed to force the draw when Lee Scott took his second point by beating Michael Sanderson.

Crook Olde Horse Shoe A lead the table by six points from Crook Belle Vue, who are three points ahead of the Coach and Horses A and the Travellers Rest A.

In the Second Division, Hunwick Club and the visiting Crook Spitfire Club went to six each when the home side had singles points from Andrew Carr, Robert Todd, Mike O'Brien, Neville Blenkinsopp and Ian Richardson to add to the doubles of Richardson and Todd. The Spitfire stayed in touch with singles from Ronnie Rinaldi, Dave Sneath, Gordon Walker, Ian Wilson and Dave Rowntree to add to the doubles of Rinaldi and Mark Callaghan. Hunwick went into the lead when Michael Poole beat Eddie Phillipson in the penultimate game but Ronnie Rinaldi forced the draw by beating Ian Richardson.

Crook Coach and Horses B lead the Second Division by eleven points from Crook King's Head, who are one point ahead of Howden Australian.

Results: Crook Olde Horse Shoe A 11 Crook Jelly's Bar A 3; Willington Market 9 Crook Queen's Head A 5; Crook White Swan 2 Crook Travellers Rest A 12; Crook Travellers Rest B 8 Crook Olde Horse Shoe B 6; Crook Royal Sun 6 Crook Belle Vue 8; Crook Coach and Horses B 12 Crook Golden Fleece A 2; Crook Jelly's Bar B 4 Crook King's Head 10; Crook Queen's Head B 8 Willington Brewer's Droop 6; Crook Golden Fleece B 6 Howden Australian 8; Croft Social Club 6 Crook Surtees 8; Hunwick Club 7 Crook Spitfire Club 7; Crook Mill House 6 Crook Coach and Horses A 8.

Willington League

Draw for the qualifying stages of the League Singles Championship. To be played on Wednesday, April 23 at Cottles: L. Sample, M. Pickles, A. Peacock, P. Trow, T. Atkinson, A. Lee, V. Horner, D. Peacock, K. Hirst, J. Bone, S. Britton and A. Flemming.

At the Brewer's Droop: A. Mains, J. Gallagher, P. Morris, C. Atkinson, J. Baird, D. Hawkins, E. Sample, K. Hill, B. Flemming, B. Wragg, D. Perkins and K. Heels.

Spennymoor League

The last unbeaten record was lost when Spennymoor Black Horse visited Spennymoor Football Club and crashed with only two points to their credit. This moved them from the top down to fourth place, whilst Spennymoor Voltigeur took over at the top, one point ahead of Spennymoor North Eastern and Spennymoor Quinns Inn, who are now three ahead of the Black Horse.

Results: Spennymoor Half Moon 3 Spennymoor Pit Laddie 5; Spennymoor Hillingdon A 4 Spennymoor Quinns Inn 4; Spennymoor North Eastern 6 Spennymoor Ash Tree 2; Spennymoor Football Club 6 Spennymoor Black Horse 2; Spennymoor Railway B 4 Spennymoor Victoria 4; Spennymoor Crown 4 Spennymoor Railway A 4; Low Spennymoor Victoria 2 Spennymoor Voltigeur 6; Ferryhill White Horse 3 Spennymoor Hillingdon B 5. Spennymoor Salvin Arms deducted two points for no score card from their home match against Coxhoe Red Lion.