Champions' shock defeat

Champions Crook B went down to their heaviest defeat ever when they visited the unbeaten Horden and lost 12-2.

Winners for Horden with two wins were John Bourne, Darren and David Jones, Steve Nixon and Stephen Wylie, one win each for James Evans and Paul Hickman. Crook B replied with wins from Gerald Parkin and Cliffy Owens.

Shildon entertained Ferryhill and won 8-6. Winners for Shildon with two wins were Paul Willey, Michael Hoggart and Paul Armstrong, one win each for Rance Richardson and Andrew Tennant. Ferryhill had two wins from Steven Wray and one each from Steve Webster, Terry Wray, Chris Murray and Simon Corbridge.

Consett entertained Aycliffe B and won 10-4. Winners for Consett with two wins were Dave Harrop, Jim Dixon and Kevin Rainbow, one win each for David Wilkinson, Alan Dixon, Seamus Nolan and Paul Collins. Aycliffe B replied with two wins from Richie Bellwood and one win each from Ross Killip and Gary Parker.

Horden lead the table on 68 points and have a game in hand on second placed Shildon who are on 66 points.

Crook League

A very rare situation in the Crook Queen's Head B home game against Crook White Swan sent the league officials scurrying to the rulebooks to sort out the winner. Neil Harker of the Queen's and Michael Sanderson were both down to the black when the home player wobbled it very close to the edge of the pocket but went in-off. As Sanderson was placing the cue ball on the table the black fell into the pocket and was awarded the point.

The Queen's Head B only managed three points through Phil Smart, Phil Hall and Dave Willey. The Swan's points came from Chris Pounder, Michael Sanderson, David Stewart and Lee Airey with two each and Simon Adamson with one to add to the two doubles.

Crook Royal Sun A came from the brink of defeat at Crook Belle Vue Club to edge through to a two points victory after they took the final three frames. The Club had two singles points from John Warriner and Paul Morgan with Dave Hakin and George Pakes adding one each. The Sun replied with wins from Peter Race, Simon Bowey and Kevin Clark to add to the two doubles from Simon Bowey with Gary Butterfield and Graham Johnson with John Howcroft to go just 6-5 behind. From there the Sun took the last three frames through Peter Race, Gary Butterfield and Simon Bowey to clinch a good victory.

Crook Travellers Rest B lead the First Division by six points from Crook Olde Horse Shoe A, who are three ahead of Crook Coach and Horses A. Crook Jelly's Bar A lead the Second Division by one point from Willington Market, who are seven points ahead of Crook White Swan and Crook Queen's Head B.

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

Bishop Auckland and District League

Spennymoor Ashtree pulled off a very good home win over Bishop Auckland Football Club to move into third place in the table, just two points behind the joint leaders, Bishop Auckland Snooker Club B and Crook Olde Horse Shoe. The Ashtree no hold a three points advantage over the fourth placed Bishop Auckland King's Head.

The Ashtree had two singles points from Tony Biddle, Stephen Jones and Ronnie McAloon with one each from Paul Biddle and Harry Baillie. The footballers replied with one point each for Tony Lambert and Lee Diaz. However Lambert and Diaz combined to take the doubles for the visitors, with Paul Biddle sharing the captain's points with Lee Taylor.

Ferryhill Greyhound went down at home to Bishop Auckland Derby. The home side had singles points from Stephen Watson, Chris Donald, Paul Archer and Chris Buntingshaw, whilst the Derby replied with two points from Colin Gash and one each from Paul Stewart, Michael Richardson, Steve Lowther and Steve Dillon. The Derby added the doubles through Lowther and Gash, before Paul Archer and Michael Richardson shred the doubles points.

Results: Tow Law Station 5 Bishop Auckland Snooker Club B 8; Crook Coach and Horses 9 Bishop Auckland Cumberland Arms 4; Spennymoor Ashtree 9 Bishop Auckland Football Club 4; Henknowle Manor House 4 Bishop Auckland King's Head 9; Ferryhill Greyhound 5 Bishop Auckland Derby 8; Bishop Auckland Snooker Club A 8 Bishop Auckland RAFA Club 5; Crook Olde Horse Shoe 9 Spennymoor Weardale 4; Witton Park Rose and Crown 7 Toft Hill Three Tuns 6.

Spennymoor League

Spennymoor Ash Tree won the battle of the bottom teams when they visited Spennymoor Football Club B but the margin of victory was not enough to lift them from the foot of the table. The footballers had singles wins from Carl ord, Micky Sneddon and John Plummer, whilst the visitors took points through G. Jackson and A. Gaskell.

The Ash Tree went ahead when they won both doubles through W. Firbank with A. Gaskell and N. Petch with A. Thompson. Victory was completed when G. Jackson beat the footballers Steve Guy in the captain's game.

Despite losing at home to Spennymoor Football Club A, Spennymoor Black Horse are still at the top of the table with a six points advantage over Spennymoor Quinns Inn and Spennymoor Victoria, with the Quinns having a match in hand. These two joint second placed teams hold a six points advantage over Spennymoor Voltigeur and Spennymoor Half Moon.

Results: Spennymoor Pit Laddie 6 Spennymoor Railway 2; Spennymoor Penny Gill 7 Coxhoe Red Lion 1; Spennymoor Quinns Inn 4 Spennymoor Voltigeur 4; Spennymoor Black Horse 2 Spennymoor FCA 6; Spennymoor Half Moon 3 Spennymoor Victoria 5; Spennymoor FCB 3 Spennymoor Ash Tree 5; Spennymoor Hillingdon 4 Spennymoor Salvin Arms 4.

Bishop Auckland

Area League

Spennymoor Penny Gill scored a convincing whitewash victory at the neighbouring Hillingdon to qualify for the final of the Team Knock Out, where they will play Spennymoor Voltigeur, who only dropped one frame to Bishop Auckland Derby.

The Penny Gill took the first three frames of a best of five match with wins from Simon Shields, Chris Blenkin and Gavin Salvini.

Bishop Auckland Kings Head closed the gap on the top of the table, Bishop Auckland Derby this week to one point and they still have two games in hand. The Kings were at home to the Manor and got off to a poor start, losing the first game when Martin Armstrong claimed the point for the visitors. The Kings then took control of the singles and won the remaining four games through Andrew Tuesday, David Jacomb, Steven Bainbridge and Peter Mernor to lead 4-1. The doubles were then shared with John Collinson and Chris Henderson taking the first for the visitors and Malcolm Parry and Warren Stamp the second for the Kings. Ron Wright then won the Captains game for the Manor to leave the final score at 5-3.

Results: Team Knock Out semi finals: Spennymoor Voltigeur 4 Bishop Auckland Derby 1; Spennymoor Hillingdon 0 Spennymoor Penny Gill 3.

League: Bishop Auckland Bay Horse 5 Spennymoor Wheatsheaf 3; Bishop Auckland Kings Head 5 Manor House 3.