Bishop Auckland League
Bishop Auckland Cumberland Arms won the battle for the first win of the season when they visited fellow losers, Witton Park Rose and Crown and came through by three points but still remain below their hosts.
The Rose and Crown had two singles points from Alan Routledge with Barry Thexton and Dean Hodgson adding one each, while Stephen Moore and Paddy Laughran scored two for the Cumberland with Paul Barker and Gerry Errington adding one each. The visitors added the doubles and then Paul McConnell of the Rose and Crown shared the captain's points with Geoff Proud.
Crook Olde Horse Shoe went down to their second defeat of the season, one more than in the last two seasons, when they lost by the odd point at Bishop Auckland Derby. The home side had two singles points from Michael Richardson and one each from Chris Murray, Michael Hoggart and Steve Ballanaves, while the Shoe replied with two points from Steve Liddle and one each from Steve Hunter, Gavin Witton and Richard Walker. The Derby took the doubles through Michael Richardson and Andrew Delve and then Paul Willey shared the captain's points with the Shoe's Gavin Witton.
Despite this reversal the Olde Horse Shoe lead the table by ten points from Bishop Auckland King's Head, who are two ahead of Spennymoor Ashtree.
Results: Spennymoor Weardale 6, Henknowle Manor House 7; Witton Park Rose and Crown 5, Bishop Auckland Cumberland Arms 8; Spennymoor Hillingdon 11, St. Helens Wheatsheaf 2; Bishop Auckland King's Head 10, Bishop Auckland Football Club 3; Bishop Auckland Derby 7, Crook Olde Horse Shoe 6.
Crook League
Crook Jelly's Bar A pulled off a good away win at Crook Mill House with two singles wins from John Gibson and Andrew Palmer with Sean Lauder, Mark Jewitt and Andrew Heyes adding one each. The Mill had two singles from Ian Bibby with Mark Nicholls, Stephen Heyes and Alan Saville adding one each. The teams shared the doubles.
The First Division looks likely to be a race between Crook Olde Horse Shoe A and Crook Travellers Rest B, with the Shoe leading by two points. Crook Coach and Horses A are ten points behind the Travellers. Crook Spitfire Club lead the Second Division by 11 points from the White Swan, who are three ahead of Crook Surtees.
Results: Crook Travellers Rest B 11, Crook Olde Horse Shoe B 3; Crook Olde Horse Shoe A 11, Crook Royal Sun 3; Crook Mill House 6, Crook Jelly's Bar A 8; Crook Belle Vue 6, Crook Coach and Horses A 8; Crook Queen's Head A 4, Crook Travellers Rest A 10; Crook Coach and Horses B 7, Crook Crown Hotel 7; Crook Spitfire Club 11, Crook Queen's Head B 3; Crook Jelly's Bar B 2, Crook White Swan 12. Croft SC v Crook Surtees - no result.
Willington League
Willington Football Club made their best win since joining the League when they pipped the visiting reigning champions, Oakenshaw Club by the odd point. Tony Atkinson put the footballers ahead but then Oakenshaw took three in a row through Kenny Plumpton, Mark Kitching and Dave Bennett. However the final two singles went to the home side when Steven Robson and Barry Lauder won. After the first two doubles were shared, Tony Atkinson and Barry Lauder beat Tony Leighton and Dave Bennett in the decider.
Howden Australian B took advantage of Oakenshaw's defeat to move six points ahead at the top of the table when they only dropped two singles points to the visiting Willington Brewer's Droop A, who had Paul Williams and Alan Lee junior as their winners. The Aussie singles scorers were Steven Burke, Paul Davidson, Michael Burke and Andrew Smith.
Results: Willington Brewer's Droop B 2, Howden Australian A 7; Sunnybrow Brown Trout 7, Willington Burn 2; Willington Black Horse Tavern 6, Hunwick Club 3; Willington Football Club 5, Oakenshaw Club 4; Willington Market 3, Prospect Club 6; Howden Australian B 7, Willington Brewer's Droop A 2.
Spennymoor League
Spennymoor Black Horse crashed to their worst defeat to date when the visiting Spennymoor Football Club only dropped one point when Dave Miller won a singles point for the home side. The footballers had singles wins from M Sneddon, I Grayson, J Plummer and S Wall. They continued their success when J Taylor with B Anderson took the first doubles, then G Smith with S Wall took the second doubles. A very successful night was completed when B Dixon beat J McIvor in the captain's game.
Spennymoor Quinns Inn, who boast the only unbeaten record in the league, lead the table by six points from Spennymoor Pit Laddie, who have a match in hand. Chilton Wheatsheaf are a further three points adrift in third place.
* League secretary, Steve Roy of Spennymoor Half Moon needs scorecards by 11.30am on Saturday mornings following the match if they are to be included in the up-to-date table.
Results: Spennymoor Voltigeur 4, Spennymoor Victoria 4; Spennymoor Voltigeur 5, Chilton Wheatsheaf 3; Coxhoe Kicking Cuddy 5, Spennymoor Penny Gill 3; Spennymoor Hillingdon 1, Spennymoor Quinns Inn 7; Spennymoor Salvin Arms 5, Coxhoe Red Lion 3; Spennymoor Black Horse 1, Spennymoor FC 7; Spennymoor Wheatsheaf 5, Spennymoor Victoria 3; Spennymoor Railway 4, Spennymoor Half Moon 4; Spennymoor Victoria 7, Spennymoor Salvin Arms 1; Chilton Wheatsheaf 6, Spennymoor Wheatsheaf 2.
Durham County Super League
Ithe preliminary round of the team knockout, Crook A were drawn against league leaders Crook B and it was the A team who came out on top, winning 8-2.
Frame scores: Stephen Liddle beat David Stephenson, Neil Campbell beat Darren Tinkler, Jim Ainsley lost to Gavin Witton, Robert Hird beat Joby Warriner, David Haygarth beat Steve Hunter, Richard Walker beat Les Scott, Dougy Bowey lost to Cliffy Owens, Robert Hird beat Joby Warriner, Richard Walker beat Darren Tinkler and Neil Campbell beat Gavin Witton.
First round draw: Chester v Bishop B, Shildon v Bishop A, Durham v Ferryhill and Aycliffe v Crook A.
* Ties to be played April 29.
Durham County
The Durham men's teams had 'a bad day at the office' when they visited the Top Spot in Sheffield to play South Yorkshire in the Region One Inter-Counties Championship.
The Durham A team, who are the reigning champions, went down 26-18. The best results for Durham came from Andrew Morley of Durham with four wins from his four games, while Steve Wray of Ferryhill and Brian Clamp of Chester-le-Street made three wins from their four games.
The Durham B team went down 24-20 with Paul Shutt of Durham scoring wins in all four of his games, while Gary Spooner of Newton Aycliffe and Barry Dowson of Durham making three wins from their four games.
Durham's next match will be against Humberside at Cookson's Hotel in Chester-le-Street on Sunday, May 13
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