Worthington CIU Winter League
Old Shildon clinched the championship after they whitewashed their second placed hosts, Cockton Hill. Billy Goggins got Shildon away to a good start with an early 31 break but then found Lee Taylor ahead of him by six points after sinking the final pink. However Goggins took the black for a one-point win. Charlie Blake and Stephen Bennett then won for the visitors with 32 breaks and Michael Partt and Jossie Aldworth completed the victory. Fishburn A moved just one-point behind Cockton Hill after they took the decider at Wheatley Hill A. Brian Quest and John Griffin put the visitors ahead but Dennis Clish and Jack Wright levelled, In the decider, Fishburn's captain, Peter Davison beat Dave Walker. Despite this defeat, Wheatley Hill stay in fourth place, just two points behind Fishburn but with a match in hand.
Stanley Central fought hard to keep their First Division status with an odd point home win over Newton Aycliffe. Walter Cornell put the Central ahead but Michael Hewitt levelled. Jim Dufton and Michael Vicary then clinched a home win but Stuart Neil took the final frame for Aycliffe. This leaves Stanley two points behind Spennymoor A, but with a match in hand. Witton Gilbert failed to get out of the relegation zone after they only took one point from their visit to Shotton Palms. Tony Hall, Dave Swindle, Paul Hickman and John Armstrong won for the Palms with John Rooney senior taking Witton's only point. Brandon made an odd point home win over Wheatley Hill B with wins from Kevin Sample with a 32 break, John Middleton and John Hall. The Hill's winners were Ken Johnson and Tony Ellison. Willington clinched the Second Division Championship but came the closest they have all season to losing their unbeaten record when they entertained Meadowfield. The visitors went two up with wins from Norman Smith and Stephen Hughes. Paul Atkinson and Arthur Goldsborough levelled the match and Jeremy Martin took Willington victory by beating Craig Hughes in the decider. Ferryhill had their Second Division runners-up hopes put in jeopardy when they only took one point from their trip to Sherburn Village. Lee Lewis took the first point for Ferryhill but then the home side took over with wins from Peter McGowan, Adrian Twist, John Bower and Scott Mallaburn. This defeat leaves Ferryhill three points ahead of Newhouse A. Wingate trail Ferryhill by five points but have a match in hand but needed a tricky recovery to win in the decider at Hunwick A, who need a miracle to escape relegation. Trevor Lomax and Tom Ward put Hunwick ahead but Steve Allen and Dean Jones set up the decider, where Wingate's Dave Hammond beat Trevor Cook. Newhouse A stayed in the runners-up race after they took the first three frames at home to Belmont through Ian Dinsdale, Keith Mann and Steve Mountain. However Belmont finished in style with wins from Steven Armstrong and Joe Coxon. Crowtrees took the first and last points at Langley Park to ease their relegation problems. Keith McLauchlan put Crowtrees ahead but then Dixon Turnbull, Robert Roche and Ray Coates took the Park to victory before Sonny Hann took the final point for the visitors.
Spennymoor B moved three points clear at the top of the Third Division when they whitewashed their hosts at Tow Law A. However the match was much tighter that the score suggests for they took two points on the final black and two on the final pink. The Moors winners were Wayne Parry, Alan Shaw, Micky Anderson, Kurt McCormack and Karl McCormack. Newhouse B won three black ball frames to beat their hosts at Sacriston by the odd point. Willy Nixon and Ronnie Bradley won for the home side with Alan McCluskey, David Jackson and Brian Eltringham taking Newhouse to victory. This result leaves Sacriston three points behind Spennymoor B with Newhouse B a further three adrift but both have a match in hand of the Moors. Hunwick B were twice ahead of the their hosts at Leeholme A but eventually went down in the decider. Neville Blenkinsop put the visitors ahead with Carl Brown levelling. Ian Richradson restored Hunwick's lead with Tony Clish squaring the match. In the decider Leeholme's Barry Shaw beat Stan Bennett. Fishburn B lost their outside chance of promotion when they just beat the visiting Tow Law B by the odd point. Michael Bell, Winston Hodgson and Kkeith Binks took the first three frames for Fishburn but then Michael Basham and John Wilson made their best wins in their first season by beating Alan Wilson and George Whitelock respectively.
West Auckland completed a whitewash win over the visiting Leeholme B with wins from Andrew Dent, Chris Kitch, Kelvin Fletcher, Davod Geraty and Andrew Sugden
Results: Fishburn B 3, Tow Law B 2; Langley Park 3, Crowtrees 2; Brandon 3, Wheatley Hill B 2; Cockton Hill 0, Old Shildon 5; Sacriston 2, Newhouse B 3; Hunwick A 2 Wingate 3; Stanley Central 3, Newton Aycliffe 2; West Auckland 5, Leeholme B 0; Leeholme A 3, Hunwick B 2; Tow Law A 0, Spennymoor B 5; Willington 3, Meadowfield 2; Shotton Palms 4, Witton Gilbert 1; Newhouse A 3, Belmont 2; Sherburn Village 4, Ferryhill 1; Wheatley Hill A 2, Fishburn A 3.
Worthington CIU
Singles Final
Michael Pratt of Old Shildon met Paul Atkinson of Willington in the Final of the Singles Championship played at Newton Aycliffe. Pratt took the first frame easily after running in breaks of 20 and 18 before Atkinson got into the match, which throughout demonstrated some good potting and very good safety play. In the second frame Pratt moved into the early lead with a 27 break but Atkinson steadily fought his way back into the frame, which he eventually won by taking the blue, pink and black. There was a similar situation in the third frame, which Atkinson eventually won on the final pink. The fourth frame was very one-sided as Atkinson knocked in breaks of 37 and 25 to take the Championship with a 3-1 victory. The trophies will be presented at the League's Presentation Evening in Spennymoor Club on Saturday, May 19. All those requiring tickets should contact Ronnie Bateman on (01388) 817645 immediately as all previous events have been a complete sell out.
Worthington CIU Team K-O
Semi-final draw: Newhouse B v Shotton Palms (at Sherburn Village); Willington v Belmont (at Old Shildon).
l Both matches will start at 7.30pm. To be played on Tuesday, April 10. The Final will be played at Tow Law on Tuesday, April 17, again with a 7.30pm start.
Worrthington CIU Team Plate
Quarter-final draw: Crowtrees v Witton Gilbert; Stanley Central v Leeholme A; Tow Law A v Cockton Hill and Hunwick A v Fishburn B.
l To be played on Tuesday, 10 April
The semi-final draw is Crowtrees or Witton Gilbert v Tow Law A or Cockton Hill at Spennymoor and Stanley Central or Leeholme A v Hunwick A or Fishburn B at Sherburn Village.
l The semi-finals will be played at 7.30pm on Tuesday, April 17, with the final at Willington on Tuesday, April 24.
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