Snooker - Bitter blow for Old Shildon

Ain-off on the respotted black after recovering from needing three snookers in the final frame cost First Division leaders, Old Shildon a place in the third round when they went down by seven points at home to Third Division Newhouse B.

The visitors had a 41 start but this was turned into a 21 deficit after Steven Bennett won the first frame for Old Shildon. Jossie Aldworth in creased the home lead to 38 in the second frame. David Jackson reduced the arrears to 26 then Glen Morton pulled the game back level with a good win in the fourth frame.

In the decider, Newhouse's Brian Eltringham got away to a great start and left the home side's Michael Pratt needing three snookers and all the colours after the last red went down. Michael managed to lie the three successful snookers and took the colours to leave the frame and the whole match was level. The black was re-spotted and, after a couple of safety shots, Michael took on a difficult black and was unfortunate to see the white go into the pocket to give Newhouse the tie.

Hunwick B, from the Third Division, produced some stunning home form to beat the First Division, Fishburn A without having to resort to their 89 points start. Only John Carter and Charlie Hirst with a 42 break managed wins for Fishburn, while Barry Fleming, Ian Richardson and Neville Blenkinsop recorded frame wins to take Hunwick through.

Tow Law B from the Third Division entertained Spennymoor A from the First and received 125 start. The Moors reduced the arrears by 18 in the first frame when Eddie Rhodes won and by a further 10 when Ronnie Bateman won. The third frame between the captains proved vital with visitor's Dennis Dodd beating home captain, Alfie Edwards by 61 points. Gary Easen then took the fourth frame to leave the Moors just two behind going into the final frame.

An upset looked possible as Tow Law's Norman Plews led Paul Biddle for most of the frame. However in the late stages of the frame Biddle caught up the home lead and eventually took the final blue to end the Lawyers chances.

A tremendous last frame win took Durham City through to the next round after trailing their hosts at Billy Row by 48 points. The home side had 27 start but Brian Dunn wiped this out in the first frame as he moved Durham City 26 ahead. Ken Rider won for the Row to reduce the visitor's lead to 14. Gordon Sample then pushed Billy Row into a 42 points lead with a big win over Eric Wright and Alan Hodgson increased the lead to 48 going into the final frame. Gary Ward became Durham's hero when he took the final frame by 91 points.

Leeholme A travelled to Newhouse A and had 60 start, which was increased by three after Anthony Forster won the first frame. However big wins from the home side's John Maddox, Steve Mountain and Ian Dinsdale put Newhouse 57 points ahead going into the last frame. A sterling effort by Leeholme's Tony Clish closed the gap but he never got close enough to clinch a victory.

Tow Law A had 56 start on their visit to Sacriston but Willy Nixon closed the gap to 21 after winning the first frame. Steve Bradley closed the gap by a further ten points in the second frame and then Ronnie Bradley moved Sacriston 22 ahead after the third. The home lead was cut to only six points when Charlie Donaghy won the fourth for the Lawyers but Sacriston went to victory when Alan Richardson sank the final blue.

Langley Park of the Second Division produced a stunning performance to beat the visiting First Division title contenders, Cockton Hill after receiving a 58 start. Ray Coates set the scene for the home side with a ten points win over Andrew Aisbitt in the first frame. Kevin Mordica then put in a 41 break for the Hill to close the gap to 18 points. However close wins for Robert Roche, Stephen Coates and Kevin Keers took the Park to victory.

Hunwick A travelled to West Auckland with six points start but Shaun Reynolds moved the home side ahead by 12 after winning the first frame. Tom Ward then made a big win for Hunwick to take them into a 43 points lead. David Geraty closed the gap to 17 points and then Alan Sugden hit a 34 break which moved West into a 34 points lead. In the final frame there was little between Chris Kitch and Trevor Cook with the West player just edging through by two points to complete the home win.

In an all First Division clash Newton Aycliffe had 12 points start of the visiting Wheatley Hill A. Ronnie Peacock and Alan Hall took the first two frames for the Hill to move 17 ahead but then John Briddick put in a 35 break to move Aycliffe 20 ahead. Dave Walker replied with 28 and 20 for the visitors to move them 41 ahead. In the final frame Stuart Neil closed the gap on the Hill's Jack Wright to just ten points before Wright knocked in a decisive 28 break for victory.

Belmont had 59 points start when they visited Witton Gilbert and this was extended to 84 after Steven Armstrong put in a 31 break to take the first frame. The home side then steadily closed the gap with wins from Ian Renwick, John Rooney senior and Malcolm Peart, leaving Belmont with fourteen start for the final frame. Chris Morley clinched the tie in style for Belmont when he knocked in a 43 break.

Stanley Central entertained Willington and moved their 27 start up by six after Michael Vicary took the first frame. However Colin Lomax won by 55 and Arthur Goldsborough by 91 to put Willington safe, so that win by the home side's Jim Dufton and Harold Grimes could not make up the leeway.

The local derby at Brandon against Meadowfield proved one-sided as Brian Graham, Kevin Sample, Owen Howarth, John Hall and Wayne Watson won for the home side to take them to a comfortable victory.

George Whitelock added 41 to Fishburn B's 58 start at home to Shotton Palms but from there the visitors took over with wins from Trevor Hall, Dave Swindle, Barry Hall and John Armstrong to go through to a 160 points win.

Spennymoor B entertained Crowtrees and coasted through to a good victory with wins from Stuart Ball, Micky Anderson, Alan Shaw, Wayne Parry and Alan Rowell.

Ferryhill only had Ian Roddam as a winner in their home game against Wingate, which the visitors clinched when Dave Hammond, Geoff Howe, Pat McCoy and Dean Jones won their frames.

Sherburn Village never dropped a frame as they won comfortably at Leeholme B with wins from Albert Bower, Adrian Twist, Scott Mallaburn, John Bower and Alan Greener.

Results: Hunwick B 261, Fishburn A 251; Brandon 386, Meadowfield 231; Newton Aycliffe 252, Wheatley Hill A 289; Billy Row 257, Durham City 300; Ferryhill 209, Wingate 356; Witton Gilbert 272, Belmont 325; Newhouse A 304, Leeholme A 282; Langley Park 290, Cockton Hill 243; Spennymoor B 353, Crowtrees 178; Stanley Central 323, Willington 399; Sacriston 281, Tow Law A 254; Tow Law B 283, Spennymoor A 292; Leeholme B 340, Sherburn Village 369.

Worthington CIU Winter League

At the Christmas break the leading break maker overall is Paul Atkinson of Willington of the Second Division with a 105, while Andrew Aisbitt from the First Division Cockton Hill has a 75 to his credit.

Top ten - First Division: 1 Andrew Aisbitt (Cockton Hill 75); 2 Paul Biddle (Spennymoor A 74); 3 Paul Weighill (Cockton Hill 60); 4 Michael Pratt (Old Shildon 56); 5 Ian Renwick (Witton Gilbert 52); 6 Stuart Neil (Newton Aycliffe 49) and Eddie Rhodes (Spennymoor A 49); 8 Charlie Blake (Old Shildon 46); 9 Charlie Blake (Old Shildon 43); 10 John Armstrong (Shotton Palms 41).

Top ten - Second Division: 1 Paul Atkinson (Willington 105); 2 John Maddox (Newhouse A 69); 3 Steven Armstrong (Belmont 56); 4 Craig Hughes (Meadowfield 47); 5 Pay McCoy (Wingate 42) and Paul Atkinson (Willington 42); 7 Craig Hughes (Meadowfield 35); 8 Steve Armstrong (Belmont 34 twice) and Geoff Howe (Wingate 34).

Top ten - Third Division: 1 David Jackson (Newhouse B 51); 2 Andrew Dent (West Auckland 39) and Alan McCluskey (Newhouse B 39); 4 Ray Gill (Leeholme B 37); 5 Alan Hodgson (Billy Row 35); 6 Alan McCluskey (Newhouse B 34); 7 George Whitelock (Fishburn B 32); 8 Paul Vickers, Alan Sugden and Andrew Dent (all West Auckland, 31 each).

Worthington CIU Winter Singles Championship

Third round results: Gary Ward (Durham City) lost to David Blyth (Wheatley Hill B); Paul Atkinson (Willington) beat Kevin Sample (Brandon); Michael Short (Belmont) lost to John Bower (Sherburn Village); Jim Dufton (Stanley Central) lost to Brian Graham (Brandon); Andrew Aisbitt (Cockton Hill) beat Winston Hodgson (Fishburn B); Scott Mallaburn (Sherburn Village) beat Stephen Bennett (Old Shildon); Arthur Goldsborough (Willington) beat Andrew Sugden (West Auckland); Dave Walker (Wheatley Hill A) lost to Michael Pratt (Old Shildon); Ian Renwick (Witton Gilbert) lost to Jim Evans (Shotton Palms); Charlie Blake (Old Shildon) beat Sonny Hann (Crowtrees); Billy Goggins (Old Shildon) beat Arnold Fleming (Hunwick A); Tom Parkin (Willington) beat Paul Hickman (Shotton Palms); Malcolm Hughes (Meadowfield) beat Alan Hall (Wheatley Hill A).

Worthington CIU Winter

Doubles Championship

Third round results: D Robson & partner (Ferryhill) lost to C Blake & S Bennett (Old Shildon); P McCoy & D Jones (Wingate) lost to R Roche & R Coates (Langley Park); D Blyth & T Ellison (Wheatley Hill B) beat G Whitelock & W Oliver (Fishburn B); A Hall & D Walker (Wheatley Hill A) beat J Griffin & J Carter (Fishburn A); M Umpelby & A Edwards (Tow Law A) lost to D Geraty & A Dent (West Auckland); I Dinsdale & J Maddox (Newhouse A) lost to B Graham & J Hall (Brandon); J Worthington & B Walker (Wheatley Hill A) beat S Hopper & T Bowden (Ferryhill); A Wilson & K Stanworth (Fishburn B) lost to C Hughes & M Halliday (Meadowfield); JR Rooney & M Peart (Witton Gilbert) lost to G Killip & K Mitchell (Newton Aycliffe); K Sample & G Jackson (Brandon) beat A McCluskey & J O'Driscoll (Newhouse B); K McLauchlan & S Hann (Crowtrees) beat H Dinsdale & K Mann (Newhouse A); M Anderson & A Shaw (Spennymoor B) beat M Bower & A Bower (Sherburn Village); G Parkin & T Parkin (Willington) lost to D Watson & K Davison (Witton Gilbert); I Kerr & I Renwick (Witton Gilbert) beat W Hodgson & J Hodgson (Fishburn B); M Pratt & J Aldworth (Old Shildon) beat M Pratt & G Ward (Durham City); P Hickman & J Armstrong (Shotton Palms) beat B Reay & R Peacock (Wheatley Hill A).

CIU Worthington

Handicap Singles

Third round results: Kevin Sample 18 (Brandon) beat Barry Hall 14 (Shotton Palms); Glyn Toas 24 (Ferryhill) beat Gary Ward 14 (Durham City); Jim Dufton 10 (Stanley Central) lost to Ray Coatman 18 (Witton Gilbert); Ian Dinsdale 24 (Newhouse A) beat John Rooney sen 10 (Witton Gilbert); Steven Armstrong 10 (Belmont) bye; Keith Mitchell 28 (Newton Aycliffe) beat Michael Pratt Sc (Old Shildon); Stephen Bennett 10 (Old Shildon) beat Arthur Goldsborough 16 (Willington); Michael Pratt 21 (Durham City) lost to Robert Roche 10 (Langley Park); Andrew Sugden 14 (West Auckland) beat Kevin Allison 40 (Newhouse A); John R.Rooney 21 (Witton Gilbert) beat Pat McCoy 18 (Wingate); John Bower 18 (Sherburn Village) lost to Billy Goggins 14 (Old Shildon); Colin Jobes 20 (Shotton Palms) beat Stephen Mountain 16 (Newhouse A); Brian Graham 10 (Brandon) beat David Blyth 14 (Wheatley Hill B); Ray Coates 18 (Langley Park) lost to Alan Greener 20 (Sherburn Village); Paul Atkinson Sc (Willington) v Trevor Lomax 28 (Hunwick A).

Curry Cup

Third round results: George Whitelock (Fishburn B) lost to Andrew Aisbitt (Cockton Hill); Jim Dufton (Stanley Central) lost to Arthur Goldsborough (Willington); Alan Hall (Wheatley Hill A) lost to Dean Jones (Wingate); Steven Armstrong (Belmont) beat Brian Graham (Brandon); Kevin Sample (Brandon) beat Kevin Mordica (Cockton Hill); Paul Atkinson (Willington) beat Andrew Sugden (West Auckland); Charlie Blake (Old Shildon) beat John Bower (Sherburn Village); Gary Ward (Durham City) lost to John Maddox (Newhouse A).

Crook League

Division One

P W L Pts

Travellers Rest B 10 9 1 50

Olde Horse Shoe A 10 7 3 49

Royal Sun 10 6 4 40

Belle Vue Club 9 5 4 36

Coach & Horses A 9 4 5 32

Travellers Rest A 10 5 5 28

Queen's Head A 10 3 7 27

Spitfire Club 10 4 6 27

Willington Market 10 1 9 19