Norman Fowler Memorial

IN the third quarter final Sean Johnston of Coxhoe played John Armstrong of Shotton at Tow Law Club over a best of five frames. Armstrong got away to a good start and never looked back after putting in an early 22 break. He followed this with a couple of breaks in the teens before running the cue ball safe. Eventually Johnston resigned on the yellow when trailing by 51 points.

The second frame again saw Johnston unable to get a real chance as Armstrong knocked in a 28 break, followed by a 41 break and completed the frame with a 24 break. The early stages of the third frame were scrappy but again Johnston's luck was non-existent as Armstrong ran in repeated breaks in the teens, again followed by good safety to clinch victory on the green when leading by fifty points.

John Armstrong joins Andrew Aisbitt of Bishop Auckland and Paul Atkinson of Willington in the semi-finals with the fourth member to come from the match between Michael Pratt of Chilton and Alan Todd of Stanley. The first semi-final will be played on Thursday, 26 October and the second on Saturday, 28 October. The Final will be on Saturday, November 4, at 7.30pm. All matches are played in

Tow Law Club.

Crook League

Division One

P W L Pts

Travellers B 3 3 0 17

Royal Sun 3 3 0 14

O. Horse Shoe A 3 1 2 12

Belle Vue Club 2 2 0 11

Queen's Head A 3 1 2 10

C. & Horses A 2 1 1 6

Spitfire Club 3 0 3 6

Travellers A 3 1 2 5

Will. Market 2 0 2 3

Division Two

O. Horse Shoe B 2 2 0 11

Golden Fleece 3 2 1 10

Jelly's Bar 2 1 1 9

C. & Horses B 2 1 1 8

White Swan 2 1 1 7

Mill House 2 1 1 7

Surtees 2 1 1 6

Queen's Head B 3 0 3 5

Worthington CIU

Winter League

IN only the second week of the new season two of the top challengers for the Championship met with Old Shildon using their home advantage to edge through by the odd point against Fishburn A. Michael Pratt, unbeaten in the Summer League, put Old Shildon ahead with John Carter levelling. Billy Goggins and Charlie Blake then clinched victory for the home side but Peter Davison took the final frame for Fishburn.

Wheatley Hill A, another team with Championship hopes, travelled to a tough away match at Spennymoor A. The Hill went two up with wins from Dave Walker and Ronnie Peacock but Ronnie Bateman reduced the arrears. Dean Bryden clinched the Hill's victory with Paul Biddle winning the final point for the Moors.

Langley Park went two up at Wingate with wins from Robert Roche and Kevin Keers but Pat McCoy and Steve Allen levelled. Wingate's Geoff Howe took the decider against Paul Morgan.

Belmont went two ahead when they entertained Ferryhill when Chris Morley and Steven Armstrong, with a 56 break, won. The visitors retaliated with wins from Bill Roddam and Bernie Jones. In the decider, Belmont's Billy McGrath marked his home debut by beating Ian Roddam.

Sherburn Village looked to be well away when they took the first two points at Durham City through Scott Mallaburn and Alan Bower. However the home side came back with wins from Barry Stoddart and Brian Dunn and then clinched victory when Gary Ward beat John Bower in the decider.

If the quality of the snooker had been equal to the atmosphere when Tow Law B entertained their A team the television companies would have been clamouring for the rights. Ken Robinson put the A team ahead but Ian Johnson made an excellent debut win to level. Bill McCluskey restored the A team lead only to see Alec Ogilvie equalise. The neck and neck decider added even further to the atmosphere with the A team's Tommy Williams grabbing victory on the final pink against Ian Stockdale.

Fishburn B were never headed when they entertained Sacriston. George Whitelock put the home side ahead with Dale Evans levelling. Winston Hodgson edged Fishburn ahead again in a black ball game but Willy Nixon pulled Sacriston level again. In the decider Barry Underwood beat Ronnie Bradley to give Fishburn the win.

Only Barry Coston managed to take a point for Wheatley Hill B when they entertained Newton Aycliffe. The visitors' points came from Ritchie Young, Stuart Neil, John Briddick and Bill Barrigan.

Witton Gilbert whitewashed their guests from Stanley Central with wins from Ian Renwick, John Ronney junior, Ian Kerr, John Rooney senior and Willis Joynes.

Dave Swindle put Shotton Palms ahead of the visiting Cockton Hill when he snatched the deciding black. Andrew Aisbitt levelled for the visitors but from then on the Palms took over with wins from Barry Hall, Paul Hickman and Jimmy Evans junior.

Hunwick A twice led the visiting Newhouse A before going down in the decider where Steve Mountain beat Trevor Lomax. John Bate had put Hunwick ahead with Kevin Allison levelling. Tom Ward restored the home lead but Ian Dinsdale won for Newhouse to set up the decider.

Malcolm Hughes put Meadowfield ahead of the visiting Crowtrees, who immediately equalised when Keith McLauchlan put in a decisive 30 break. From there, however, the home side took over and went to victory with wins from Trevor Smith, Stephen Hughes and Norman Smith.

Ray Gill took the first point for Leeholme B when they entertained Spennymoor B but after that the visitors took over with wins from Alan Rowell, Micky Anderson, Karl McCormack and Wayne Parry.

Leeholme A had a similar result on their visit to Billy Row when only Lawrence Jones scored a point. The Row's points came from Ken Rider, Ernie McEleavey, Alan Hodgson and Alan Smith.

Ian Richardson took the first point for Hunwick B at Newhouse B but then the home side took over and scored wins from Glen Morton, Brian Eltringham, Alan McCluskey and David Jackson.

Results: Meadowfield 4 Crowtrees 1; Tow Law B 2 Tow Law A 3; Old Shildon 3 Fishburn A 2; Leeholme B 1 Spennymoor B 4; Witton Gilbert 5 Stanley Central 0; Fishburn B 3 Sacriston 2; Spennymoor A 2 Wheatley Hill A 3; Newhouse B 4 Hunwick B 1; Hunwick A 2 Newhouse A 3; Durham City 3 Sherburn Village 2; Wingate 3 Langley Park 2; Billy Row 4 Leeholme A 1; Shotton Palms 4 Cockton Hill 1; Wheatley Hill B 1 Newton Aycliffe 4; Belmont 3 Ferryhill 2.