Worthington CIU

Summer League

With just one match left the position in the championship race and the Third Division could not be tighter as the top two in each have the same number of points. Old Shildon dropped two vital points at home to Newton Aycliffe to allow Fishburn A to move level in the championship race when they only dropped one point at home to Sherburn Village. In the Third Division Newhouse B whitewashed the visiting Billy Row to join Meadowfield, who were without a match, at the top.

Old Shildon began in great style with Charlie Blake, with a 51 break, Jossie Aldworth and Michael Pratt, with breaks of 53 and 40 putting Newton Aycliffe three down. However the visitors came back to throw the race wide open with wins from Steve Nelson and Michael Hewitt.

John Carter gave Fishburn A a great start at home to Sherburn Village with a 38 break but Peter McGowan levelled the match. John Griffin put in a 36 break to restore the home lead and Peter Davison and Brian Quest completed the good win.

With Meadowfield without a match, Newhouse B whitewashed the visiting Billy Row to move level at the top. David Jackson, Brian Eltringham, Ronnie Bell and Alan McCluskey made comfortable wins to go four up but John O'Driscoll was taken tot the black before beating Ken Campbell.

Willington clinched the Second Division Championship when they only dropped one point to the visiting Newhouse A, who had Ian Dinsdale as their only winner. Arthur Goldsborough, Colin Lomax, Paul Atkinson and Tommy Parking won for Willington.

Wingate's single point at Wheatley Hill B, collected when Dean Jones won, threw the runners-up spot in the Second Division into the melting pot. Wheatley Hill B's points from John Frost, Dave Blyth, Ken Johnson and Barry Coston move them two points behind with a match to play, while Wingate have completed their programme. The Hill share this position with Crook Belle Vue so any of the three could take the runners-up trophies, possibly after a play off.

Crook Belle Vue put themselves in the frame despite never being ahead of the visiting Brandon until Derek Potts beat John Middleton in the decider. John Hall and Kevin Sample took the first and third points for Brandon with Harold Lomax and Norman Slack puling Crook back level.

Stanley Central's fight against relegation from the First Division did not look too good when they trailed the visiting Spennymoor A by three points after wins from Gary Eason, Eddie Rhodes and Dennis Dodd. However the Central put themselves in with a chance of avoiding the drop when Walter Cornell and Alan Todd to the last two points.

Witton Gilbert moved into third place in the First Division when they only dropped one point at Shotton Palms, who had John Armstrong, with a 43 break, as their only winner. Witton's points came from David Watson, Kevin Davison, Ian Kerr and John Rooney senior.

Hunwick could just get among the trophies in the Third Division if they can repeat their whitewash win over the visiting Crowtrees when they visit Billy Row in the final game. The Hunwick points came from Neville Blenkinsop, Barry Fleming, Trevor Lomax, John Bate and Arnold Fleming.

Despite being already relegated from the Second Division, Ferryhill visited Langley Park and produced a tremendous odd point victory with wins from Adrian Jones, Ian Roddam and Gary Toase. Paul Nord and Robert Roche replied for the Park.

Tow Law completed their programme with a maximum win at Leeholme with wins from Ken Robinson, Bill McCluskey, Malcolm Umpleby, Charlie Donaghy and Stephen Laing.

Spennymoor B were never headed when they entertained Fishburn B but it took a good win from Micky Anderson to beat George Whitelock in the decider. Earlier Alan Shaw and Wayne Parry scored for the Moors with Barry Underwood and Winston Hodgson setting up the decider.

Results: Leeholme 0, Tow Law 5; Stanley Central 2, Spennymoor A 3; Fishburn A 4, Sherburn Village 1; Spennymoor B 3, Fishburn B 2; Hunwick 5, Crowtrees 0; Newhouse B 5, Billy Row 0; Shotton Palms 1, Witton Gilbert 4; Crook Belle Vue 3, Brandon 2; Old Shildon 3, Newton Aycliffe 2; Langley Park 2, Ferryhill 3; Wheatley Hill B 4, Wingate 1; Willington 4, Newhouse A 1

Norman Fowler Memorial

There were nightmare performances for two local players as they went out at the second round stage in straight frames. Stephen Laing of Tow Law failed against Stephen Bennett of Darlington, while Ken Rider of Billy Row went out against Tommy Parkin of Willington.

Bennett opened out with a confident 19 before losing position and he steadily increased this lead as Laing uncharacteristically missed some easy balls. Bennett had moved 36 ahead when only the colours were left and took yellow, green and brown to clinch the frame. The second was much closer as Bennett's accuracy began to slip and he led by only 16 into the colours. A series of errors by both players left the pink and black with both players needing both balls. A long pink gave Bennett good position to clinch the match on the black.

Rider was below his best when he found himself 30 behind with just the colours left against Parkin of Willington. Parkin then took yellow and green to earn a retirement. The second frame followed a similar pattern with Parkin 24 ahead on the colours. This time he took yellow, green, brown and blue to win.

In the local derby Alf Edwards of Tow Law had a relatively easy shot at the final black to win by one point, but he missed and Edward Umpelby, also of Tow Law, took advantage. In the second frame Umpelby got away to a good start and held his lead through to complete a comfortable victory.

Tomorrow's fixtures: Sean Johnston (Coxhoe) v Barry Shaw (Kirk Merrington) and Arthur Goldsborough (Willington) v Peter Laverick (Coxhoe). On Thursday, September 7, Paul Atkinson (Willington) plays Arthur Henderson (Tow Law) and Charlie Donaghy (Tow Law) plays the holder, Michael Pratt (Chilton)

Yorkshire Veterans' Championships

Ripon tennis player Andrew Batcup served up a double success in the competition held at Chapel Allerton, Leeds.

Batcup, who plays at the Ripon Tennis Centre and comes from Harrogate, retained the O-55s event, defeating Ray Ranson (Sheffield) 6-4, 6-4.

Ranson, whose son Paul is a former winner of the Yorkshire Men's Championship, is assistant tennis development officer for the county.

Batcup's double was achieved when he teamed up with Dave Godfrey to win the corresponding O-55s doubles' championship, beating Harrogate's Dave Whitelaw and Giles Hinchcliffe (Chapel Allerton) 6-3, 6-1.

The O-45s was won by Giles Hinchcliffe, who is general manager of the Chapel Allerton Club and also organised the tournament.

He defeated newcomer Steve Mills (Whitby) 6-4, 2-6, 7-6. Mills, 45, was making his debut in the event. He plays for Tennis World, Middlesbrough.

North-East Men's

Winter League

Ripon Tennis Centre is being joined by a growing number of sides competing in the expanding league which starts up as soon as the summer season is concluded.

Top Yorkshire players will be competing in the league for the first time, but Ripon will play in the Northern Division along with sides from Newcastle, Stockton, Durham, Sunderland and Middlesbrough.

The league started in a modest way last year with only one team from Yorkshire - Ripon.

Now organisers have spread their wings and, keen to improve the league's profile, have invited other White Rose clubs to take part.

Leading sides from each division will play-off for the title next spring.

When the curtain goes up on the new season shortly the Southern Division will include Leeds teams from Carnegie's Regional Tennis Centre at Beckett Park, David Lloyd Centre and the South Leeds complex.

Other sides in Yorkshire will be from Doncaster, Hallamshire, Sheffield, Queen's, Halifax, York and Hull YPI.

Northern section sides include those from Ripon, Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Sunderland and Durham