Champions are playing catch up in the title race

A crushing 4-1 defeat at the hands of leaders Broseley B, leaves the reigning champions five points off the pace and needing to play catch up in order to keep their unique record intact.

And on this occasion the 4-1 win did not flatter Broseley. It would have been 5-0 if it had not been for a black ball win from Gary Smith against Andy Carson.

Pete Thompson, Mick Brezwyn, Eddie Mullard and Paul Lloyd all cruised to victory as Broseley B extended their lead at the top of the table to three while Chelmarsh B slipped to fourth.

Chelmarsh’s defeat allowed Chelmarsh Sc and Maddocks to move up in to second and third positions – both teams also winning 4-1 against Broseley A and Woodfield respectively.

For Chelmarsh, Carl Walker was in cruise control again as he beat Andy Garbett. Meanwhile, Chris Petford, Ian Postans and Terry Askew did not find it quite so easy when playing against Brian Edwards, Neil Caswell and Gary Watson.

Matt Smout, who has been in fine form of late, earned Broseley their consolation by beating Matt Judd.

Maddocks’s Dan Morris, Tom Maxfield and James Brennan were never troubled in their three frames against Woodfield’s Richard Castle, Jason Morris and Luis Ferraro. Maxfield knocked in the highest break of the night, 48.

Paul Harper knew that he was in a game playing against Callum Drewett but managed to pull through whilst Neil Pearson was Maddocks’s only casualty, losing to Pete Hyland .

St. John’s A continued their recent return to top form with a 5-0 cruise against Alveley C.

Dave Summers, Martin Lippitt and Tim Steele were never troubled; the best performance coming from Summers who recorded a 33-break when beating Steve Coldecott.

And although Rob Powell’s game was a little scrappy at the start, a 31-break from him ended any threat from Reg Burton. Kevin Hawkins completed the St. John’s rout by beating Chris Jepson.

in what might be described as the most competitive frame of the night. Although, to be fair, Kevin had led from the start and at one stage was 40-points ahead without reply. Chris came back to reduce the arrears to 13-points. But Kevin stopped the rot by first taking Yellow and Green and then a few moments later, the Brown and Blue, to earn his team maximum points.

St. John’s B climbed two places after beating Alveley B 4-1.

On song for the away team were Jason Brown and Kevin Smith, who only allowed their opponents a combined total of just seven points.

Wins for Mike Crawley and Pete Williams were a little more challenging in as much as their opponents did score more points but way short of that needed to be of real concern. Mark Jones put up a good fight and might have made it 5-0 had the final black gone his way. That was potted by Martin Coffey Jnr to earn Alveley their consolation.

Match Results

Alveley B 1, St. John’s B 4: E. Millard 3, J. Brown 57; I. Stephens 33, M. Crawley 72; T. Weaver 4, K. Smith 64; M. Coffey Jnr 62, M. Jones 58; D. Jones 36, P. Williams 57. Broseley B 4, Chelmarsh B 1: P. Thompson 56, D. Siddons 23; A. Carson 64, G. Smith 67; M. Brezwyn 72, M. Rogers 33; E. Mullard 60, P. Manning 28; P. Lloyd 91, C. Lewis 17. Chelmarsh Sc 4, Broseley A 1: C. Walker 72, A. Garbett 16; C. Petford 75, B. Edwards 43; I. Postans 59, N. Caswell 39; T. Askew 46, G. Watson 20; M. Judd 27, M. Smout 58. Maddocks 4, Woodfield 1: P. Harper 52, C. Drewett 40; D. Morris 57, R. Castle 7; T. Maxfield 84, J. Morris 13; N. Pearson 48, P. Hyland 56; J. Brennan 74, L. Ferraro 8. St. John’s A 5, Alveley C 0: D. Summers 88, S. Coldecott 26; R. Powell 64, R. Burton 34; M. Lippitt 54, N. Jones 16; K. Hawkins 69, C. Jepson 42; T. Steele 88, B. Arnold 29.