Newport no longer nailed on champions

Wearing his club hat, Jones remains as determined as ever on behalf of the side which has won the title for the last five seasons.

Indeed, he was one of Newport's seven winners at Wem last week. Jones was quick to stress that Newport are not surrendering their crown.

But in his chairman's role and conscious of the bigger picture, he is pleased to see increased competition at the top with the leading nine clubs covered by just six points in the current early table.

He said: "We've lost five players, so we're not going to be as strong as we were. I think the consensus opinion is that we are not going to win it this year.

"After that, everybody is fighting for the rest of the places. It (competition) is always a good thing. There weren't many points last year between the second, third and fourth places.

"We are looking to do as best we can as a team and take it from there. Next year, maybe!"

Despite the seven wins on a green where they do not usually shine, Newport had to share the spoils as Wem took the aggregate by 20 shots with Mike Dulson and Neil Boxall both winning to five.

Bowring are top and skipper Rich Lawson was pleased with his side's five winners at Wrockwardine Wood, where the visitors only missed out on the aggregate by 13.

He said: "Both teams were up for it and it felt more like a cup tie, at times. The game could have gone either way, but the home side deserved their victory."

Sir John Bayley and Castlefields are tucked in two points behind Bowring, but it's unbeaten Meole Brace who could be the next table-toppers.

They need four points from their game in hand, tomorrow's match at Newport, to regain the summit.