Pickwick pulling out of a pickle

This week’s opponents were Eltham Terrace Nuthouse, who won the opening two frames, but Pickwick equalised, and Martin Storey won the deciding frame to give Pickwick a, 3-2 lead. 

Paul Cook tied the match but Pickwick took a two-frame advantage with frames seven and eight, for a, 2-1 lead in the set.

Alex Biggs tied the set, but Storey wove his magic again to give Pickwick the second set and a, 6-4 lead.

The final set also went to a deciding frame and guess what, Storey came up trumps again, for his unbeaten hat-trick, giving his team the, 3-0 & 9-6 win. 

Nuthouse will be disappointed not to pick up a point from this incredibly close match, but they can take some solace from Alex Biggs’ superb three out of three performance. 

He was only overshadowed by Storey winning the deciding frame in each set, and he was supported by Pete Thomas and Paul Dawson, who both won their two frames. 

This was a vital win for Pickwick as it put them one place and two points ahead of their opponents. 

Sharks are two points behind Nuthouse after they recorded a, 2-1 victory over third placed, Bull Tavern However, they had to share the points, as Bull scored more frames, 8-7. 

Eltham Terrace Club A have dropped to seventh after they were comprehensively beaten, 3-0 & 11-4 by the league leaders Hotshots. 

It’s usually a good game between these two sides, but this week Hotshots were awesome, running away with the first two sets, 4-1 which included a break and dish from Danny Kelliher. 

This gave Hotshots an unassailable, 8-2 lead going into the final set, which they also won, 3-2 to take maximum points. 

It was an imperious performance from Hotshots, with Richard Chapman scoring another hat-trick and he was joined by Steve Krishnan on the same score, and they were backed up by Kelliher, Ryan Francis and Neil Hall, all winning two of their three frames. 

Keeping up the chase on the league leaders are Foxy Meatballs, who beat bottom team, Falconwood Club, 3-0 & 9-6 to remain seven points behind Hotshots. 

The top and bottom teams maybe out of sight, but there is only nine points separating the remaining six teams, and the teams from fourth to seventh all have the same four wins from ten matches record, so points are at a premium in the battle to avoid relegation or finish in the prize places. 

Having the week off, Real Hustlers are now ten points adrift at the bottom of SLKPA Tier Three, as Bexleyheath Working Man’s Club scored a, 2-1 victory over Royal Oak however, they had to share the points, as Royal Oak won more frames, 8-7. 

It was another close match at the top of the table, as league leaders, New Eltham New Boys beat Greyhound, 2-1 & 8-7 to inflict their third defeat in a row. 

New Boys are now seven points clear of Greyhound, while Royal Oak have closed the gap between them and Greyhound to just one point, and Bexleyheath remain four points behind Royal Oak. 

The split between the top three and bottom three of SLKPA Tier Two East remains despite Fox & Hounds impressive victory over bottom team, Rugrats Guardians. 

The first two frames were shared, but Clive Forrest and Tom Wyatt won frames three and four to give Fox the set.

Tom’s daughter, Kerry could have made it, 4-1 but she was beaten by Ross Webster, making the set score, 3-2.

Guardians took a, 2-1 lead in the second set to tie the match at, 4-4 but Forrest and Kerry Wyatt won frames nine and ten to put their team back in the lead, 6-4 in frames and 2-0 up in sets.

The final set went to a deciding frame, with Forrest winning his third frame of the night to give his side a, 3-0 & 9-6 triumph. 

Joining Forrest on an unbeaten hat-trick was team mate, Neil Shelton. 

This victory put Fox five points ahead of their opponents and closed the gap between them and Duke of Northumberland, in third to nine points after they were beaten by second place, Rose Inn. 

The first set went to a final frame decider, which Brett Wilson won for Rose. 

The second set was just as close, as John Kinsville equalised for Duke and Lewis Hearn put Rose one up again, before Duke took the next two frames for the set. 

Leighton Aston took frame ten to level the match at one set and five frames all. 

It all went downhill from there for Duke, as Rose went on to whitewash the final set, 5-0 for an overall, 2-1 & 10-5 triumph.

The match was so close going into the final set, which is reflected in the fact there was only two unbeaten players, with Aston going on to win all three of his frames and Rose Captain, Neil Mundy successful in his only frame. 

As a result, Rose are three points ahead of Duke, but New Eltham New Stars have increased their lead at the top of the table to five points, with an impressive, 3-0 & 12-3 triumph over Just Bellegrove. 

This was New Stars ninth victory of the season, joining the Elite League’s Hotshots as the only two teams on this amount. 

Rugrats Guardians are bottom of Tier Two East, but their neighbours Rugrats are having a much better time, riding high, eleven points clear at the top of Tier Two West, after this week’s, 3-0 & 13-2 thrashing of Academicals. 

Rugrats were in a class of their own, winning the first seven frames, with Paul Thomas preventing the second set whitewash. 

The last two frames of the second set also went Rugrats’ way to give them a, 9-1 lead and the match before the start of the last set. 

The final set went the same way as the second, with Dean Williams preventing the whitewash this time. 

Rugrats look to be heading back to the top division, after Dafydd Ruffell, Ashley Hewson, Scott Shephard and Josh Page all won three frames in this impressive victory. 

Behind Rugrats, third played second, as Crayford A played hosts to Bellegrove A and the home team joined their opponents on 23 points, after they beat them, 2-1 & 9-6 but Bellegrove stay in second, having won one more frame. 

Eltham Terrace Rack Pack Rovers could not capitalise on this as they had to share the points against bottom team, Sea the Angles. 

It was a fantastic start from Sea the Angles, stunning Rack Pack Rovers with Jade Holmes, Reece Stewart and Angie Hobbs winning the first three frames to take the first set. 

Rack Pack Rovers fought back and won the last two frames of the set to bring it back to, 3-2. 

Having clawed their way back, Rack Pack Rovers lost momentum, as Claire Stork and new boy Danny Campbell put Sea the Angles, 5-2 ahead, but Rack Pack Rovers tied the set at two all, before Holmes won frame ten to secure Sea the Angles second victory of the season. 

6-4 ahead, Sea the Angles were buoyant and looking forward to picking up more valuable points, but Rack Pack Rovers had other ideas and whitewashed the final set, 5-0 to take the final set and the bonus point. 

Luck wasn’t on Sea the Angles side in their, 2-1 victory as Rack Pack Rovers scored more frames, 9-6. 

The two points were valuable for both sides, as Sea the Angles have closed the gap between them and Academicals to four points and Rack Pack Rovers are just one point behind Crayford and Bellegrove. 

For more information on the SLKPA including league tables visit our website at www.slkpa.com or contact our Secretary, Paul Gafa on 07443 456662 or secretary@slkpa.com with any queries.

The league is looking at potential sponsors; any interested parties can also contact Paul Gafa.