SLKPA Division One split in half

On top of that there are now just eleven points between the top five and 16 between the bottom five. 

There was one match between two teams in the top half as league leaders, Duke of Northumberland took on third placed Bears, with ten points between them however, Bears did not let this worry them as they recorded a narrow, 8-7 victory. 

There was also one match between two teams from the bottom of the division with rock bottom, Bell Ya Later hosting Eltham Terrace Rack Pack, two places and six points above them and Rack Pack extended that lead with a, 10-5 triumph to go up one place in the table. 

Sandwiched between Rack Pack and Bell Ya Later were Blackheath Sports Club, who were still looking for their first win of the season against Bellegrove Flyers. 

Five places and 25 points separated these teams going into this match, but Blackheath weren’t going to let that worry them, as getting their first win of the season was on their minds. 

The first two frames were shared, then Bobby Rogers nudged Flyers in front, before Joe Kane and Kerry Wyatt won frames four and five to put Blackheath, 3-2 up. 

In the second set all the Flyers kept their place and position, whilst all the Blackheath players kept their place, but Alan Dolan and Neil Shelton swapped places. 

This meant there was three rematches from the first set, with Peter Gray gaining revenge over Mel Barnes, as did Mark Porter and Jay Arnold over Kane and Wyatt. 

Jason Brunton and Rogers also produced wins to whitewash the set and take a,7-3 lead into the final set. 

Shelton pulled one back for Blackheath, but after beating Dolan in the first set, Brunton repeated this in the third for his hat-trick to give his team the win. 

Rogers also won his third frame of the night to extend Flyers’ lead to,9-4. 

The bottom two players from each side had already played each other twice and were on equal footing going into this third frame against each other. 

It was mixed feelings as Kane beat Porter and Arnold won the battle of the captains against Wyatt, making the final score, 10-5. 

Blackheath are still looking for their first win and stay second bottom, one point ahead of Bell Ya Later, while Flyers hit 100 points in fourth. 

Downham Tavern Terrors join Flyers on 100 points with an, 11-4 victory over Academicals, who drop one place to eighth as a result. 

Cue-Ologists hold on to second place with a, 9-6 victory over New Eltham New Boys, who remain top of the bottom half of the division. 

Last week’s lack of a match sent Pickwick second bottom of the Premier Division, so they were looking to make amends this week. 

The bottom two played each other this week, as Bellegrove A went to Pickwick with just four points between them. 

Pickwick had an almost perfect start with, Louis Wilbourne, Jamie Davis, Paul Gafa, and Paul Dawson winning the first four frames, before Peter Moult prevented the set whitewash. 

Davis extended that lead to, 5-1 before Joe Hills and Paul Williams put two frames together for Bellegrove, reducing the arrears to, 5-3. 

Gafa and Martin Storey won the last two frames of the set, giving Pickwick the set, 3-2. 

Pickwick were on the hill going into the final set and Davis recorded his hat-trick to give his team the victory. 

Enis Dogangun made it, 9-3 before Williams pulled another back for Bellegrove. 

Gafa won his third frame of the night and Storey recorded an unbeaten brace to make the final score, 11-4. 

Bellegrove A remain rooted to the bottom of the table, whereas Pickwick lift themselves three places to fifth, twelve points ahead of their opponents. 

It was quite a good week for those at the bottom of the table this week, as both Eltham Terrace Nuthouse and Falconwood Club, who were one point ahead of Pickwick, earned victories this week. 

Falconwood played New Eltham New Stars one point ahead of them in fifth and they came away with a, 9-6 triumph to leapfrog their opponents. 

Nuthouse had a much more difficult task against second placed, Rugrats and despite the four places and 34 points between these teams the match was incredibly close, with each set being won by the odd frame, 3-2. 

The first two frames were shared, before Pat Firth and Steve Gibson strung two frames together to give Rugrats the first set. 

Jon Syta pulled one back for Nuthouse and Shaun Hammond tied the score at, 3-3. 

Ashley Hewson and Firth restored Rugrats’ two frame advantage, but Nuthouse were not lying down, and Ian Chapman and Paul Doherty took frames nine and ten, giving them the set, to level the match at one set and five frames all. 

Rugrats took the initiative in the third set, winning two of the first three frames, which included a hat-trick from Firth. 

Rugrats were on the hill, but Nuthouse had Hammond and Chapman, who were unbeaten, to come, and Hammond recorded a brace while Chapman a hat-trick to give their team a hard-fought, 8-7 triumph. 

This means that Nuthouse are now one point behind Falconwood and one ahead of New Stars. 

Rugrats hold on to second place, as Sharks didn’t have a game, so Hotshots were looking to extend their lead at the top, but they didn’t have it easy against fourth placed Bellegrove. 

This was a very high standard match that went right down to the wire and started with Adam Coppen recording a break and dish.

Tony Gear followed this up by another break and dish and Hotshots nicked the third frame before Ryan Francis scored another break and dish to put Hotshots, 3-1 up.

Hotshots won the first set, 3-2 and the second set was won by the same score. 

From, 6-4 down Bellegrove won the next three frames, which included Coppen’s hat-trick and Barry Barham winning his only frame with a great finish after Gear missed the black for another break and dish. 

Bellegrove were on the hill at,7-6 however, Francis performed another break and dish to tie the match and send it to a deciding frame. 

After Danny Kelliher went in off, Dan Heinink was looking to win the match for Bellegrove, but unfortunately snookered himself on the black and Kelliher finished it off to give Hotshots the, 8-7 victory.  

Hotshots keep their unbeaten record of ten matches and extend their lead at the top of the table to thirteen points. 

Goodfellows didn’t have a game this week and dropped from third to fifth in SLKPA Division Two as a result. 

Taking advantage of this were The Con Men who beat bottom team, White Hart, 9-6 to go into fourth place, seven points ahead of Goodfellows. 

Fourth placed Farmhouse played Hurricanes Reborn in second and with just three points between them a close game was promised, and they didn’t disappoint. 

The first two frames were shared before we had an all-female clash, with Phoebe French getting the better of Lacey Denahy to put Hurricanes ahead. 

Then it was a battle of the Browns, as Farmhouse’s Nick took on Michelle from Hurricanes, with Nick levelling up to send the set into a deciding frame, which Ben Walsh won to give Hurricanes a, 3-2 first set lead. 

The second set started with another all-female clash, as Lacey Denahy faced Robyn Parlett and Parlett won her only frame to extend Hurricanes lead to, 4-2. 

The next two frames were shared, before Nick Brown and Steve Carpenter won two in a row for Farmhouse to tie the match at one set and five frames all. 

Carpenter made it two in a row to nudge Farmhouse into the lead for the first time in the match, then John Denahy completed his hat-trick, making it four on the bounce to put his team on the hill. 

Hurricanes’ Captain Kevin England scored an unbeaten brace to bring it back to, 7-6 however, Nick Brown won his third frame of the night to seal the victory for Farmhouse. 

Michelle Brown played a great last frame to make the final score, 8-7. 

Farmhouse also took advantage of Goodfellows lack of match to jump into third place, just two points behind their opponents. 

Eltham Terrace Tigers had the chance to extend their lead at the top, as they went to second bottom, Plough & Harrow. 

Tigers continued their good form in a match that was much closer than the result suggests. 

The first four frames were shared before Danny Campbell secured the set, 3-2 for Tigers. 

Rob Crashaw levelled the match, before Stephen Unwin started a run of eight straight frames, including an impressive yellow down the length of the rail. 

Arthur McDougall won the last frame for Plough, after Campbell potted the black and white in the same visit, making the final score, 11-4. 

Stephen Unwin led the way for Tigers, winning all three of his frames. 

This win not only makes Tigers the first team in the division to hit 100 points but also extends their lead at the top to fourteen points. 

Sixth placed Sundridge Park Working Men’s Club travelled to Bexleyheath Raiders in seventh, but this match was much closer than the fourteen points between the teams, as each set was won by the odd frame, 3-2. 

Ricky Taylor and John O’Neil got Raiders off to a great start, winning the opening two frames, before the ever-dependable Dave Sparey pulled one back. 

Raiders’ Captain Tony Hodsdon gave them the set, then Sundridge Park’s Captain Paul Martin made it, 3-2. 

Taylor won frame six to restore Raiders two frame advantage however, Andrew Slater and Sparey levelled the match at four all. 

The last two frames of the set were shared, giving it to Sundridge Park and keeping the overall score level at one set and five frames all. 

Sparey recorded another hat-trick to put Sundridge Park into the lead for the first time in the match, but O’Neil and Hodsdon scored unbeaten braces to nudge Raiders back into the lead and on the hill. 

Steve Redout won the penultimate frame, giving Raiders the victory, before Simon McEvilly took the last frame, making the final score, 8-7. 

This was Raiders third victory of the season, but they only closed the gap on their opponents by one point to thirteen. 

For more information on the SLKPA including league tables visit the website at www.slkpa.com or contact the 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.