Week seven of the South London & Kent Pool Alliance summer season and first played second in the Elite League, as Falconwood Club took on Hotshots and neither team came out on top as the points were shared in a good spirited match.

Hotshots shot out of the blocks quicker taking the first set, 4-1 but Falconwood battled hard and won the next set,3-2, then with the final set poised at two all Dayle Stork, playing his first competitive frame for four months, pulled off a superb dish from a dry break to prevent Danny Kelliher from getting his unbeaten hat-trick.

Stork’s clearance gave his side a 2-1 victory in sets but Hotshots scored more frames, 8-7 to give each side two points and keep them tied on twenty points, although Falconwood are top having won just one more match.

Andre Cox played well and joined Kelliher on two out of three but Steve Krishnan was excellent and went one better, winning all three of his frames, as did Alex Lawrence for Falconwood.

It was a week for close rivalries in the Elite League, as Eltham Terrace Club A in third played fourth placed Bellegrove, who were also both on the same points with Eltham just edging it on more wins.

As the league positions suggest the game was a really tight affair with each side taking one of the first two sets by 3 frames to 2 and the final set was just as close but Bellegrove nicked it, again 3-2 to give them a 2-1 & 8-7 triumph to leapfrog their opponents into third.

Eltham’s Steve Pearce kept up his unbeaten form from last week to win all three of his frames this week and team mate Tony Griffin was just behind him on an unbeaten brace with Bellegrove’s Craig Mallinder and Paul Donohoe also scoring two out of two.

Still rooted to the bottom and winless are Royal Oak Addicks, although they did pick up their second point of the season in the 2-1 & 9-6 defeat to Falconwood Social.

Falconwood did most of the damage in the first set, winning it 4-1 but Addicks fought hard and took the second set 3-2, then the final set went to two frames all and the Addicks were close to their first win, with both players getting down to the black but Trevor Biggs beat Dave Glenwright to the pot to give his side the victory.

It’s both teams first season in the top division and Falconwood are definitely holding their own in sixth place on fourteen points, six points clear of top division stalwarts Pickwick, who find themselves in serious danger of the drop after a 2-1 & 8-7 defeat to Glenmore Arms B.

It was all going Pickwick’s way after the first set, as they took a 4-1 lead, which included a wonderful finish from Billy Levingbird in the third frame but Glenmore tied the match in sets and frames by matching Pickwick’s score in the second set, then Glenmore went on to take the last set, 3-2 to complete the comeback.

Paul Dawson fought hard for Pickwick, winning both his frames but he was eclipsed by Glenmore’s Adam Coppen, who took all three of his.

Again the Elite League is a very close competitive division this season, with Glenmore in fifth and Falconwood Social in sixth, both on fourteen points, just six behind Falconwood Club at the top.

It’s a bit different in SLKPA Tier Three as division leaders Rising Sun are riding high at the top after their sixth consecutive win to remain unbeaten for the season.

They are six points clear at the top after beating Bellegrove Flyers, 2-1 & 11-4.

Despite the loss Flyers join Crayford Social Club 2 on eleven points but go above them into third, having won one more game.

Rose Inn stay in second after they equalled Rising Sun’s 11-4 frame score but Rose managed to secure all three sets against Plumstead Radical Club with Jake Keir winning a frame in each set.

It was all change at the bottom as Orpington Sports Club notched up their second win of the season, 3-0 & 9-6 against Foots Cray Social Club to lever themselves up two places and send their opponents to the bottom.

This could be an interesting one to watch as only four points separate the bottom five teams.

Also interesting to watch is the top of SLKPA Tier Two West, with Bellegrove Social Club and Eltham Terrace Rovers records almost identical, although Bellegrove have a one point advantage.

This week Bellegrove played bottom team, Greyhound Elite and got an expected 3-0 & 11-4 victory.

Steve Knight and Martin Luff were in good form, winning all three of their frames, with Martin Hession just behind them on two out of two.

Rovers went to Fox & Hounds and kept the pressure on Bellegrove after a 3-0 & 10-5 triumph with Ryan Francis and Dean Rider both scoring unbeaten hat-tricks.

Leading the chasing pack are Eltham Terrace Nuthouse, who are now six points behind Rovers after they beat Pickwick Academicals, 2-1 & 9-6 this week.

In the first set Dave Sparey was fortunate to finish a break and dish after he snookered himself on the black but got out of it and fluked the pot on the black to take the frame.

Paul Thomas did his best to keep Academicals in the game by winning all three of his frames and he was supported by Dean Williams who won two of his three.

It wasn’t the usual suspects who lead Nuthouse to victory as Shaun Shaphard scored two out of three, his brother Aaron recorded an unbeaten brace but Zoe Healy top scored with three frame wins.

It was top against bottom in SLKPA Tier Two East where Royal Oak inflicted another defeat on Eltham Terrace Rack Pack, although the 2-1 & 8-7 score doesn’t reflect the eleven point difference between the teams.

Each set was won by the odd frame, 3-2 with Royal Oak taking the first two and Rack Pack edging the last one.

Alex Thompson and Tony Frost fought hard for Rack Pack, both taking two of their three frames but Royal Oak’s Paul Clements and Aaron Duke were unbeaten with two frame wins each.

Second played third as Crayford Social Club Rugrats took on Bellegrove A and it was the away side who closed the gap on their opponents to just one point with a 2-1 & 8-7 triumph.

Rugrats looked like they would be extending their lead, taking the first set, 3-2 but Bellegrove battled back and tied the match with their own 3-2 win in the second set, they went on to win the first four frames of the last set to win the match before Rugrats took the final frame.

Rugrats Captain, Scott Shephard led from the front with an unbeaten hat-trick, he was joined by Bellegrove’s Nathan Lampen but his included a break and dish in the last set and Steve Hughes was also unbeaten, winning both his frames.

Royal Oak are four points clear at the top, with only one point separating second and third and North Heath Social Club have closed the gap to fourth to one point as well, despite sharing the points with Glenmore Arms.

Glenmore took the early lead, winning the first set 4-1 but North Heath turned it around to win the last two sets, 3-2 to win the match in sets, 2-1 although Glenmore scored more frames, 8-7.

Both Glenmore Captain, Dan Brown and Gary Mason had solid performances, winning a frame in each set.

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 with any queries.

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