With two more weeks to go of the South London & Kent Pool Alliance Elite League summer season, Hotshots have broken the deadlock between themselves and Bellegrove in second, after they played each other this week.

It was a very close game as each set was won by the odd frame, 3-2 with Bellegrove taking the first and Hotshots rallied round to win the second and tie the match at 1-1 in sets and 5-5 in frames.

However, Hotshots took no chances in the final set, taking the first three frames to win the set and the match, albeit with a fluked black in the thirteenth frame.

Bellegrove recovered to win the last two frames and make the final score, 2-1 & 8-7 in Hotshots favour.

The two teams were locked together on 32 points but Hotshots have now gone two points clear with Bellegrove staying in second, although that is only by one point, as Falconwood Club make it a three horse race after this week’s victory over relegation threatened Pickwick.

Not only are Pickwick facing relegation but they have also lost their home, although this maybe temporary but this week they were playing their first game in the newly opened Hustlers and it didn’t start well, going down, 4-1 in the first set, which included a break and dish from Falconwood’s Barry Barham.

Pickwick found something from somewhere though, as they whitewashed the second set, 5-0 to tie the match in sets but go from 4-1 down in frames to 6-4 up.

The twist in the tale didn’t stop there as Falconwood matched their first set score to take the match 2-1 in sets and 8-7 in frames.

The see-saw score line wasn’t the only strange thing about the match, as many of the frames were won by potting the black early or going in off on the black.

Falconwood’s Captain, Paul Elford was the only unbeaten player, winning both his frames with Barham, Declan Kelly and Stacy Redman also winning two frames but played three.

Pickwick thought their relegation had been sealed when Glenmore Arms B were handed a walkover win by Royal Oak Addicks but Glenmore are only six points ahead with eight to play for and Pickwick play Glenmore in the last game of the season, so that could be interesting.

Also looking to avoid relegation are Falconwood Social and despite losing to Eltham Terrace Club A they stay two points ahead of Pickwick and four behind Glenmore.

Falconwood got off to the better start, winning the first set 3-2 but Eltham were clinical after that, finishing their chances to win the next two sets, 4-1 and 5-0 for an overall, 2-1 & 11-4 victory, which was flattering but well deserved.

It was a good all round team performance from Eltham, as every player chipped in with a frame but the stand out performers were Captain, Ron Brown with an unbeaten brace and Dan Heinink, winning all three of his frames.

Eltham stay in fourth, eight points behind top so the title may be a little too far but there is five points between them and Falconwood Club in third so they could get in the prize money.

The first piece of team silverware was won this week with Rising Sun getting back to winning ways after their first defeat of the season last week to lift the SLKPA Tier Three title.

It was a close run thing though, as Orpington Sports Club, a massive 23 points behind them, took them all the way with Rising Sun eventually running out 2-1 & 8-7 victrs.

In the end it didn’t really matter as Rising Sun’s conquerors last week, Rose Inn lost 2-1 & 8-7 to Bellegrove Flyers, so would have handed them the title anyway.

Despite the loss Rose Inn’s Dean Greany-Parr and Del Reynolds both scored unbeaten hat-tricks, as did Flyers’ Richard Marsh and he was supported by Keith Smith who won two of his three frames.

There is a massive battle for the two remaining promotion places, which includes Flyers and Rose Inn with this win being extremely important to Flyers, as it puts them on equal points with Rose but Rose are third on sets won and Crayford Social Club 2 sneak into second place.

Crayford capitalised on Rose Inn’s defeat by beating Foots Cray Social Club by 3 sets to 0 and 11 frames to 4 to go one point ahead of both Rose and Flyers, but the two have a game in hand over Crayford, so all still to play for.

Foots Cray gave themselves a huge uphill struggle to get anything from this game by only having three players but George Haydon and Gary Heath have to be commended for each winning two of their three frames to at least give them a chance.

All three players had to win in a set for Foots Cray to get anything so Crayford were somewhat fortunate to take the first two sets, 3-2 but they made sure in the final set with a 5-0 whitewash.

Captain, Natalie Barnes led from the front, winning all three of her frames with the rest of her team, Steven Aldridge, Luke Matthews, James Coomber and Steve Bird all taking two of their three frames.

There were big wins for the top three in SLKPA Tier Two West, as they each faced one of the bottom three teams.

The biggest win went to second placed Bellegrove Social Club, who beat bottom team Greyhound Elite, 3-0 & 13-2.

Dave Graham, Steve Knight and Jason Brunton all finished the night with unbeaten hat-tricks.

Greyhound now have three weeks to find their first win of the season and move into positive points.

Third placed Eltham Terrace Nuthouse scored the next highest victory by 3 sets to 0 and 12 frames to 3 over Pickwick Academicals.

Bill Sawyer, Shane O’Reilly and Zoe Healy were in exceptional form, all winning their three frames and Captain, Craig Jones performed a break and dish in the penultimate frame.

It was a bit of a disaster for Academicals, losing each set, 4-1 as they look to avoid the relegation play-off but they are seven points behind Fox & Hounds with twelve to play for.

On the other hand Nuthouse look destined to finish third as they are eighteen points behind Bellegrove and ten in front of Fox, who can still mathematically catch them, however that is unlikely after this week’s result.

They played top of the table, Eltham Terrace Rovers, who were rampant as they raced to a 3-0 & 11-4 triumph.

Fox won the first frame but Rovers took the next four for the set, then Fox won the first frame in the second set but Rovers went onto take it, 3-2 before winning the final set by the same score as the first to become the first team in the league to go past 40 points.

Darren Porter and Ryan Francis both scored three out of three, with Francis' including a break and dish in set three and Geoff Evans won his only frame.

Rovers Lee Osbourn and Les Ryan from Fox had their own personal battle, meeting each other in all three sets with Ryan coming out on top by two frames to one.

Royal Oak scored their own emphatic victory in SLKPA Tier Two East, where everything is still left to play for.

Top of the table, Royal Oak played bottom, Eltham Terrace Rack Pack with seventeen points between them and the gulf showed as Oak were triumphant by 3 sets to 0 and 13 frames to 2.

Royal Oak were in imperious form as they sandwiched the, 3-2 second set victory with two 5-0 whitewashes in the first and third sets and they finished with five unbeaten players, Paul Clements, Phil Tworek, John Kinsville, Steve Heather and Aaron Duke all winning both of their frames.

The only highlight for Rack Pack was Chris Unwin’s 7-baller in the second set.

Bellegrove A are still one point ahead of Rack Pack in the relegation play-off place as they were beaten by Crayford Social Club Rugrats, who hold the promotion play-off spot and are ten points ahead of their opponents.

Rugrats won the first and third sets, 3-2and went one better in the second, taking it, 4-1 for an overall, 3-0 & 10-5 victory.

Despite the loss Nathan Lampen was in good form performing a dish from a dry break to win Bellegrove’s only frame in the second set and he went onto win two of his three frames alongside Captain, Jon Syta.

Also scoring two out of three was Rugrats’ thirteen year old Brayden Shephard but Ian Cruwys went one better, winning all three of his frames.

Glenmore Arms extended their lead over North Heath Social Club to three points, after a 2-1 & 8-7 victory over them.

The game didn’t look like it was going to be a close one as Glenmore took a 4-1 lead to win the first set but North Heath reversed that score in the second set to tie the match at one all in sets and five all in frames.

Glenmore went on to take the final set, 3-2 to win the match and retain third place, only five points behind Rugrats.

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.