Week eight of the South London & Kent Pool Alliance Winter season and Hotshots hold onto pole position in the Premier Division, after playing second placed Bellegrove.

The match was as close as the score and one point difference between them in the table suggests, swinging one way then the other.

Bellegrove took a, 3-2 lead from the first set and Paul Cook made it, 4-2 with a dish from a foul break but Hotshots won the next five frames on the spin to go, 7-4 up.

Cook won his third of the night and Barry Barham pulled it back to, 7-6 before Captain, Paul Elford performed a dish off a dry break to level the scores at seven all.

A long final frame decider eventually ended with Hotshots coming out on top by 8 frames to 7 and extend their lead over Bellegrove to two points.

There was a very high standard of pool in this match, played in the true spirit of the game, a real credit to the SLKPA.

Unfortunately for Bellegrove they have dropped to third, as Eltham Terrace Rovers have joined Hotshots on 68 points however, they go into second with one less victory than Hotshots.

Chris Hobbis was the difference between Rovers and Hustlers Simply Lovleh, after scoring an unbeaten hat-trick in his team's, 9-6 triumph.

Rising from sixth to fourth were Eltham Terrace Club A, after their massive, 11-4 victory over Hustlers B, who had been on a bit of a roll.

Mark Eldridge returned to his early season form, winning all three frames for Terrace and he was supported by Paul Shrimpton on two out of two.

Second from bottom, Pickwick overtook Hustlers, after they beat fifth placed Eltham Terrace Nuthouse, 9-6.

This was a real see-saw battle, with Pickwick taking the first four frames and Nuthouse the next four before Pickwick won the last two frames of the second set to take a, 6-4 lead into the final set.

Nuthouse won the first two frames of the last set to level the scores again but Pickwick pulled away taking the last three frames for victory.

There were plenty of players on two out of three; Louis Wilbourne, Jon Syta and Shane O'Reilly for Nuthouse, with O'Reilly's including a break and dish and Pickwick's Paul Slater, Paul Gafa and Martin Storey but team mate Billy Levingbird went one better, winning all three frames.

This was an important victory for the Pickwick, giving them some confidence in the relegation battle and moving them six points behind Hustlers A in seventh and guaranteed safety.

Hustlers A played bottom of the table, Bellegrove Social Club, still looking for their first win of the season and they so nearly achieved it.

After going, 6-1 down Bellegrove battled back to tie the scores at six all but Hustlers took two of the final three frames to secure the, 8-7 triumph.

Hustlers may be six points ahead of Pickwick but they are only eight points away from Hotshots at the top.

Opening up a twelve point gap at the top of SLKPA Division One are the unbeaten Sharks, who played bottom of the table and winless Bellegrove A.

It was always going to be difficult for Bellegrove however, the in form Pat Melia won the opening frame to give them hope but Sharks went on to take the next seven frames.

Bobby Brown pulled another frame back but Sharks won the final frame of the second set to take it, 4-1 and have the match won, 8-2 going into the last set.

The last set continued in the same vein, with Sharks winning the first four frames, before Bellegrove's Captain, John Skuza won the last frame to make the final score, 12-3 in Sharks favour.

The chasing pack are headed by both Crayford Social Club Rugrats and Rose Inn, who are both on 61 points after this week's matches.

Rugrats hold onto second place, with a, 10-5 triumph over Fox & Hounds.

The first set was close, with Rugrats just edging it, 3-2 but Fox equalised with the very next frame however, Rugrats pulled away after that, taking the next seven frames for a,10-3 lead.

Fox managed to secure the last two frames to make the score more respectable.

Rugrats' Captain, Scott Shephard won his only frame while Pat Firth went onto win all three of his.

In the other match in the division third placed Rose Inn played Eltham Terrace Rack Pack in fourth and you would never have guessed there was only one place between the teams.

Dean Taylor and Neil Mundy were the inspiration behind the, 11-4 victory, each winning all three of their frames.

Despite there being only one place between the two, there are twelve points, so it looks like the promotion and play-off places will be between Sharks, Rugrats and Rose Inn, it's just a case of who will finish where.

Bellegrove Flyers recovered from their first defeat last week to beat Academicals, 9-6 this week and stay top of SLKPA Division Two.

It was a tough match, played in a great spirit and atmosphere, that could have gone either way, with Flyers losing three frames by fouling when potting the black and the Academicals threw away frames from winning positions.

Academicals' Tony Bailey and Dean Williams both scored two out of three, with Williams' wins coming without potting a black.

Nick Stearns from Flyers also won two of his three frames but Graham Lamb went one better with a hat-trick.

New Eltham Social Club continued their excellent run with another win to keep up their chase on the leaders.

This week they beat North Heath Social Club, 8-7 with Jamie Phillips top scoring on three out of three and he was supported by club president Paul Carrol, who won two of his three frames.

New Eltham are now ten points ahead of North Heath and just six points behind Flyers.

It was basement battle time, as the bottom two, Foots Cray Social Club and Happy Hustlers faced each other.

Foots Cray are now twelve points ahead of Happy Hustlers after a, 10-5 triumph over them.

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.