Sharks triumph in top of table tussle

 

As you would expect it was a very close match, where neither team was giving an inch and the opening four frames were shared. 

 

This sent the set into a deciding frame, which Mike Werbowy took to give Pickwick a narrow first set lead. 

 

Alex Biggs and Rahat Munim won the first two frames of the second to sneak Sharks back into the lead, but Paul Gafa tied the match again at four all. 

 

However, Sharks hadn’t lost their bite and Eno Idiong and Jeff LaPorte took frames nine and ten to tie the match in sets, but give Sharks an overall, 6-4 lead. 

 

The final set swung one way then the other, with Sharks initially taking the initiative, before Biggs secured the set, the match, and the bonus point with frame thirteen. 

 

The last two frames were shared making the final score, 2-1 & 9-6. 

 

Only Sharks had unbeaten players, with Biggs winning two frames, but LaPorte went one better on three out of three. 

 

Sharks have now developed a two-point lead over Pickwick, who remain in second. 

 

Bellegrove were in third, but travelled to Hotshots a man down, which made their task even more difficult. 

 

Hotshots won the opening seven frames to whitewash the first set and take them to the brink of the bonus point.  

 

However, Bellegrove found some fight and a mixture of good fortune and great pool meant that Dan Foley, Barry Barham, and Dan Heinink won the last three frames of the second set to steal it and a point. 

 

Tony Wilson secured the bonus point for Hotshots, before Heinink halved their lead to, 8-4. 

 

But Richard Chapman’s dish from a dry break and a break and dish from Gary Sweetenham helped Hotshots to take the last set, 4-1 making the final score, 2-1 & 11-4. 

 

Despite the large margin of victory there was only one unbeaten player, Hotshots’ Wilson, who scored a hat-trick. 

 

Hotshots stay in fifth, but have joined their opponents on thirteen points, with Bellegrove one place above them due to having one more victory. 

 

Replacing Bellegrove in third are Terry’s Allstars after they beat New Eltham New Stars this week. 

 

Despite losing the opening frame, Allstars did the damage in the first set, winning the next four frames to take a, 4-1 first set lead. 

 

Steve Pearce and Dave Jandu fought back for New Stars, taking frames six and seven to bring the score back to, 4-3 but Paul Cook gave Allstars another two-frame cushion. 

 

Steve Knight shocked Allstars by winning the ninth to give New Stars the second set however, Phil O’Kane kept up Allstars overall lead with frame ten. 

 

It was 1-1 & 6-4 going into the final set, but Cook and O’Kane gave Allstars the bonus point with the first two frames of the set. 

 

Ben Worden prevented them from taking the set however, they didn’t have to wait long, winning the next frame to give Allstars maximum points. 

 

Paul Carroll took the last frame to make the final score a respectable, 2-1 & 9-6. 

 

Cook was the man of the match, as he was the only unbeaten player, winning all three of his frames. 

 

Allstars are now two points ahead of Bellegrove and Hotshots and one point behind Pickwick. 

 

New Stars stay second bottom, one point ahead of Falconwood Club, who narrowly lost, 2-1 & 8-7 to The Cocked Hats. 

 

It looks like New Stars and Falconwood will be facing the drop, as Cocked Hats are seven points clear of them however there will be a dogfight to see who joins them, as only four points separate sixth from second. 

 

Bears or Duke of Northumberland look favourites to replace them from SLKPA Tier Two East, as they have a five-point lead at the top of the table. 

 

They are both on nineteen points, but Bears stay top by one frame after they beat Eltham Terrace Rack Pack, 3-0 & 9-6 this week. 

 

Duke racked up the same score against Hurricane Hustlers, but this match was much closer than the score line suggests, and you would not have guessed there was five places and eight points between the teams. 

 

In the first set, Alfie Southby finished well and Joe Kane typically won a cagey frame for Hustlers, but Duke also won two frames to send the set into a deciding frame, which Phil Tworek took to edge Duke into the lead. 

 

Sam Kinsville and Paul Clements extended Duke’s lead taking the first two frames of the second set, but Hustlers fought back with Kane and Captain, Kevin England replying to force another final frame set decider. 

 

Tworek was on hand again and his experience shone through against new signing, Lee Carmen to give his side a, 2-0 & 6-4 lead. 

 

The third set started well for Hustlers, with Kane in fine form completing his hat-trick however, Tworek and Sam Kinsville completed hat-tricks of their own to put Duke, 2-1 up in the final set. 

 

Nick Morris, on his debut for Hurricanes potted a fantastic black to follow the trend and send the last set into another set deciding frame.

 

This time it was Duke’s skipper Paul Clements, whose experience helped give his side maximum points. 

 

This match could quite easily have gone either way and despite coming away with no points, the Hurricanes’ skipper was proud of his new team, giving the high-flying Duke a tough test in a great game played in good spirits.

 

Hustlers stay in seventh, although Bexleyheath Working Men’s Club close the gap on them after they picked up a point against Rugrats. 

 

The Rugrats started slowly, and Bexleyheath stunned them with Tony Hodsdon, Dave Fulkes and Steve Redout winning the first three frames to give them only their fourth set win of the season. 

 

Rugrats fought back though and Aaron Shephard and Steve Gibson both won to bring them back to within a frame. 

 

Bexleyheath started the second set well, with Fulkes taking frame six however, Rugrats turned it around and won the remaining four frames of the set, to level the match in sets, one all but go ahead in frames, 6-4.

 

 Dylan Suggars and Ashley Hewson made it six on the spin to give Rugrats the bonus point. 

 

Fulkes recorded his hat-trick to momentarily halt Rugrats surge to victory however Dave Beshaw took frame fourteen to secure the win for Rugrats.

 

Then man of the moment Shephard won his third frame of the night to make the final score, 2-1 & 10-5. 

 

Rugrats have moved from sixth to fourth, three points behind Bellegrove Flyers, who beat sister side, Bell Ya Later, 2-1 & 9-6 this week.

 

Bell Ya Later have dropped to fifth, one point behind Rugrats and one in front of Rack Pack. 

 

Looking to re-join the top division from SLKPA Tier Two West are Eltham Terrace Nuthouse, who have become the first team in the league to reach 20 points, after a comprehensive, 3-0 & 11-4 triumph over Fox & Hounds this week. 

 

Nuthouse came storming out of the traps with Trevor Biggs, Dave Sparey and Leighton Aston winning the first three frames to take the first set.

 

Kerry Wyatt prevented the set whitewash, but Jon Syta won frame five to extend Nuthouse’s lead to, 4-1. 

 

Their dominance continued, taking the first four frames of the second set, making it five in a row, to give them the second set and the bonus point before the end of the second. 

 

Kerry Wyatt remained the only player to win a frame for her team, again preventing the set whitewash with the tenth frame. 

 

Paul Doherty and Trevor Biggs won the opening two frames of the final set to put Nuthouse into double figures overall, 10-2 and Zoe Healy secured maximum points with the penultimate frame. 

 

Fox & Hounds may want to change their names to Vixens, as Mel Barnes won frame thirteen to accompany Kerry Wyatt in their winner’s corner, with Kerry winning the last frame for her hat-trick. 

 

Nuthouse had four unbeaten players, with Biggs, Sparey, Doherty and Healy all recording a brace however, the Fox’s skipper Kerry Wyatt went one better winning three of her team’s four frames. 

 

Fox have dropped one place to sixth, whereas Nuthouse have a two-point lead at the top of the table over Bellegrove A, who had their own comprehensive, 3-0 & 10-5 victory over Farmhouse this week. 

 

Nick Brown got Farmhouse off to a great start, winning the first frame, but Bellegrove were ruthless and won the next four to take the set. 

 

Farmhouse fought back through Charles Oryema and John Denahy to reduce Bellegrove’s lead to one frame. 

 

Bellegrove Captain, John Skuza lifted his team’s spirits with frame eight and wins from Paul Williams, who finally made his debut and Petrina Pearce followed to give them the second set. 

 

The third set followed the same pattern as the second, with Farmhouse fighting back by taking the opening two frames and Bellegrove recovering to win the final three for maximum points. 

 

The standout player on the night was Petrina Pearce, winning all three of her frames, but Farmhouse also had an unbeaten player, Oryema with a brace. 

 

Farmhouse are now six points below Fox in seventh, with Bellegrove three points ahead of Academicals, who had a tough match against Gun Pit this week. 

 

The first two frames were shared, but the Academicals big guns, Tony Gear, Dean Williams, and Greg Phillimore outgunned the Gun Pit to take the first set, 4-1. 

 

The Gun Pit’s guns were firing on all cylinders in the second set, as Enis Dogungun, Shelton D’Costa, Lionel White and Charlie French all won to level the match at one set and five frames all. 

 

The final set was much closer, with two frame wins from each side sending the match into a final frame decider, which Academicals’ Captain, Gary Mason held his nerve to win, giving his side the hard-fought, 2-1 & 8-7 triumph. 

 

This match was so close that each team only ad one unbeaten player, Dogungun for Gun Pit and Academicals’ Gear, both winning all three frames. 

 

Academicals now have a two-point lead over their opponents in the table. 

 

New Eltham New Boys have gone up one place to fifth after a, 2-1 & 10-5 victory over bottom team Downham Tavern Terrors. 

 

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 always looking at potential sponsors and any interested parties can also contact Paul Gafa.