Two teams, Hotshots and Terry’s Allstars have started 2023 how they finished last year and are still unbeaten in the South London & Kent Pool Alliance. 

 

This week, in the Premier Division Hotshots visited Rugrats, and the first two sets had a very similar pattern. 

 

The opening two frames were shared, with Ashley Hewson scoring for Rugrats both times, but Hotshots went onto win the remaining three frames of the set, for 4-1 victories in both. 

 

This meant they had the match won before the start of the third set however, that didn’t matter to Ryan Francis, taking frame eleven for his hat-trick on the night. 

 

In the next frame Hewson completed his hat-trick, scoring all of Rugrats frames so far, but Dylan Suggars joined him in the winner’s enclosure with the thirteenth. 

 

Joe Kelly put Hotshots into double figures with the penultimate frame and Danny Kelliher made it, 11-4 with his third frame win of the night. 

 

This means that Hotshots are ten matches unbeaten this season and have gone through 100 points, scoring 104, giving them a 10.4 average frame score per match. 

 

Rugrats are still second from bottom however, they are on the same points as Falconwood Club, who played Sharks this week. 

 

Sharks were dominant throughout, winning the match, 14-1 to jump from fourth to second, five points behind Hotshots. 

 

New Eltham New Stars have extended their lead over Falconwood to twelve points, after their surprise, 8-7 triumph over second placed Bull Tavern, who have dropped one place as a result. 

 

Despite winning the local derby against Bellegrove A, Bellegrove have dropped one place to fourth, four points behind Bull Tavern. 

 

The bottom team, Bellegrove A took the short trip across the club to the other table to face Bellegrove, who were looking for a repeat of the, 12-3 score line from earlier in the season. 

 

However, Bellegrove A had other ideas and took a, 3-1 lead, with Paul Williams, Jack Taylor and Peter Moult all getting on the scoresheet, before Bellegrove pulled one back with frame five.  

 

The first two frames of the second set were shared, but Bellegrove battled back and won the next five frames on the bounce to win the match, with Daniel Heinink completing his hat-trick on the way. 

 

Bellegrove A won the next two frames, to bring it back to, 8-6 however, Peter Whyte was unlucky in the penultimate frame, potting the black out of turn after dislodging it from a cushion. 

 

Barry Barham won the final frame, completing his hat-trick to give Bellegrove an overall, 9-6 victory. 

 

Despite the loss, Petrina Pearce was the shining light for Bellegrove A, winning both of her frames. 

 

Bellegrove A will have to start picking up some wins, as they are eleven points away from the two teams above them and 23 points behind New Stars in seventh and guaranteed Premier Division pool next season.  

 

Just above New Stars are Pickwick in sixth and The Cocked Hats in fifth, and there was no change in their positions, even though Pickwick won the match, 9-6 however, the gap between them has reduced to six points. 

 

Terry’s Allstars unbeaten run at the top of SLKPA Division One has extended to nine games after they beat Eltham Terrace Rack Pack, 12-3 this week, and they have also passed 100 points. 

 

Fortunes are the exact opposite for Fox & Hounds, as with three league games left, they are still winless at the bottom of the division. 

 

Things couldn’t get much worse for them after losing, 14-1 to Eltham Terrace Nuthouse, who tighten their grip on second place, as a result. 

 

It was a fantastic performance, with five of their six players unbeaten; Dave Sparey scored a brace whereas Jon Syta, Trevor Biggs, Leighton Aston, and Shane Hutley all went one better with three out of three. 

 

Fox are now 21 points away from safety, with Nuthouse 20 points behind Allstars at the top but thirteen ahead of Duke of Northumberland in third. 

 

Duke went to Bellegrove Flyers with two places and twelve points between them however, this match is generally quite close, with many games being won by the odd frame. 

 

Flyers were down to the bare bones, and this showed in the first set, with Duke edging it, 3-2 but Flyers fought back and won the second set by the same score. 

 

Five all going into the final set, the pressure was mounting as each frame went by and eventually this match went the way of many of the previous ones, with Flyers winning, 8-7. 

 

This victory was a little surprising as this was Flyers third win of the season, whereas Duke have won six. 

 

In the SLKPA second division, Academicals had a mixed week, initially beating Farmhouse, 11-4 but the very next day they went down, 8-7 to the league leaders New Eltham New Boys. 

 

This combination means that New Boys hold onto top spot, but Academicals are on the same points in second however, they have won one less game. 

 

Farmhouse have fallen to the bottom of the table after the close match between their nearest rivals Bexleyheath Working Men’s Club and The Con Men. 

 

The Con Men edged it, 8-7 to move off the bottom of the table to go within three points of their opponents and two points ahead of Farmhouse.  

 

Bell Ya Later closed the gap between them and Downham Tavern Terrors to thirteen points after beating them, 9-6 this week. 

 

This division is going to go right down to the wire, as there are only four points between the top three and five points separate the bottom three. 

 

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.