The third week of the South London & Kent Pool Alliance winter season and there were some massive wins in each of the three divisions, but one in particular came from an unusual source, as Anglesea Arms beat league debutants, Farmhouse.

 

Anglesea surprised themselves by winning the first four frames with only Alfie Deacon preventing the first set whitewash. 

 

No one could do that in the second set though, as Anglesea won all five frames to take a, 9-1 lead and have the game won before the end of the second set. 

 

Quite a few teams will have done this to Anglesea in the past, but this is the first time they have achieved it. 

 

The third set went the same way as the first set, with Anglesea winning it, 4-1 and John Denahy preventing the whitewash. 

 

That made the final score, 13-2 Anglesea’s biggest ever victory. 

 

Anglesea finished the night with another first, the first time they had four unbeaten players, as Georgina Mossom won two frames, but Sam Mossom, James Rickner and John Hurd went one better, winning all three of their frames. 

 

This result has put Anglesea fourteen points ahead of their opponents, but they have played one more match, so Farmhouse does have the opportunity to catch up. 

 

Anglesea have joined New Eltham New Boys on nineteen points, as they didn’t play this week and have dropped from the top spot to third. 

 

Royal Oak have replaced New Boys at the top, despite losing to Sea the Angles, who ended the night second, three points behind their opponents. 

 

Royal Oak had the better start, winning the first set, 3-2 however, Sea the Angles felt they should have got more, but they couldn’t get over the line and would need to pull their socks up for the second set. 

 

They did just that, winning the set, 3-2 with Jo Williams, Claire Stork and Donna Mullins all taking frames to tie the match at five all. 

 

Their socks were firmly pulled up, as they went on to win the final set by the same score, with Williams playing a wonderful shot on a difficult black to win her second frame and help her side to an, 8-7 triumph. 

 

It was ladies night for Sea the Angles, as their male players needed new sock elastic, failing to win any frames and Angie Hobbs joined Williams, Stork and Mullins in winning frames, with Stork getting the team’s first hat-trick of the season. 

 

 

Sea the Angles have gone unbeaten for the season, winning two games in a row, saying it feels good to be on a winning streak for a change and they hope it can continue. 

 

All of the matches in SLKPA Division One were won by five frames or more margin, but only one team in the division can claim unbeaten status after three games and that is Eltham Terrace Nuthouse. 

 

 It was a real topsy-turvy game against Falconwood Club, as Nuthouse whitewashed the first set and Falconwood threatened to do the same in the second, when they won the first four frames, but Jon Syta stopped that to give Nuthouse a, 6-4 lead going into the final set. 

 

The first two frames of the last set were shared, but Trevor Biggs, Shane O’Reilly and Zoe Healy won the final three frames for a, 10-5 Nuthouse victory. 

 

As well as preventing the second set whitewash, Syta was also unbeaten, winning both of his frames and he was joined by teammate Alex Biggs. 

 

Falconwood have had the opposite fortune to Nuthouse, as they have lost their opening three matches and sit in ninth position in the table. 

 

Even though they are the only unbeaten team in the division, Nuthouse are not top of the table, sitting in second instead, three points behind Pickwick. 

 

Pickwick had too much knowledge and experience for Just Bellegrove, proving to be too strong, using their advantages to either finish frames or turn them in their favour. 

 

Just Bellegrove remarked that you can always rely on a tough match against the Pickwick, who were very solid and more tactically aware on the night, with Dave Pile and Paul Gafa proving to be the toughest opponents, both scoring hat-tricks in the, 11-4 triumph. 

 

Just Bellegrove are just four points ahead of Falconwood, but their sister side, Bellegrove A are fairing much better after beating Rugrats Guardians to go third in the table. 

 

Bellegrove got off to a flyer, winning the first four frames, with Martin Hart pulling one back, winning frame five to prevent the whitewash. 

 

They went one better in the second set, taking all five frames to win the match before the final set. 

 

Steve Hughes made it six in a row to put Bellegrove, 10-1 ahead. 

 

Hart and Dave Beshaw put two frames together for Guardians to bring the score back to, 10-3 and the last two frames were shared, making the final score, 11-4. 

 

Hughes went on to win all three of his frames, as did teammate Nick Morris. 

 

Guardians are still winless and rooted to the bottom of the table, three points behind Falconwood. 

 

Eltham Terrace Rack Pack have joined Bellegrove A on 26 points after they beat table toppers, New Eltham New Stars, 11-4 with New Stars dropping to fifth as a result. 

 

Tony Frost and Ernie Wellhausen were the inspiration for the victory, going unbeaten and winning two and three frames respectively. 

 

After a great opening week, Academicals have failed to win and have dropped to seventh after this week’s, 10-5 defeat to Fox & Hounds, who are equal fifth on 25 points, two points ahead of their opponents. 

 

The top two, Allstars and Eltham Terrace Club A, played each other in the SLKPA Premier Division, so the, 12-3 result in Allstars favour was somewhat of a surprise. 

 

Allstars remain unbeaten and broke Terrace’s unbeaten run in the process. 

 

The only other unbeaten team in the division are Hotshots, who beat Crayford A, 13-2 this week. 

 

This means the top of the table already has a familiar look, with Hotshots four points behind Allstars. 

 

Despite not winning a game yet, Crayford A are not bottom of the table, that position goes to fellow promoted team, Rose Inn who are also winless after losing to Bellegrove this week. 

 

There was no customary slow start for Bellegrove this week, quite the opposite, as they took a, 4-0 lead and went on to have the match won by the end of the second set, with an unassailable, 8-2 lead. 

 

There was no let-up in the final set either, as Bellegrove whitewashed it, 5-0 for an overall, 13-2 victory. 

 

Rose Inn can count themselves unlucky, as they came up against a team in top form, none more so than James Couch, who won all three of his frames, with a controlled win in the first set, followed by superb clearances in the other two.

 

Couch wasn’t the only unbeaten player as both Peter Whyte and Billy Levingbird both scored hat-tricks and skipper, Paul Elford netted a brace. 

 

After two, 8-7 losses in a row, this first victory for Bellegrove has lifted them from seventh to third, just two points behind Hotshots. 

 

The Fox have leapfrogged Bull Tavern and gone ahead of them by two points after beating them by 10 frames to 5. 

 

The same happened with Sharks and Rugrats after Sharks won by the closest margin in the division, 9-6. 

 

Rugrats took a, 2-1 lead but Vu Son equalised for Sharks to send the set into a deciding frame, which Ashley Hewson won for Rugrats. 

 

This gave Sharks the impetus they needed, and they won the first four frames of the set to go, 6-3 up. 

 

Hewson won again in frame ten to prevent the second set whitewash.

 

Jeff Laporte and Rahat Munim won the first two frames of the last set to take an unassailable lead. 

 

Scott Foley pulled a frame back for Rugrats, but Vu Son extended Sharks’ lead, before Hewson made it three frame wins. 

 

Hewson kept Rugrats in the match with his hat-trick, and Vu Son provided the foundations for Sharks victory with his unbeaten three frames. 

 

Sharks are now level with The Fox in fifth and Rugrats level with Bull Tavern in seventh, as our animal related teams form a mid-table pack. 

 

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