This week the South London & Kent Pool Alliance reached the halfway stage of the winter season and the top two teams, Allstars and Hotshots faced each other, both with unbeaten records, so one of their 0s had to go. 

 

The much-anticipated fixture between the top two in the Premier Division started with the top team, Allstars taking the first two frames, but Hotshots pulled it back to two all to send the set into a deciding frame, which Tony Halpin won for Allstars. 

 

The second set went exactly the same as the first, with Richie Mitchell and Craig Mallinder winning the first two frames for Allstars, then just like the first set, Danny Kelliher and Andre Cox tied the set, before Derek Power clinched the set to give Allstars a, 6-4 lead.

 

A quick fire three frame burst from Mitchell, Power and Mallinder gave Allstars an unassailable lead, before Cox prevented the set whitewash. 

 

Paul Cook won the last frame to make the final score, 10-5 in Allstars favour. 

 

With so much quality on display, there was still three unbeaten players on the night; Cox with a hat-trick for Hotshots and Mitchell and Mallinder scoring the same for Allstars. 

 

Not only did this result mean that Allstars extended their unbeaten run to nine games, but also increased their lead at the top to eleven points. 

 

Hotshots are now thirteen points ahead of their nearest rivals, Bellegrove after they managed a narrow, 8-7 victory over strugglers Crayford A. 

 

Another team lost their 0 this week, but this time it was in the winning column, as Rose Inn collected their first Premier Division triumph, a 9-6 away win against Eltham Terrace Club A. 

 

This has reduced the gap between Rose Inn at the bottom and Rugrats in ninth and Crayford in eighth to just two points, creating a huge battle for the wooden spoon. 

 

Rugrats played hosts to The Fox this week and you would never have known there was thirteen points difference between the two teams, as each set was won by the odd frame, 3-2 and went to a deciding frame. 

 

In the first set neither team could string two frames together, with Elliott Giles eventually winning frame five to give The Fox the first set. 

 

The to-ing and fro-ing continued with the first two frames of the second set, but George Covington followed up Tony Stork’s victory in frame two with a win in frame three to put The Fox, 5-3 ahead. 

 

The last two frames of the set were also shared to give The Fox the second set and an overall, 6-4 lead. 

 

Pat Firth brought Rugrats back to within a frame, but Stork and Giles won the next two to put The Fox over the hill. 

 

Scott Shephard and Steve Gibson won the last two frames to reduce the gap to just one frame again, but that was it, the game was over, and The Fox had triumphed by 8 frames to 7. 

 

Rugrats’ Captain, Shephard led from the front, winning all three of his frames, as did Giles for The Fox and he was supported by teammate Stork with an unbeaten brace.

 

Rugrats are now equal on points with Crayford and both are twelve points from safety. 

 

Just ahead of them are Sharks, who only just lost, 8-7 this week to Bull Tavern, who are three places and four points ahead of their opponents. 

 

Farmhouse are now the only team without a league win, and they sit bottom of SLKPA Division Two, but it is their first season in the league, so they shouldn’t get disheartened because that win will come as they continue to get stronger. 

 

That strength is coming, as they played the top team in the division, Royal Oak and only went down by 9 frames to 6 and Royal Oak themselves were a new team only last season. 

 

New Eltham New Boys reduced the gap at the top to just five points after they convincingly beat Sea the Angles to leapfrog them into second. 

 

The 12-3 score line did not reflect how closely matched the two teams were, as most frames could have gone either way. 

 

New Boys took each set, 4-1 with Dan Brown, Angie Hobbs and Jo Williams the saviours for Sea the Angles, preventing the whitewash in each set. 

 

Sea the Angles are seven points behind their opponents and both teams have a game in hand over Royal Oak at the top. 

 

Another team that has run the gauntlet and beaten every team in their division during the first half of the season are Eltham Terrace Nuthouse from Division One, extending their run to nine games unbeaten, after a victory against sister side, Eltham Terrace Rack Pack this week. 

 

Third played second and it was a solid start by both teams, winning a frame each, but it all fell apart for Rack Pack after that with Nuthouse winning the remaining three frames in the set, to take a,4-1 lead. 

 

Alex Biggs made that, 5-1 with the first frame of the second set, but Tony Frost and Dean Rider won the next two frames to bring Rack Pack back to, 5-3. 

 

However, Rack Pack couldn’t hold on and Zoe Healy and Trevor Biggs won frames nine and ten to give Nuthouse a, 7-3 lead going into the final set. 

 

Shane O’Reilly secured the win in frame eleven and Nuthouse went on to win the set, 4-1 for an overall, 11-4 triumph. 

 

Not only did Frost prevent the whitewash in set three but he also ended the night unbeaten with two frame wins, with Dean Rider winning Rack Pack’s other two frames. 

 

The Biggs clan were unbeaten as well, with both Alex and Trevor scoring hat-tricks.

 

Rack Pack hold onto third but are 18 points behind their opponents, who despite staying unbeaten for half the season are still lying in second, as Pickwick continue their run of big victories. 

 

This week they were at home to Bellegrove A, who were sitting in fifth and struggled on the quick table, with Pickwick punishing their mistakes to run out, 12-3 winners. 

 

There were two hat-trick heroes for Pickwick; Martin Storey whose trio included a break and dish in frame four and Paul Dawson who completed his with a long doubled black. 

 

Joining Rack Pack on 72 points and rising to fourth place are Fox & Hounds, who recorded their own massive, 12-3 triumph this week. 

 

Fox & Hounds had a great start, winning the first two frames against Falconwood Club, before Paul Baker won frame three. 

 

However, Falconwood couldn’t build on that and Fox won the two remaining frames of the set for a, 4-1 lead. 

 

It then went from bad to worse for Falconwood, with Fox whitewashing the second set, to have the match won before the final set at, 9-1.

 

Neil Shelton won frame eleven to make it eight frames on the bounce for Fox. 

 

Baker and Akar Necati won the next two frames to pull it back to, 10-3 but Clive Forrest and Kerry Wyatt won the last two frames to complete the, 12-3 trouncing. 

 

It was a superb team performance by Fox & Hounds, and this was reflected in them having four unbeaten players; Tom Wyatt winning his only frame and his daughter Kerry was joined by Shelton and Forrest on three frame wins. 

 

One point behind Fox and Rack Pack are New Eltham New Stars in fifth, after they scraped an, 8-7 victory over Academicals. 

 

Despite the loss Academicals feel that they are continuing to improve, as Paul Doherty smashed a hat-trick and Dean Williams, Paul Thomas, Gary Mason and Lou Newnham all chipped in with victories. 

 

The all star for New Stars was Dave Jandu, who also won all three of his frames. 

 

Academicals now sit twelve points ahead of Rugrats Guardians at the bottom, even though Guardians picked up their second victory of the season this week against fellow strugglers Just Bellegrove. 

 

Guardians got out of the blocks quicker, winning the first two frames, but Bellegrove battled back taking the next three frames to win the first set, 3-2. 

 

Bellegrove thought they were onto a winner, but that proved to be their downfall, as Guardians went one better in the second set, winning the first three frames, for the set. 

 

Richard Marsh prevented the set whitewash for Bellegrove, but Ross Webster won frame ten to give Guardians a, 6-4 lead going into the final set. 

 

The last set went exactly the same as the second, with Webster, Luke Matthews and Martin Hart winning the first three frames for Guardians, Marsh preventing the set whitewash and Harrison Hurst taking the final frame to give Guardians a, 10-5 triumph. 

 

All of the Guardians team; Matthews, Webster, Hart, Hurst and Dave Beshaw put on a great performance, winning two of their three frames, but Bellegrove’s Marsh went one better scoring a hat-trick. 

 

This result means that each of the bottom three teams, Just Bellegrove, Academicals and Guardians have won just two of their nine matches but there is thirteen points between them and only another four points between them and guaranteed first division pool next season. 

 

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.