The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Consti G emerged as genuine Division Two title contenders in Spalding and District Snooker League after beating leaders Pyramid B on Thursday night.
The second-placed Spadling side edged a close contest in Bourne by a 4-2 scoreline, with Andy Grimwood (O7), Martin Drury (R7) and Marcus Drury (R7) their frame winners.
Alfonso Palumbo (O49), who made a 22 break, and David Taylor-Martin (R14) hit back for Pyramid, but their lead at the top is now just six points.
The other promotion hopefuls also produced impressive performances in the second tier.
Consti I are seven points off the pace in third – with a game in hand – after dispatching four-player Consti H 5-1. Early wins from Pete Stokes (R14), Stewart Wells (R21) and John Bellerby (R7) got the job done, before Richard Geddes (R7) added the finishing touch.
Also 5-1 winners were Services C, who are two points further back in fourth.
They saw off friendly foes Services D, with Nigel Cherry (O21) clinching the success in the penultimate frame.
Mid-table Boundary C were the big winners in Division Two. They romped to a 6-0 victory at Holbeach C as Aidan Sutton (R21) made a cool 28 break.
Up in Division One, Holbeach A failed to close the gap on out-of-form leaders Donington A as they went down 4-2 at Donington C.
Breaks of 24 from Mick Pearl (O14) and Mick Ayres (O7) couldn’t prevent Holbeach from losing, with Graham Slater (R7) sealing their fate in the fourth frame.
At the other end of the table, defending champions Tulips B did their survival hopes the power of good with a 4-2 victory at relegation rivals Whittlesey A.
Mark Woodberry (O49) settled the contest with a penultimate-frame win, but breaks of 29 and 24 from Terry Everitt (R7) and Darren Woodberry (O35) respectively were the highlights.
Rock-bottom Boundary A won too, edging a close contest with the talented Long Sutton A side 4-2.
Black-ball wins from Barry Malthouse (R7) and Stewart Lilley (O7) proved key for the Deepings team, while Derek Beba’s (O14) 28 break was Sutton’s highlight.
Services E also boosted their survival hopes by beating club-mates Services A 5-1. Not even a 25 break in a frame win from Mike Knight (O14) could help the A side, who are being sucked into the battle at the bottom.
Another of the struggling sides, Consti B, also picked up an impressive triumph as they knocked off Tulips A 5-1.
A 22 clearance from Martin Anderson (scr) in the final frame was scant consolation for Tulips, who slip to sixth.
Amazingly, they are just seven points above the bottom two – meaning a dramatic end to the season is in store.
Down in Division Three, Services F chalked up their 16th win from 19 matches to extend their lead at the summit to 13 points.
Bourne SC B were their latest victims, Oliver Turner (O28) edging a close final frame with Darren Crosby (O28) to seal a 4-2 victory.
Second-placed Gosberton A are now two points further adrift following a 4-2 home reverse against basement boys Donington B.
Darren Templeman (R7) and Mick Clark (R14) won the last two frames to give Donington only their fifth victory of the campaign.
Also beaten were third-placed Whittlesey C, who lost their all-club affair 4-2 against Whittlesey B.
It was over inside three frames, with Kay Skutela (R28), Pawel Skutela (R7) and Sam Mancuso (O14) all victorious for the B side.
Long Sutton C completed a bad week for the leading sides with a 5-1 loss at Consti C. They remain fourth in the standings though – and a 23 break from Dan Mayfield (O28) did at least brighten their mood.
Elsewhere, Ted Howling’s (O7) 21 break helped Services B beat Consti J 4-2.
RESULTS
Division One: Services A 1 Services E 5; Tulips A 1 Consti B 5; Consti F 5 Boundary B 1; Boundary A 4 Sutton A 2; Whittlesey A 2 Tulips B 4; Donington C 4 Holbeach A 2.
Division Two: Pyramid C 4 Holbeach B 2; Holbeach C 0 Boundary C 6; Services D 1 Services C 5; Gosberton B 4 Crowland A 2; Consti I 5 Consti H 1; Pyramid B 2 Consti G 4.
Division Three: Services B 4 Consti J 2; Gosberton A 2 Donington B 4; Whittlesey C 2 Whittlesey B 4; Consti A 4 Consti E 2; Consti C 5 Sutton C 1; Bourne SC 2 Services F 4.
