PREMIER Division leaders Hotshots SC B extended their winning sequence to eight with a 4-1 success on the tables of Moor Pool and Snooker B.

Luke Higginbotham, one of five unbeaten players going into the latest round of matches, emerged as the only one to hold on that record.

His colleague, Richard Haney, who has enjoyed a fine run of form, lost for the first time when Ian Priest earned a consolation point for the home side.

Although Hotshots moved four points clear of second-placed Norton Social A, Norton took great satisfaction from beating a very strong Brandhall Labour team 3-2 at home to continue their unbeaten start.

Chris Southall and Geoff Williams both made half-century breaks for the visitors to inflict the first defeats on Rob Pitt and Adam Ness respectively, but Steve Mason beat Jason Hickman and Neil Rollinson beat Bal Sembi, with the aid of a 35 break, to make it 2-2.

A tense decider saw Darren Oakes edge past his former team-mate Alan Hooper.

Hotshots SC A, defending their title, took all five frames at home to Amblecote Institute B, to close to within a point of Brandhall in fourth.

Ashley Sidaway and Andy Round were in top form for Amblecote’s A team, who beat Pockets SC B 4-1, and they remain in fifth just one point ahead of both West Midlands Police and Pockets SC A.

The Police beat Moor Pool and Snooker A 4-1, with a 50 break for yet another former Midland champion, Kev Franklin, while Pockets defeated Netherton Sports and Social by the same scoreline.

Meanwhile, Hotshots SC C opened up a six point advantage at the top of the First Division with a 5-0 maximum at home to Kingswinford Cons A.

John Mathews, unbeaten in four frames, beat Wayne Whitmore, who had won seven from seven, and there was a debut win for James Collins.

Baggeridge Social held on to second place when Luke Whale, Mark Jeffries and Ryan Allmark, who did well to beat the prolific Adam Sprague, steered them to a 3-2 win away to Kinver Constitutional C.

Kinver’s B team visited Kingswinford Cons B and Graham Tranter, Rob Jeffries and Keith Rollinson combined to take the match 3-2. They remain third in the league, nine points behind Hotshots, while Kinver’s A team slipped up 3-2 at home to Norton Social B.

Norton trail Hotshots by 12 points, one more than Moor Pool & Snooker C, who surprised Kingswinford RBL A 4-1 away from home, with Ben Wakeman, who has lost only once, winning again. Anthony Davies won again for the Legion, his seventh in as many frames.

Having returned to the top of the Second Division earlier in the week, Stourbridge Institute B extended their advantage over Stourbridge Old Edwardians to three points with a 3-2 win on the tables of their neighbours.

Amblecote Institute C bounced back to form with all five frames away to Stourbridge Institute C and they lie second, two points behind the leaders, and just a point ahead of Old Eds, who were joined in third place by Wombourne who secured maximum points at home to a depleted Kingswinford Cons D team.