NORTON Social A’s stay at the top of the Premier Division came to an abrupt end when they lost a very tight match 3-2 at home to West Midlands Police.

They were overtaken by long-time leaders Hotshots SC B. Only Rob Pitt, just prevailing on the black against Gavin Sloan after a lengthy safety-exchange, and Adam Ness, who’s lost only once all season, won, with Pete Gibbons, Maria Catalano, on the final ball, and Kev Franklin, who just edged past Darren Oakes in the decider, taking the honours for the Police.

Hotshots SC B returned to form at home to Moor Pool and Snooker A. Rich Haney, with a 52 break, Luke Garland, Luke Higginbotham and Callum Downing all won convincingly but Jon Bate was just pipped by former team-mate, Chris Price. The 4-1 victory lifted them two points clear of Norton.

Brandhall Labour and Hotshots SC A had emphatic 5-0 wins to close to within 11 points and eight points respectively of the leaders. Brandhall beat Netherton Sports and Social decisively although Bal Sembi had little in hand against Rich Barnsley, while Dave Green and Neil Beckley had 30 plus breaks for Hotshots at Moor Pool and Snooker B, for whom Paul Taylor came closest to taking a frame.

Amblecote Institute A’s Mike Richards did well to hand Pockets SC A’s Andy Smith only his third defeat of the season, on the way to a 4-1 success which lifted them above their opponents into fifth place; John Betton, who had a 39 break, took a consolation frame for the Kidderminster team.

Richard Lewis, in particularly good touch, and Tony Kidd gave Pockets SC B the advantage at home to Amblecote’s B team, but Adam Coley and Cary Homer levelled the scores, and Sam Harrison looked likely to secure the match for the Institute, until Danny Rees just turned the frame around.

In the First Division, leaders Hotshots SC C postponed their match which gave their closest challengers the chance to make inroads into the daunting 12 point advantage previously established.

Baggeridge Social lost the first two frames at home to Moor Pool and Snooker C, however; Martin Collingridge lost on the black to Dennis Pickett, and Luke Whale lost to Ben Wakeman, players who had lost only five frames between them all season.

Young Ryan Allmark and Mark Jeffries, with a 39 break, levelled the scores and Frankie Bennett won the decider, as he’s done on so many previous occasions, to reduce Hotshots’ lead to eight points.

Moor Pool ans Snooker’s two frames enabled them to cling on to third place by a single point from Kinver Constitutional B, who enjoyed a typically tight 3-2 win against Kingswinford Cons A.

Norton Social B eased 2-0 ahead at Stourbridge Institute A thanks to Luke Grosvenor &

and Joe Davies, who did well to beat the experienced Paul Bates, but Richard Rudge, Martin Harris and Paul Garbett, who cleared up with a 31, fought back to give the Institute one of their best results.

Similarly, Kingswinford Cons B posted one of their best performances with a 3-2 win at home to Kinver Constitutional A. Thomas Male, Tim Carter and John Byng combined to complete the win before Chris Randle & Arnie Tromans hit back for the visitors.

Stourbridge Institute B increased their lead at the top of the Second Division with their fifth 5-0 victory of an impressive season at home to Kinver’s D team.

Nick Aston, unbeaten in 14 frames, Harry Jones, Tom Hamilton, Trevor Pardoe, who did well to beat Will Spruce, and Simon Tyler, who was taken to the black by Tom Spruce, for his 11th win in as many frames, all won against opponents who have acquitted themselves well in their first season of competitive play.

There is a seven point gap back to Amblecote Institute C who did well to come away from their neighbours Amblecote RBL with a 3-2 win. Mark Colbourne and black ball success for both Colin Homer and Roy Pugh just did enough to clinch the points but they were joined by Wombourne who were made to battle hard at Amblecote Institute D before coming away with all five frames, including a particularly good result for John Cumiskey against Mark Daniels.

Fourth-placed Stourbridge Old Edwardian Club enjoyed a reasonably comfortable 4-1 win at home to Stourbridge Institute C and are seven points adrift of the joint second placed teams, but Stourbridge Institute’s D team won 3-2 at Kingswinford Cons C, thanks to Steve Ruffle, a re-spotted-black win for Chris Sloan and black-ball success for Ron Peplow against the prolific Leigh Bennett.

Cup success apart, it hasn’t been easy for another inexperienced team, Kingswinford Cons D, but they achieved their third win of the season on their short visit to Kingswinford RBL B. Matt Surmacz, Steve Partridge, Paul Curry & Steve Hill all won before Ian Billingham lost to Dave Woodall.