THE much-anticipated clash between the top two teams in the Premier Division appeared to be going the way of Hotshots SC B when Jon Bate and Luke Garland put them 2-0 ahead at home to Norton Social A.

Norton fought back to make it 2-2 thanks to Ashley Aston and Darren Oakes, who did well to account for Richard Haney and Callum Downing respectively, and Adam Ness won the final frame against Luke Higginbotham, who had won all eight of his previous frames, in decisive fashion.

Rob Clark, Mike Richards and Rick Wooldridge gave Amblecote Institute A a match-winning start away to Brandhall Labour, before Chris Southall and Bal Sembi took some consolation for the hosts. The defeat cost them third place when defending champions, Hotshots SC A, continued their improved run of form with a 4-1 victory away to Moor Pool and Snooker A.

Gavin Sloan, Karl Ashmore and Pete Gibbons helped last season’s runners-up, West Midlands Police, lead 3-0 at Netherton Sports and Social before Maria Catalano missed the third last red to make the frame safe against her brother, Jamie Spence, who then cleared the table with 45 to win on the black; Paul Bowen did well to beat Kev Franklin, also on the final ball, to earn another useful point for the hosts.

Cary Homer, Stuart Langford, Mick Cook & Adam Coley combined to give Amblecote Institute B their first win of the season, 4-1 at home to Moor Pool and Snooker B.

Meanwhile, Hotshots SC C continued their quest for the First Division title, although they were forced to work hard to come away from Moor Pool and Snooker C with a 3-2 win.

Dawid Konior, John Mathews and Paul Caldeira just did enough to retain the team’s unbeaten record, with Ben Wakeman and Darren Corbett responding for the home team. Hotshots now have a ten point cushion.

Just seven points separate the next eight teams with Norton Social B making good progress with a 4-1 success against Kingswinford RBL A, a result which saw Luke Grosvenor hold on to his unbeaten record, although the Legion’s Anthony Davies lost his first game, narrowly, against Dave Cartwright.

Kinver Constitutional A took the honours 3-2 against their B team with Norman Jennings, Chris Randle and Ron Smith coming out on top in a typically closely-fought encounter, while John Rees won the decider on the black to give Kingswinford Cons A a 3-2 win against Kinver’s C team.

Paul Bates, Alan Cope and Paul Garbett helped Stourbridge Institute A to a 3-2 win at home to Kingswinford Cons B, with Thomas Male and Tim Carter replying.

There was no change at the top of the Second Division, with the leading pair enjoying 4-1 wins.

The unbeaten Nick Aston, together with Harry Jones, Trevor Pardoe and Simon Tyler saw off the challenge of Kingswinford Cons C, but Amblecote Institute C were made to battle hard to match their result by Stourbridge Old Edwardians.

Wombourne secured the first three frames on the tables of Amblecote RBL, thanks to Bob Mason, Stuart Taylor and Dave Flavell, and although the Legion countered through Steve Ball and Rob Boylin, it was enough to lift Wombourne into third position.