Mike Dunn of Hartlepool, the top ranked professional playing in the league, made two very valuable wins, which put him in a strong position to challenge for the title.

In his first game he travelled to Durham Snooker Club to take on Paul Davison of Spennymoor. Dunn opened out confidently and knocked in a 57 break to take the first frame. Dunn made a 48 break early in the second but then missed an easy red to the middle, letting Davison in to make 42. However, Dunn went two up when he took the last red and blue before laying a successful snooker, which allowed him to clear up. Dunn never got into the third with Davison knocking in a 47 break to open his account. A scrappy fourth went to Dunn after Davison was unlucky to go in-off the green as he went to clear. Davison levelled the match by taking fifth and sixth, where he made a 46 break. However Dunn recovered his composure to open with 24 in the final frame and then added a decisive 65 break to win the decider.

Dunn then entertained league leader, Durham's Michael Rhodes at the Hartlepool Snooker Centre. Dunn took an early led which was immediately balanced out when Rhodes took the second. Rhodes could tell that a robust performance from Dunn was on the cards and this was confirmed in the third frame when Dunn knocked in a winning 76 break. Dunn immediately built on his rising confidence and made Rhodes sit and watch the points rack up in the fourth as he made a break of 94. After the interval Dunn's winning ways continued when he took the opener in the second half. In frame six, Dunn was 23 in front with 22 left on the table. Rhodes persisted in laying the snookers and was fortunate when Dunn went in-off the brown. Rhodes took the opportunity and clawed one frame back. Dunn completed a good victory with a break of 67 to take the frame and match 5-2.

Gary Wilson played in front of his home crowd at the High Howdon Social Club to a capacity crowd to take on Guisborough's Anthony Parsons, in an encounter where both players were keen to gain maximum points. Parsons took the first two frames with a 35 break to help him along in the second frame. Wilson replied with a 36 in the third and comfortably won the frame. Although Parsons had a break of 43 in the fourth, Wilson replied with a break, one point higher on 44 to level things going into the interval. Despite seeming distracted in his game, Wilson made breaks of 52 and 44 in the following two frames after the interval to extend his lead to 4-2. It looked like going 5-2 in Wilson's favour until he broke down on a break of 37. A short tactical exchange followed and by sheer tenacity Parsons took the remaining balls to win the frame by a meagre one point. The 4-3 result to Wilson reverses the score line in the earlier fixture when Parsons won 4-3. Wilson is still in a strong postion when the games in hand are taken into account.

Andy Craig travelled to Ormesby Institute to take on Anthony Parsons in their re-arranged match and was looking for a boost to help him move from the foot of the table. Having played an excellent match in the Northumberland CIU Team Final last week, Craig was looking to continue his winning ways. Parsons raced through the first frame to take the lead. A break of 53 looked like giving Craig the second frame, but Parsons battled on and also took the second. He then added the next three with breaks of 87 in the third and 74 in the fifth to extend his lead to 5-0. Craig managed to pull one back in the sixth, aided by his highest break of the night, a 68. A tight contest ensued in the final frame but again, Parsons took the chances, which paid off when he went on to win the match 6-1.

The match between Paul Davison v Michael Rudd (holiday) scheduled to take place at Durham Snooker Centre will be played at a later date.

Due to varying commitments this week's depleted fixture list sees table leader, Michael Rhodes play Gary Wilson at Durham Snooker Centre on Monday Night, while on Wednesday David Craggs entertains Mike Dunn at Tow Law Social Club and David Lilley hosts the visit Andy Craig at Fairholme Social Club. All fixtures commence at 7.30pm. Anyone wishing to watch any matches should check with the respective venue that the matches are going ahead as scheduled. Additional information can be obtained by calling 07830 101228 or 07830 101186.