Durham dent Ferryhill

The Durham team had two points each from Steve Thompson, Trevor Walton and Nick Veuger with Ian Dinsdale, Andy Seal and Dave Lowery adding one each. Ferryhill had two points from Steve Wray and Simon Corbridge with Steve Webster adding one.

The top ten leading frame winners in the league to date are 1st Johnny Mason 29; 2nd John Bourne 27; 3rd Trevor Walton 25; 4th equal Michael Burke and Gavin Witton 24 each; 6th equal Darren Tinkler, Phil Cox, Steve Wray and James Evans 23 each; 10th equal Neil Campbell, Andy Seal and Paul Biddle 22 each.

The fixtures for Sunday are Crook A v Shildon A; Shildon B v Spennymoor; Durham A v Newton Aycliffe; Tow Law v Crook B; Willington v Durham B and Ferryhill v Horden.

Durham Ranking Tournament

Michael Rhodes strengthened his position at the top if the Ranking List when he won the September Tournament at Durham Snooker Club, whilst the runner-up, Tony Kay of Darlington might just have dome enough to move into the top 32 and qualify for the end of year "Big Money Tournament" in November. However to be safe he needs another good result from the October Tournament to be played at Durham Snooker Club on Sunday, 19 October.

There was a plus for both second placed, Steve Thompson and 31st placed, Graeme Thompson for their progress to the semi-finals meant that they will collect enough ranking points to give them an excellent chance of staying in a sound position.

The down side of the rankings came for Dave Hodgson, who had just moved up to fourteenth, when he failed to take a frame in his last sixteen match and also for Andy Seal, ranked fifth, who suffered a similar fate.

The results of the last 16 were: Kevin Teasdale 1 David Lowery 3; Dave Hodgson 0 Tony Kay 3; Rob Day 0 Graeme Thompson 3; Lee Holdsworth 3 Lyndsay Hood 0; Steve Thompson 3 John Mavin 0; Trevor Walton 3 Gemma Bennington 0; Gary Carr 1 Michael Rhodes 3; Andy Seal 0 Ian Laycock 3.

Quarter final results: Dave Lowery 1 Tony Kay 4; Graeme Thompson 4 Lee Holdsworth 3; Steve Thompson 4 Trevor Walton 2; Michael Rhodes 4 Ian Laycock 1.

Semi-finals: Tony Kay beat Graeme Thompson 4-1.whilst Michael Rhodes beat Steve Thompson 4-2. In the Final Rhodes beat Kay 5-2.

Willington and District League

Sunnybrow Brown Trout held on to the top spot in the table after they beat the visiting Byers Green Royal Oak in the deciding doubles. This left them two points clear of Willington Cottles B and six points clear of Willington Burn Inn.

The Trout had singles wins from Dave Blackburn, Harry Sewell and Tony Atkinson whilst the Oak replied with wins from Gary Slater, Anthony Binks and Stephen Dawson. The first two doubles were shared but in the decider, the Trout went to victory when Lee Blackburn and Tony Atkinson beat Paul Brownson and Anthony Binks.

Willington Burn Inn were able to move into third place after they took all the doubles to record a three points home win over the Prospect Club. There were singles points for the Burn from Martin Rooney, Stephen Kyle and John McIntosh whilst the Prospect levelled with wins from Ces Atkinson, Paul Morris and Kath Nyland.

Results: Hunwick Quarry 3 Willington Cottles B 6; Willington Cottles A 5 Willington Commercial 4; Willington Brewer's Droop 6 Hunwick Quarry 3; Willington Burn 6 Prospect Club 3; Sunnybrow Brown Trout 5 Byers Green Royal Oak 4.

County Super League

Crook B recovered to take the last two frames to force a draw against the visiting Durham B but the result left both a bit of the pace for landing the Championship. A big win for either side would have made them serious contenders but now they have to look for better in the final four matches.

Crook B had two wins from John Warriner with Johnny Mason, Gavin Witton and Darren Tinkler adding one each, whilst Durham B went into a 7-5 lead with two points from Steve Thompson and Michael Rhodes with Trevor Walton, Gary Carr and Neick Veuger adding one each. The home recovery came when Johnny Mason beat Nick Veuger in the penultimate game and Gavin Witton beat Ian Dinsdale in the final frame.

Durham B lifted themselves above their A team in the table and virtually destroyed the visiting Ferryhill's title chances as they won by four points. The Durham team had two points each from Steve Thompson, Trevor Walton and Nick Veuger with Ian Dinsdale, Andy Seal and Dave Lowery adding one each. Ferryhill had two points from Steve Wray and Simon Corbridge with Steve Webster adding one.

Top ten leading frame winners in the league to date are: 1st Johnny Mason 31; 2nd John Bourne 27; 3rd equal Trevor Walton and Gavin Witton 26 each; 5th equal Michael Burke and Darren Tinkler 24 each; 7th equal Phil Cox, Steve Wray and James Evans 23 each; 10th equal Neil Campbell, Andy Seal and Paul Biddle 22 each.

Sunday's fixtures: Crook A v Shildon A; Shildon B v Spennymoor; Durham A v Newton Aycliffe; Tow Law v Crook B; Willington v Durham B and Ferryhill v Horden.

Crook Individual League

David Haygarth became the new leader after he beat Les Scott by the odd point. This moved him one point clear of Johnny Mason, who has a match in hand. In third place, David Craggs is a further point adrift but has two matches in hand, whilst Michael Burke moved into fourth place, two points behind Craggs with the same number of matches played.

Michael Burke made two good wins, each by the odd point; one against brother, Stephen, who put the pressure on by winning the first, and the other against Lee Cullinan, who, despite playing with a broken foot, cleared up spectacularly in the second frame, but followed it with another odd point defeat by David Stephenson.

The matches to be played at Crook Coach and Horses on Monday are: Darren Tinkler v Adam Martin; Richard Walker v Lee Cullinan; David Stephenson v Michael Burke; Neil Campbell v David Craggs; Richard Walker v David Haygarth plus any re-arranged matches from previous weeks.

Bishop Auckland and District League

Henknowle Manor A extended their hopes of finishing in the top four after they only dropped two points to the visiting Bishop Auckland Cumberland Arms. Jason Harbron proved to the visiting star for he took their only singles and then took one of the captain's games from Peter Mernor. The home singles winners were Ronnie Wright, Peter Mernor, John Collinson and Bill Turner with two points each, whilst Steven Webb added one to go with the doubles point from the father and son team of Rob and Steven Webb.

Tow Law Station struggled to beat the visiting Bishop Auckland RAFA Club, who have slipped to the foot of the table. The home side had two singles points from Steven Maughan and one each form David Craggs, Shaun Umpelby. Anthony Hird and Stephen Umpelby. The RAFA had one point each from Bob Chambers, David Gaskins, Lee Gaskins and Steve Cowley. Shaun Umpelby and Steven Maughan took the doubles for the Station and then David Craggs and Simon Roberts shared the captain's games.

Crook Olde Horse Shoe lead the table by two points from Spennymoor Ash Tree, who are 15 points ahead of Crook Coach and Horses.

Results: Bishop Auckland Snooker Club A 4 Crook Coach and Horses A 9; Toft Hill Three Tuns 6 Spennymoor Ash Tree 7; Spennymoor Weardale 9 Bishop Auckland Football Club 4; Henknowle Manor A 11 Bishop Auckland Cumberland Arms 2; Crook Olde Horse Shoe 8 Bishop Auckland Snooker Club B 5; Tow Law Station 8 Bishop Auckland RAFA Club 5; Willington Brewer's Droop 9 Crook White Swan 4. Crook Coach and Horses B v Henknowle Manor B postponed.

Tow Law Scottish Courage League

Tow Law Dan's Castle B produced a major shock when they beat their A team, who have led the league by a substantial margin for a long time. The A team only managed two singles points when they had wins from Lee Stockdale and Colin Armstrong, whilst the B team went ahead with wins from Dave Richardson, David Murray, Paul Murray and Jimmy Gardener. The A team managed to take the first doubles but the B team completed a memorable victory by taking the remaining two doubles.

Sunniside Comedian capitalised on this defeat for the league leaders when they beat the visiting Tow Law Rose and Crown for the loss of only one point. The visitors' lone point came in the final doubles when Anthony Ward and Lee Mowbray won. The Comic had singles wins from Ray Johnson, Dave Walton, John Conoly, Morgan Errington, Dave Thompson and John Hildreth to add to the two doubles.

The bottom two teams met at Tow Law New Market A, with the visiting Hamilton Row Black Horse going down in the decider to put both teams exactly level in the table. The Market had singles wins from Ivor Childs, Dale Duxfield and Tom Dowson with Frazer Armstrong, Mark McCormick and John Robinson levelling. After both teams had taken a doubles point, Tom Dowson and Dale Duxfield beat Jim Christalow and Alan Taylor in the decider.

Tow Law Dan's Castle A lead the table by two points from Sunniside Comedian, who are one ahead of Tow Law Football Club.

Results: Newhouse Club 3 Tow Law F C 6; Tow Law Station 6 Tow Law New Market B 3; Tow Law New Market A 5 Hamilton Row Black Horse 4; Sunniside Comedian 8 Tow Law Rose and Crown 1; Tow Law Dan's Castle A 3 Tow Law Dan's Castle B 6.

Brandon and Byshottles League

The presentation night will be on Thursday, October 2 at the Brancepeth Castle Inn, 8pm start.

Thursday, October 9 sees the annual meeting, to be held at the Prince Bishop, Brandon, 7.30pm. Any teams within the Brandon & Byshottles parish interested in joining the league may attend the meeting. A £30 bond is required at the meeting from any new teams, refundable on completion of all fixtures.

Pairs Final: M Bone/P Parkinson (D&G B) 3, D Wallace/J Thirwell (Legion) 5.

Auckland Area League

Last year's league champions, Spennymoor Voltigeur hosted the title runners-up Bishop Auckland Manor in what proved a very tight match.. Dean Mains took the first game for the hosts before Peter Mernor levelled the scores. The home side then took a two frame lead through Darren Briggs and Ian Mains before the visitors again levelled when Bill Turner and Steven Webb won the next two games. The Voltigeur's Tony Biddle took one for the home side with Ron Wright replying to tie the scores at four-all. John Collinson gave the Manor the lead but Dean Mains took the final singles game level at 5-5. Darren Briggs and David Graham and then Tony Biddle and Ian Mains won both doubles games to give the home side a guaranteed victory before Steven Webb claimed the captain's game to leave a single point separating the teams.

Results: Bishop Auckland Beehive 4 Spennymoor Wheatsheaf 9; Bishop Auckland Derby 7 Bishop Auckland Grand 'B' 6; Bishop Auckland Grand 'A' 5 Spennymoor Voltigeur 'B' 8; Bishop Auckland Green Tree 1 Bishop Auckland King's Head 12; Spennymoor Voltigeur 'A' 7 Bishop Auckland Manor 6.

Durham and District League

Spennymoor Voltigeur lost their first game of the season in their home game against the Framwellgate Moor Marquis of Granby. The visitors took the first three games with wins from Dave Hodgson, Paul Dudding and Graham Comerford. Dean Mains and Darren Briggs replied for the Voltigeur. The Marquis then took the next three through Paul Shutt, Trevor Walton and Graham Comerford before Dave Wrightson pulled another back. Paul Shutt, Ivor Lloyd and Dave Hodgson won the last three for the Marquis. Dave Hodgson then completed a fine night for the visitors by winning the captain's game.

The table is now developing a definite pattern with the top four teams unbeaten. Consett Stateside lead the Marquis of Granby by two points with Durham Snooker Club a further point adrift. Sacriston daisy Hill B have moved into fourth place just two points behind the Snooker Club.

Results: Sacriston Daisy Hill A 4 Consett Stateside 10; Ushaw Moor White Tun 2 Sacriston Daisy Hill B 11; Bowburn Oak Tree 4 Coxhoe WM Club 9; Horden Big Club 10 Bowburn Hare and Greyhound 3; Gilesgate Three Horse Shoes 6 Ushaw Moor Catholic Club 7; Spennymoor Voltigeur 3 Framwellgate Moor Marquis of Granby 10; Durham Snooker Club 10 Ushaw Moor Flass Inn 3. Ushaw Moor Winnings v Bowburn Cooperage no result.