Auckland Area League (Sponsored by ATAG Cable Solutions & B.S.& P. Bearings)

SPENNYMOOR Voltigeur kept up their unbeaten start to the season by inflicting a second defeat on their visitors, reigning champions Henknowle Manor.

Peter Mernor won two points for the Manor and Russell Place added one, but the Volti stormed ahead with two points each from Lee Atkinson and Jordan Hodgson and one each from Barrie Walton, Andy Mole and Greg Freeman.

Walton and Freeman added the doubles but the visitors reduced the deficit to three points when Mernor beat Hodgson and Atkinson in the captains’ games.

Coundon Miners Arms B visited Bishop Auckland Sports Bar and had two wins from Jason Ashton and one each from Kenny Tait and Jonjo Simpson.

However, they trailed at the end of the singles games when Keith Young, Mally Cooper, Shaun Reynolds, Derek Cooper, Phil Young and Dave King scored for the hosts.

The visitors reduced the arrears when Simpson joined Bradley Ashton to win the pairs and then sent the tie into a sudden-death decider when Billy Barker won the first of the captains’ games to level.

However, Keith Young kept his nerve to clear in the final game to give the Sports Bar the narrowest of victories.

Results: Bishop Auckland Bar None 4 Coundon Durham Ox B 9; Bishop Auckland Bay Horse 2 Spennymoor Top Hat 11; Bishop Auckland R.A.F.A 5 Ferryhill Dean & Chapter 8; Bishop Auckland Snooker Club 12 Ferryhill Post Boy 1; Bishop Auckland Sports Bar 7 Coundon Miners B 6; Coundon Durham Ox A 11 Shildon Timothy Hackworth 2; Coundon Miners A 8 West Auckland Eden Arms 5; Spennymoor Voltigeur 8 Henknowle Manor 5.

Crook League

THE Travellers Rest derby finished all square after the A team recovered from being 7-5 down against their B team.

The A team had two points from Mark Eversvage and one each from Scott Weston and Steven Todd with Weston joining John Carroll to win a doubles point.

The B team went ahead with two points from Neil Campbell and Dave Taggart and one each from Jim Ainsley and Charlie Dixon with Arthur Hope joining Taggart to add a doubles. However, A team forced the draw when John Carroll and Terry Davis won last two singles.

Results: Howden Australian 11 Surtees 3; Crown B 6 Mill House B 8; Mill House A 10 White Swan 4; Fir Tree Inn 11 King’s Head 3; New Market 11 Crook Queen’s Head 3; Travellers Rest A 7 Travellers Rest B 7; Willington Queen’s Head 1 Crown A 13.

Trimdon & District League

LEAGUE leaders, Thornley Officials A were beaten by fourth-placed Thornley Club A in the quarter-finals of the Team Knock Out.

Results: Dovecote A beat Coxhoe Club; Kelloe Club beat West Cornforth Flintlock; Thornley Club A beat Thornley Officials A; Dovecote B beat Trimdon Royal.

Team Plate results: Kelloe Davey Lamp beat Quarrington Hill Club; Thornley Harry’s Bar beat Thornley Officials B, Trimdon Village Black Bull beat Trimdon Colliery Club; Coxhoe Red Lion beat Thornley Club B.

Bishop Auckland League

THE second qualifying stage of the League Doubles Championship was held at two venues with the winner from each moving forward to play the decider on Finals Night.

Results from the section played at Shildon Elm Road: Michael Aldworth & Graeme Witton (Elm Road) beat Craig Robson & Mark Quinn (Green Tree); Tony Biddle & Lol Jones (Top Hat) beat Craig Coulson & David Jacomb (Manor B). In the decider Aldworth & Witton beat Biddle & Jones.

Results from the section played at the Green Tree: Kevin Stewart & Steve Balanaves (Snooker Club) beat Michael Farlowe & Phil Cox (Snooker Club); Paul Armstrong & David Bowes (Snooker Club) beat Cliffy Owens & Richie Metcalfe (Manor B). In the decider Stewart & Balanaves beat Armstrong & Bowes.

Consett League

THE Braes A reduced the gap at the top of the First Division after they only dropped four points to the visiting Grove Club B, while the leading Demi B lost five against the visiting Duke. The Demi’s three-point lead looks fairly insignificant as the Braes have a match in hand.

Division One results: Demi B 8 Duke 5; Bellamy’s 3 Blackhill Club B 10; Station Club 5 Fountain B 8; Grove Club A 12 Demi C 1; Snooker Club 10 Golden Lion 3; Leadgate Club 5 Barn B 8; Braes A 9 Grove Club B 4.

The Barn A stretched their lead at the top of the Second Division after they only dropped three points to the visiting Braes B, while second-placed Delves Club dropped four points at the Cricketers.

Division Two results: Cricketers 4 Delves Club 9; Annfield Plain Queen’s Head 2 Castleside Club 11; Barn A 10 Braes B 3; Freemasons A 9 Demi A 4; Blackhill Club A 7 Miners Arms 6; Fountain A 9 Freemasons B 4. The Cronniwell had a bye.

Spennymoor League

KIRK MERRINGTON Village Inn went down to a shock home defeat to Spennymoor Railway.

The Villagers had singles wins from Chris Marshall, Michael Hamilton and John Bainbridge but the Railway went ahead through John Ramage, Jeff Hunter, Stuart Sherwood, Richard Templeton and Phil Curry. Ramage and Sherwood confirmed victory for The Railway but Peter Hamilton kept the home defeat to the minimum by winning the Captains’ game.

Spennymoor Voltigeur A entertained Kirk Merrington Half Moon. The singles were shared with John Taylor winning two and Michael Murdoch and David Cairns one each for the home team. The Half Moon replied with wins from Mick Emmerson, Mark Birchall, Steve Birkett and Harvey Solway. Birchall and Emmerson won the doubles and Harvey Solway the Captains’ to edge the Half Moon to victory.

Results: Spennymoor Voltigeur A 4 Kirk Merrington Half Moon 6; Ferryhill Greyhound 4 Spennymoor Voltigeur B 6; Kirk Merrington Village Inn 4 Spennymoor Railway 6; Chilton Wheatsheaf 1 Tudhoe Black Horse 9; Bishop Middleham Old Fleece 6 Spennymoor Weardale 4; Spennymoor Penny Gill 3 Ferryhill Eldon Arms 7; Spennymoor Victoria 0 Middlestone Moor Masons Arms 10; Ferryhill Community Hub 5 Spennymoor Quinns 5.

Teesdale League (Sponsored by Colin Watson PVCU Windows)

THE Moorcock Inn A retained the only unbeaten record in the league following their comprehensive victory at the Blue Bell, where they only dropped one point.

Division 1 results: Barnard Castle Club B 7 Barnard Castle Rugby Club 2; Blue Bell 1 Moorcock Inn A 8; Bowes Club B 6 Middleton Club 3; Diamond Inn 7 Jersey Farm Hotel 2; Queen’s Head 1 Royal Oak A 8.

In the Second Division, Barnard Castle Club A slipped from the top after they lost by the odd point at the Moorcock B, allowing Glaxo Club to take over pole position.

Division 2 results: A66 Motel 4 Coach & Horses Inn 5; Glaxo Club 6 Bowes Club A 3; Moorcock Inn B 5 Barnard Castle Club A 4; Royal Oak B 6 Smallways Inn A 3; Smallways Inn B 5 Moorcock Inn C 4.

Weardale League

STANHOPE PACK HORSE got away to a winning start on their visit to St John’s Chapel Blue Bell through Ian Mears.

However, Mark Peart, Tyrone Robson and Derek Iddon put the hosts ahead before Neville Wilkinson closed the gap. Ant Stephenson won the final singles to give the Bell a two-point lead but the visitors stormed back to level by taking the first two doubles. The decider saw the home side edge a narrow victory. Results: St John’s Chapel Blue Bell 5 Stanhope Pack Horse 4; Frosterley Inn 7 Stanhope Bonny Moor Hen 2; Stanhope Club 6 Stanhope Grey Bull 3; St John’s Chapel Golden Lion 3 Wolsingham Black Lion 6.

Crook Mill Singles League

NEIL CAMPBELL moved to the top of the table following his three-point victory over Mark Little. However, Campbell has played one match more than David Craggs and Adam Robinson so his pole position is in danger. Results: Gary Close 2 Darren Tinkler 3; Mark Little 0 Neil Campbell 3; Mark Little 3 Chris Peacock 2. Postponed matches (to be re-arranged asap): Les Sanders v Les Scott; Anthony Wood v Aaron Cowen; Paul Tiernan v Adam Robinson; Alan Tindale v Mark Little; Neil Campbell v Anthony Wood; Anthony Wood v Darren Tinkler; David Craggs v Les Scott; Aaron Cowen v Mark Little; David Craggs v Adam Robinson.

Tomorrow’s matches in the league: Chris Peacock v Paul Tiernan; Alan Tindale v Les Scott; Dale Brydon v David Craggs; Anthony Wood v Gary Close, plus re-arranged matches.

Stanley & District League

THE Sun Inn played host to The Board Inn B, winning five of the first eight frames. The Sun then secured the victory by taking the first doubles frame and the Captain’s choice frame, putting the match beyond reach of The Board.

The Sun claimed points courtesy of Darryl Payne, Ryan Campbell, Phil Charlton and Chris Snowball who won all four of his frames. The Board managed to salvage four points thanks to Rob Handrick, Les Humphries, Steve Irving and Mick Brown, giving a final score of 7-4. The Board Inn A beat The Masons C 10-1. The Masons took their only frame of the night thanks to Andy Stoker while The Board winners were Barry Stacey, Brett Hanratty, Shaun McVay, Harry Morris, Dan Johnson and Tony Lynch. In a rearranged fixture, The Board Inn B beat Tanfield Lea Club 8-3.