County Super League: Crook Town A got off the foot of the table with a good away win over Newton Aycliffe, who slipped into the wooden spoon position.

The Crook side opened out in style with wins from Steve Liddle, Jim Ainsley, Neil Campbell and Doug Bowey but Aycliffe recovered with wins from Tommy Francis, Paul Wade and Ronnie Jones to go into the break only trailing by one point.

Natasha Mitchinson levelled the match by taking the first frame of the second half but was only joined by Paul Wade as a second half winner, whilst Crook A went to victory with wins from Jim Ainsley, Neil Campbell, Doug Bowey, Stephen Burke and Gary Hill.

Durham made a good second half recovery to force a draw at Ferryhill. The home side had first half wins from Joe Wray, Steve Wray, Steve Webster, Terry Wray and Simon Corbridge with only Dave Neil and Paul Shutt able to put points on the board for Durham.

The tables were turned in the second half when Paul Campbell, Chris Beswick and Dave Neil levelled the match. Billy Blamire moved the home side ahead in the next only to see Simon Baker and Paul Shutt leave Durham one point from victory. However the reliant Simon Corbridge forced the draw for Ferryhill when he beat the visiting Clare triton in the final frame.

These two matches have altered the leaders table in the race for the Player of the Year award. The Top Six now reads Neil Campbell (Crook Town A), Ronnie McAloon and Gavin Witton (Spennymoor) all with 11 wins from 14 matches; Paul Shutt of Durham follows with 11 wins from 16 matches; Gerald Parkin (Crook B) 10 wins from 12 and Steve Hunter (Spennymoor) 10 wins from 14 games.

Results: Ferryhill 7 Durham 7; Newton Aycliffe 5 Crook Town A 9.

Crook League

Crook Travellers Rest B opened up a four points lead at the top of the First Division after they made a good away win at Crook Coach and Horses A. The home side had singles wins from Eric Machin, Dave Akers, Ray Holliday and Lee Scott, whilst the Travellers had two points from Michael Burke and Doug Bowey and one each from Jim Ainsley, Jimmy Singlewood, Joe McCabe and Neil Campbell before adding both doubles through Campbell with Burke and Ainsley with Singlewood.

Crook Royal Sun are in second place in the First Division, two points ahead of the newly promoted, Crook Coach and Horses B.

Newcomers to the league, Willington Cottles were able to move into second place in the Second Division after they edged through to a two points home victory over the strong Crook White Swan B. Cottles had two points from Phil Blyth with Brett Fleming, John Gallagher, Dave Bennett and Joe Bone adding one each before Fleming with Blyth and Bennett with Paul Trow won both doubles. The Swan had one point each from Stuart Miller, Kevin Carter, Carl Maddison, Stephen Dawson, Louie Holmes and Andrew Finch.

Crook Golden Fleece lead the Second Division by two points from Willington Cottles, who are one ahead of Crook Surtees.

Results: Willington Cottles 8 Crook White Swan B 6; Howden Australian 11 Stanley Earl Derby 3; Willington Brewer's Droop 3 Crook Golden Fleece 11; Crook Spitfire Club 8 Crook Jelly's Bar B 6; Crook Travellers Rest A 5 Crook Coach and Horses B 9; Crook Olde Horse Shoe 7 Crook Queen's Head A 7; Crook White Swan A 5 Crook Royal Sun 9; Crook Mill House 4 Willington Market 10; Crook Belle Vue 8 Hunwick Club 6; Crook Coach and Horses A 4 Crook Travellers Rest B 10; Crook Jelly's Bar A 7 Crook Surtees 7. No result: Crook Queen's Head B v Crook King's Head.

Bishop Auckland League

Henknowle Manor won the battle of the unbeaten teams at Tow Law New Market to move eight points clear at the top of the table. The home side lost the match in the singles when they only scored three points with wins from Andrew Burrows, David Craggs and Shaun Umpelby. The Manor had two singles each from Peter Mernor, Ronnie Wright and Bill Turner with Steve Webb adding one. The Manor went on to take the doubles through Jon Tomlinson and Bill Turner, before David Craggs won both the captain's games for the New Market against Steve Webb.

The third placed Crook Travellers Rest also went down at home to Spennymoor Weardale. The home side only managed four singles with Michael Burke, Neil Campbell, Aaron Cowan and Stephen Burke scoring one each, whilst the Weardale shot in front with two points from Peter Summerfield and one each from Richie Turner, Paul Biddle, Steve Jones and Ronnie McAloon. Turner and McAloon then added the doubles for the Weardale before Michael Burke and Paul Biddle shared the captain's points.

Henknowle Manor lead Shildon Royal George by eight points but both have played an extra match to the New Market, who are two behind the George. The Weardale are one behind the Tow Law team and the Travellers Rest two behind but both have a match in hand on the leading pair.

Results: Bishop Auckland Derby 9 Willington Brewer's Droop 4; Bishop Auckland Football Club 6 Bishop Auckland Snooker Club 7; Bishop Auckland Cumberland Arms 1 Crook White Swan 12; Crook Coach and Horses A 7 Toft Hill Three Tuns 6; Shildon Royal George 10 Crook Coach and Horses B 3; Tow Law New Market 5 Henknowle Manor 8; Crook Travellers Rest 5 Spennymoor Weardale 8.

Durham & District League

Kevin Rainbow of Consett Stateside became the League Singles Champions after he beat Michael Rhodes in the final played at Sacriston Daisy Hill.

In the Singles semi-final James Evans of Horden took the first frame against Michael Rhodes of Durham Snooker Club but then lost the next four to go out. The other semi-final saw Kevin Rainbow beat team-mate Dave Harrop, both of Consett. Stateside. Harrop took the first but Rainbow replied with two to go ahead. Harrop levelled only to see Rainbow move back ahead. Harrop pulled back again to take the match into a decider, which Rainbow won.

After Rainbow went on up in the final Rhodes took the next two. Rainbow then hit a blistering run where he won four frames in a row to take the title.

The Doubles Final produced another final frame decider when Darren Jones and Steve Wylie of Horden met Lee Holdsworth and Ben Bowen of Daisy Hill. The Horden pair took the first and frames then went alternately to set up the decider. In the final frame Jones and Wylie grabbed the title.

In the 3 by 3 final the Durham Snooker Club team of Michael Rhodes, Colin Hutchinson and Dave Jones met the Spennymoor Voltigeur team of Adrian Mole, Kevin Anderson and Darren Briggs. The Moors went ahead but then Durham team scored three in a row. The Volti replied by taking the next two but the Snooker Club took the next two to complete a 5-3 victory.

Auckland Area League

Bishop Auckland Grand was the venue for Finals Day this year and hosted the smemi-finals and finals of the singles and doubles knockouts and also the final of the team knockout.

In the first-to-seven-frames team knockout Spennymoor Voltigeur A played Bishop Auckland King's Head with Tony Biddle drawing first blood for the Moors. David Jacomb replied for the King's before Darren Briggs and Andy Mole opened up a two-point lead for the Voltigeur. Steven Bainbridge reduced the deficit to one point but the Voltigeur's David Graham and Dean Mains took the next two points. Kevin Watson pulled a point back for the King's but in the next frame Andy Mole took the Voltigeur to within a point of victory. Captain Darren Briggs played the final singles game and secured the win to complete a League and Cup double for the season.

In the doubles semi finals Steven Webb and Peter Mernor (Bishop Auckland Manor) beat the Grand B's Phil Young and Derek Cooper 2-0 whilst Dean Mains and Tony Biddle (Voltigeur A) beat Kevin Watson and David Baird (King's Head) 2-1. The Voltigeur pairing stormed to a two-nil lead in the best-of-five final and almost got the third frame too. When they didn't the Manor pair recovered and went on to take the final 3-2.

With one of the semi finalists unable to turn up a draw was made to see which of those remaining three would benefit from a bye into the final. Darren Briggs (Voltiegur A) was lucky player, leaving Steven Lowther (Derby) and Tony Biddle (Voltigeur A) playing each other for the right to join him. Steven Lowther won through but, in a very tight final, finally lost 3-2 to Darren Briggs.

The Presentation Evening wil be held on Wednesday, 11 August at Bishop Auckland Beehive.

Tow Law & District League

The new season begins on June 9 when the fixtures are Lanchester King's Head v Billy Row Royal George; Hamilton Row Black Horse A v Tow Law New Market B; Sunniside Moss Inn v Tow Law Station B; Tow Law Football Club v Tow Law Cattle Mart B; Tow Law New Market A v Hamilton Row Black Horse B; Tow Law Station A v Sunniside Comedian; Billy Row Club v Newhouse Club; Tow Law Cattle Mart A v Wolsingham Club.

CIU Individual Championship

The draw for the Second Round is M. Bean (Darlington A.S.E.) v S. Corbridge (Ferryhill); M. Stephenson (Whitehill Park Tenants) v M. Farnsworth (North Biddick); S. Cochran (Sunniside) v N. Anderson (Shotton Comrades); T. Wray (Ferryhill) v A. Spedding (Hylton Castle); C. Turner (Grange Villa) v P. Cox (Darlington A.S.E.); A. Daniel (Hylton Castle) v D. Sykes (Fencehouses); P. Clark (Alberta) v T. Kay (Darlington A.S.E.); S. Bowen (Grange Villa) v P. Hickman (Shotton Comrades). Games to be played on or before Friday, 18 June.

CIU Pairs Championship

The draw for the Second Round is C. Turner & J. Briggs (Grange Villa) v A. Daniel & S. Thompson (Hylton Castle); P. Cox & T. Kay (Darlington A.S.E.) v R. Moran & J. Cooke (Consett Station); S. Wray & S. Webster (Ferryhill)v P. Liddle & L. Irwin (Vale of Derwent); S. Hartis & D. Sykes (Fencehouses) v K. Jackson & D. Pearn (Hylton Castle); J. Todd & G. Howe (South Moor Excelsior) v D. Hann & P. Laverick (Crowtrees);T. Wray & S. Corbridge (Ferryhill) v S. Bowen & L. Holdsworth (Grange Villa); P. Hickman & C. Jobes (Shotton Comrades) v M. Stephenson & S. Sedman (Whitehill Park Tenants); N. Anderson & L. Hammond (Shotton Comrades) v T. Henderson & S. Wayman (Hylton Castle). Results to be into the Branch Office by Saturday, 26 June.

CBSL League

Mike King and Steve Rutter lifted the league's Peter Craig Memorial Snooker Pairs Trophy last week.

The Guisborough Cons pair, who won the trophy together back in 1997, were up against Grinkle Park Hotel due Dave Brown and Brian Simpson, in the best of five match played at the Carlin How Club.

The handicaps saw Simpson and Brown receiving 7 points start per frame.

The opening frame was cautious, with only one break over double figures, a 14 from Simpson. It looked to be heading to the Guisborough pair, but a fluked brown from Simpson gave them a chance to stay in the frame.

Rutter had a chance at the blue to seal the frame, but he missed it by a long way, allowing Brown a chance. He potted a good blue, but missed a simple pink into the middle. This left the Guisborough pair 9 in front with 13 on. Rutter then proceeded to pot a great pink and win the frame 64-49.

The second frame saw Brown and Simpson take an early lead, but a missed red by Brown left Steve Rutter in amongst the balls. He proceeded to make a good 40 break, and this was enough to help them go on and win the frame 67-50, and take a 2-0 lead.

Needing just one more frame, Steve was playing with more determination than the others, and he made breaks of 25 and 29 in the frame to win it 79-13, and clinch the title for himself and King.