Willington League

Willington Club will celebrate the holidays with extra vigour in the knowledge that they have moved two points clear at the top following their win over their visiting fellow Championship contenders, the Prospect Club. The home side had singles wins from Wilf Coney, Alan Walker and Bobby Jackson with the prospect taking points through Phil Blyth and Wilf Sharpe. The home side added the doubles point with a win from Alan and Colin Walker. In the captain's game, Wilf Sharpe took the point for the prospect by beating Scott Liddle.

This result leaves the Prospect Club in second place, but they are only one point ahead of Willington Black Horse Tavern and Sunnybrow Brown Trout.

Results: Sunnybrow Brown Trout 3 Willington Black Horse Inn 5; Willington Brewer's Droop 4 Hunwick Quarry Burn 4; Hunwick Joiners Arms 5 Willington Cottles 3; Willington Commercial 6 Willington Burn 2; Willington Club 5 Prospect Club 3; Willington Lion and Unicorn 3 Willington Black Horse Tavern 5.

CIU Fives and Threes Pairs Championship

Semi-final draw: J. Savage & K. Burns (Mount Pleasant) v J. Gilleese & R. fenwick (Simonside); N. Robson & A. Bell (Simonside) v R. Mulroy & P. Scott (Middlestone Moor). Results to be into the Branch Office by January 12.

Tow Law & District League

P W L C Pts

Tow Law New Market B 22 15 7 13 67

Tow Law Station 22 13 9 9 63

Tow Law Football Club 22 13 9 11 62

Sunniside Comedian 22 11 11 13 57

Tow Law Black Horse A 22 11 11 14 57

Lanchester King's Head 22 8 14 15 54

Tow Law New Market A 22 12 10 7 54

Tow Law Cattle Mart 22 10 12 9 51

Ham. Row Black Horse 22 9 13 11 51

Tow Law Black Horse B 22 9 13 13 50

Tow Law Rose & Crown 22 10 12 9 48

Esh Football Club 22 11 11 8 46

Crook League

Crook Mill House slipped four points behind First Division leaders, Crook Belle Vue when they went down to the visiting Crook Olde Horse S A in a nail-biting deciding doubles. The Mill had singles wins from Norman Slack, Alan Bibby and John Hutchinson with the Shoe levelling through Alex Moses, Les Scott and Gerald Parkin. In the deciding doubles the Mill pairing of Alan Bibby and Ian Bibby went into a 4-2 lead but Alex Moses and Les Scott came back to win 5-4. Despite the defeat the Mill House are still four points ahead of Crook Travellers Rest B.

Crook Spitfire Club lead the Second Division by seven points with second place being shared by Crook Jelly's Bar and Crook White Swan.

Results: Willington Market 4 Crook White Swan 3; Crook Golden Fleece 4 Crook Queen's Head B 3; Crook Crown 5 Crook Coach and Horses B 2; Crook Jelly's Bar 4 Crook Surtees 3; Crook Travellers Rest B 5 Crook Royal Sun 2; Crook Coach and Horses A 5 Crook Travellers Rest A 2; Crook Olde Horse Shoe B 2 Crook Belle Vue 5; Crook Mill House 3 Crook Olde Horse Shoe A 4.

Tow Law Area League

Ithe only game of the week Tow Law New Market B lifted themselves up joint fourth position in the league and to an equal top spot in the Captain's Table when they beat the visiting Cornsay Royal Oak. The Oak started and finished well but the Market commanded the middle to go through to win by three points.

Dave Cairns put the visitors ahead but then the home side had singles wins from Tom Dowson, Doris Elsbury, Shaun McGrath, Gavin Tenant and Phil Spencer. The gap was widened when Doris Elsbury and Tom Dowson took the first doubles but the Oak replied with wins for Ian Truby with Terry Cairns and Brian Bailes with Colin Close. Tom Dowson put the New Market B level with Hamilton Row Black Horse at the top of the Captain's Table when he beat the Oak's Scott Windsor.

Newhouse Club lead the table by eight points from Esh Stag's Head, who are two ahead of Esh Football Club. Tow Law Station and the New Market B are a further four points behind the footballers.

Willington Area League

Willington Market looked good to get back among the leaders when they took a 3-0 lead at Willington Brewer's Droop A with wins from Brian Clough, Stuart Shillan and Lee Wise. However the Brewer's retaliated with wins from Jimmy Fleming and Michael Pickles to keep the Market down in fourth place.

Hunwick Club maintained their three points lead at the top after they only dropped one point on their visit to Howden Australian, who had Michael Richardson as their only winner. Hunwick Club had wins from Gary Moffatt, David Thompson, Paul Maddison and Ian Richardson.

The Prospect Club are in second place with Hunwick Quarry Burn two points adrift in third place.

Results: Prospect Club 3 Hunwick Quarry Burn 2; Sunnybrow Brown Trout 5 Willington Commercial 0; Willington Black Horse Tavern 4 Willington Brewer's Droop B 1; Willington Brewer's Droop A 2 Willington Market 3; Howden Australian 1 Hunwick Club 4.