Cockton Hill pulled off their best win of the season when they travelled to Wheatley Hill A and ended their host's unbeaten run, thus cutting the Hill's lead at the top of the First Division to just one point. Ronnie Peacock gave the Hill a good start but then the visitors took three in a row through Andrew Aisbitt, George Chapman and Kevin Mordica with a 32 break. Alan Hall kept the home side on top of the division by winning the final frame.

Old Shildon put the pressure on Wheatley Hill A after they whitewashed the visiting Witton Gilbert. The home winners were Michael Pratt, Charlie Blake, Billy Goggins with a 38 break, Frank Nicholson with a 39 break and Steven Bennett.

In the top of the table clash at Langley Park leaders Willington only dropped one point when Ray Coates won for the home side. Jeremy Martin, Arthur Goldsborough, Paul Atkinson and Tom Parkin won for Willington, who are two points clear at the top with a match in hand.

Wingate moved one point ahead of Langley Park in the Second Division following their good away win over Belmont. Only Steven Armstrong managed a point for the home side, while Jim Alcock, Pat McCoy, Geoff Howe and Steve Allen won for Wingate.

Fishburn B set the Third Division alight when they travelled to Spennymoor B and only dropped one point, when Micky Anderson won for the Moors. The Fishburn winners were Barry Underwood, George Whitelock, Keith Binks and Winston Hodgson. This leaves Spennymoor B just one point ahead of Fishburn B.

Third Division Summer League champions, Newhouse B were taken to the decider before edging out the visiting Tow Law B. David Corrigan and Alex Ogilvie won for the Lawyers with John O'Driscoll and Brian Eltringham levelling. In the decider Newhouse's Richard Bell beat the Lawyers captain, Alfie Edwards.

Shotton Palms moved into third place in the First Division following their win at Newton Aycliffe, who took only one point when Marc Howe won the first frame. The Palms winners were Dave Swindle, John Armstrong, Barry Hall and Tony Hall.

John Maddox of Newhouse A made the best break of the week with 69 at Sherburn Village, whose only point came from John Bower. The other points from the visitors came from Steve Mountain, Ian Dinsdale and Keith Mann.

Andrew Dent equalled the best break of 39 in the Third Division for West Auckland, but saw his team go down to their first defeat as he did himself when Charlie Donaghy recovered to win on the pink. Alan Sugden with a 31 break took West's only point, while the other Lawyers winners were Stephen Laing, Bill McCluskey and Ken Robinson.

Eddie Rhodes knocked in a 49 break for Spennymoor A on their visit to Fishburn A. However after that the home side took over and stayed on the fringe of the Championship race with wins from John Carter, Charlie Hirst, Tommy Carter and Brian Quest.

Barry Shaw took the first point for Leeholme A at home to Sacriston. However that was the only point for the home side as Dale Evans, Ronnie Bradley, Willie Nixon and Steve Bradley won for Sacriston.

Hunwick B joined Newhouse B in equal third place in the Third Division after beating the visiting Billy Row, who took their only point in the first frame when Gordon Sample won. The Hunwick winners were Barry Fleming, Ian Richardson, Des Mason and Norman Kirkley.

Brian Graham returned to the Brandon team after a long absence through a knee replacement but he inspired his team to their best win when they visited Stanley Central. Brandon took the first four points through John Hall, Kevin Sample, Graham Jackson and Brian Graham with Michael Vicary marking his debut for the home side with a good win.

Keith McLauchlan and Sonny Hann gave Crowtrees a great start at home to Hunwick A but Trevor Cook and Alan Lawson levelled. In the decider the visitor's, Trevor Lomax beat Sean Johnston.

Ferryhill made their first win of the season in style when they whitewashed the visiting Durham City with wins from Ian Roddam, Bernie Jones, Les Lewis, Mark Wilson and Adrian Jones.

Results: Tow Law A 4, West Auckland 1; Leeholme A 1, Sacriston 4; Newhouse B 3, Tow Law B 2; Crowtrees 2, Hunwick A 3; Hunwick B 4, Billy Row 1; Newton Aycliffe 1, Shotton Palms 4; Wheatley Hill AS 2, Cockton Hill 3; Fishburn A 4, Spennymoor A 1; Spennymoor B 1, Fishburn A 4; Old Shildon 5, Witton Gilbert 0; Stanley Central 1, Brandon 4; Sherburn Village 1, Newhouse A 4; Langley Park 1, Willington 4; Ferryhill 5, Durham City 0.

Crook League

Barry Moore of late entrants, the Crown Hotel, hit the highest break in the Second Division when he put in 59 to take the only point at home to the Crook Surtees. Gavin Witton of the Olde Horse Shoe A set a highest break of 82 for the First Division in league matches, although Darren Tinkler recorded a hundred break in a cup tie. Les Scott also of the Olde Horse Shoe A put in a 42 break.

In the top match of the week Crook Travellers Rest B edged through to an odd point win at the Royal Sun, who had singles points from Darren Tinkler and Simon Bowey and a doubles point from Gary Butterfield and Graham Johnson. The Travellers winners were David Haygarth, Jim Ainsley, John Mason and Neil Campbell.

Crook Olde Horse Shoe A moved to the top by two points after whitewashing their hosts at Crook Queen's Head A. The Travellers Rest B are two points clear of the third placed Royal Sun. In the Second Division the Mill House are four points ahead of the Olde Horse Shoe B, who have a game in hand and are one ahead of the Surtees.

Results: Crook Spitfire Club 4, Willington Market 3; Crook Royal Sun 3, Crook Travellers Rest B 4; Crook Queen's Head A 0, Crook Olde Horse Shoe A 7; Crook Belle Vue 4, Crook Coach and Horses A 3; Crook Mill House 5, Crook Golden Fleece 2; Crook White Swan 2, Crook Jelly's Bar 5; Crook Crown 1, Crook Surtees 6; Crook Coach and Horses B v Crook Queen's Head B - no result.

Norman Fowler Memorial

Ithe second semi-final, Michael Pratt of Chilton met Andrew Aisbitt of Bishop Auckland over five frames for the right to play Paul Atkinson of Willington in the final of this £100 competition, played in Tow Law Club.

In the first frame Aisbitt dominated with a best break of 27 but he added a couple in the teens as Pratt was out of touch, having missed good chances with a black on the spot and then cutting in a green.

Aisbitt dominated the second frame, where Pratt only scored eight points. There were never any good breaks for the Bishop Auckland man but he regularly made long reds and added into the teens before playing safe.

The game looked over when Aisbitt built up a 20 point lead in the third frame. However Pratt suddenly found his touch and moved into the lead by a similar margin leaving Aisbitt requiring all the colours. He took yellow to blue and then fluked the pink but narrowly missed a long black. Pratt then had his bit of luck when he fluked the black for a re-spot, managing to win the frame with a legitimate pot.

In the fourth frame Pratt got into a good lead with three breaks in the teens, ending one by missing an easy red over the pocket for Aisbitt to tap in. He failed to capitalise by only making four points. However Aisbitt came back with a good run to lead by one point after missing a brown along the cushion. Aisbitt laid a great snooker behind the black but Pratt hit the ball off three cushions. When Aisbitt took the brown he snookered himself on the blue, which Pratt took with the pink to level the match.

A cat and mouse final frame saw Aisbitt finally open out a 36 points lead following a 23 break with two reds left. Pratt took these with pink, black and yellow. Faced with the other colours on their spots it seemed likely that he would clear up surprisingly missed the green, which Aisbitt potted with brown and blue for victory.

CIU Worthington Winter

The League's Annual Presentation Evening was held at Spennymoor with CIU Executive members Billy Laverick, John Mattimore and Colin Armstrong and David Whigham of Bass Breweries making the presentations.

Team awards: First Division Champions - Old Shildon, runners-up - Fishburn A.

Second Division - Willington, runners-up - Wheatley Hill B.

Third Division - Newhouse B, runners-up Meadowfield.

Team Knock Out winners - Fishburn A, runners-up - Sherburn Village.

Team Plate - Newhouse B, runners-up - Stanley Central.

Individual winners: Singles - Paul Atkinson of Willington, runner-up - Michael Pratt.

Pairs winners - Jossie Aldworth and Michael Pratt of Old Shildon, runners-up - Gordon Parkin and Tom Parkin of Willington.

Jack Jobson Memorial Cup - Frank Nicholson of Old Shildon, runner-up - Jimmy Evans of Shotton Palms.

Billiards winner - Charlie Donaghy of Tow Law, runner-up - Jim Alcock of Wingate.

The most wins in the First Division - Michael Pratt of Old Shildon.

The most wins in the Second Division - Paul Atkinson and Jeremy Martin of Willington.

The most wins in the Third Division - Alan McCluskey and Brian Eltringham of Newhouse B, Keith McLaughlan of Crowtrees and Ken Robinson of Tow Law.

Top break awards, First Division - Michael Pratt of Old Shildon with 87.

Second Division - Steven Armstrong of Langley Park with 47.

Third Division - Brian Eltringham of Newhouse B with 48