Totnes and District Snooker League

Division one title contenders Dartmouth and Ivybridge B faced off at the top of the Totnes and District Snooker League this week.

Dartmouth, playing at home, were looking to keep their unbeaten record intact and keep pace with leaders Ivybridge A, while Ivybridge B were out for revenge following defeat in the reverse fixture at the start of the season.

In a keenly fought match, it was the visitors who got off to the better start, with Mark Tomlinson earning the first frame through some excellent safety play. Mark Hembry quickly got into gear to take the second, putting Ivy 2-0 up.

Captain Phil Harris came to Dartmouth’s rescue, taking the third frame on the black. This spurred Noel Edmonds to level the match at two frames each.

Tomlinson once again proved to be a class apart, though, and eased Ivy back in front, and despite a spirited effort from Harris in the final frame, it was Hembry who clinched it, and with it the win. The result puts the two sides level on 32 points in joint second place.

That result left the door open for leaders Ivybridge A, who went into the round level with Dartmouth, but with the chance to open up a lead.

Hosting Mill B might on paper have seemed like a home banker, but the opening three frames proved to be anything but, as Mill battled superbly and nearly found themselves in front at the halfway stage.

Derwyn Morris had to battle back well to take the opening frame against Luke Beard to put the home side ahead, but Mill were quickly level when Stephen Archer potted his way to the second frame.

Mill skipper Roy Stevens will be kicking himself after losing the third frame on the final black to Paul Hutchings as Ivy retook the lead.

From then on Ivy moved into a different gear, with Morris, Hutchings and captain Howard Mattacott cruising to victory in the final three frames to record what looked like a straightforward 5-1 win. Ivy now lead by three points at the top.

In the final tie of the round, Regal travelled to Woodlands. Regal have endured an indifferent start to their season, but the new year seems to have brought with it a change of fortunes as they brushed aside their hosts with a 6-0 whitewash.

Skipper John Wood struck a fine break of 34 in the opening frame to set the tone, followed quickly by Steve Pound and Hamish MacLachlan.

Woodlands fought hard in the middle frames, but ultimately to no avail, as the Kingsbridge side took full control. Wood, Pound and MacLachlan all claimed two frames on the night to put themselves back in the title hunt.

While it will seemingly take nothing short of a miracle to deny Totnes A the division two title this season, there was perhaps the first sign of a chink in their armour as they struggled to see off bottom side Mill A.

Howard Finch and captain Jamie Palmer looked to have set the leaders on their way, but Mill came back strongly, with Harry Kerswell and Steve Inch drawing the hosts level.

Finch then took his second of the night to maintain his personal unbeaten record for the season, but Palmer was forced to battle it out all the way by Kerswell for his second frame, but in doing so secured the 11th straight win for his side.

Mill C missed out on the opportunity to stay in the hunt for second as they went down 4-2 away at Halwell G. Halwell were forced into a line-up change due to illness, so Halwell C captain Edward Wilton, whose team had a week off, stepped in to assist.

Wilton did his clubmates proud by winning both frames, although his second went right down to the wire. Skipper Mike Buckpitt won both frames on the night, also scraping home in his second frame.

Mill captain Rob Vaughan and Chris Savery had earlier put the visitors on terms and will rue losing out on the black in the last couple of frames.

The final tie of the round saw fellow strugglers Diptford and Halwell K

do battle. Halwell had Kristian Newnham to thank for the 4-2 victory

as he took both of his frames.

Andy Dix suffered the agony and ecstacy of a black-ball finish when both of his frames went down to the wire: he lost out to Diptford skipper Graham Lethbridge in the first frame, but triumphed over Chris Steer.

That was Lethbridge’s second win, having beaten his opposite number Chris Reeve in the opener. Reeve made amends, though, by winning the next frame, which set his side on course for victory.