Just the two full matches to report on this week, as the Princeville v St Andrews B match wasn't fully completed... Steve Boocock had a last minute family emergency to deal with on Thursday and so had to pull out, leaving no possibility of getting a replacement. However, I am advised that Steve and James Butcher will likely be playing each other next Friday. In the 3 games that were played in that fixture, Princeville came out on top against the league leaders with wins from Steve Gatenby and Graham Bentley. Steve Clark was the only winner for St Andrews B on the night. I haven't added the scores from that incomplete match yet to the league table, or the players table, and will do so when it has concluded next week. I'm grateful to Gareth Kershaw for reporting on the games that were played, on our Facebook page.

The other incomplete match between Pudsey Congs A and their stablemates, Congs B currently stands at 2-0 to Congs B with wins from Mick Hirst and Colin Nelthorpe. Dave Hirst advises me that the other two games will be played this coming Monday evening. Again, as that match is incomplete, I have not added the points scored so far to the league table or the players table, but will do that next week. 

In one of the the two completed matches this week, there was a big shock at Pudsey Congs where the visitors were Bradford Deaf. Those of you who haven't seen the scorecard from the Facebook page will be surprised to learn that the match finished 5-0... to the visitors! Bradford Deaf were at full strength, and although there looks to have been a couple of close ones, it was Jeremy Dixon, Ihjaz Hussain, Brian Robinson and Ian Ford who took all five points from second in the table Congs B.

At St Andrews, their A team took on foot of the table dwellers Littlemoor, whose form improved slightly last week with a 3-2 win at Bradford Deaf Centre. The visitors got off to a good start with John Allan defeating Neil Lee 200-165. An early 32 break by John was followed up soon after with a 28 to take him clear with a fair bit of the game remaining. He held onto the lead and reached the 200 with a couple of minutes to spare. Next up was yours truly against John Rider. John quite simply confirmed our placings in the Players Table with a comfortable 200-156 win. Graham Pearson and Ralph Allan were next up and although this was the closest game of the evening, it was Ralph who took advantage of some good running close to home to claim another point for Littlemoor. Graham Tudor then continued his good form with another win for Littlemoor over a luckless Nigel Brayshaw. Could Littlemoor now be on the brink of turning their season around? 

The League and Players Tables don't quite present a completely true picture of exactly where we stand, but I do believe that the league is still very competitive, with this weeks results showing that on any particular day, "anyone can beat anyone". By this time next week, I should be able to bring us fully up to date in terms of the league and players tables, when we should have caught up with the 3 un-played games.

I am also aware that a good few of the Individual Merit and Pairs matches have been arranged for the next couple of weeks, which should keep us up to date before the next league meeting at the end of this month.

Dave Howarth

League Secretary

The derby at Pudsey Congs this week had to be postponed at short notice, due to two players being ill. Two of the four games have been played already, but I'll keep you in suspense until the other two games are played... we are hoping that those who are/were ill, will be able to play soon and get the match completed. Get well soon guys...

At St Andrews, the B team were coming into this latest derby match, top of the league, but were on the back of a first defeat since October. The A team have had an up and down season - they were undefeated until the end of October and, in fact, led the table for three weeks... but since then, the wheels appear to have come loose at least. How this match would go, was therefore not an easy prediction. However, the result sheet shows an absolute domination by the B team, with a thumping 5-0 victory, and all their four players scoring 200. I'm unaware of the playing order but I do know that Dave Smith and Graham Pearson will have been just about level (maybe on 185-183) to Graham. But it was Dave who put the game to bed with an unfinished 27. John Bedford was a 32 point winner over Neil Lee and Steve Clark just got the better of John Rider by 5. The biggest win of the evening though went to Steve Boocock with a 72 point win over Nigel Brayshaw. So, the fact that nearest rivals Congs B didn't get their match completed, the league table now shows St Andrews B a full twelve and a half points clear, with Congs B holding two matches in hand. Is the league title in the hands of St Andrews B already? Congs B might have something to say about that, but St Andrews B's grip is definitely tightening.

At Bradford Deaf Centre, the home team, having defeated the league leaders away from home last week, will have been full of confidence in facing bottom of the table Littlemoor. That confidence was well founded as Ihjaz Hussain played well to beat Ralph Allan 200-184 and Brian Robinson had no trouble at all seeing off the badly out of form league secretary 190-147. But, in what was clearly a game of two halves, the Valley Road outfit came storming back with good wins from John Allan with a 164-139 win over Jeremy Dixon and Littlemoor's most consistent player this season, Graham Tudor, beating Ian Ford 200-136 with a good 9-10 minutes to spare. That win for Littlemoor leaves them still 4 points adrift, but will hopefully inspire some confidence between now and the end of the season.

This coming week, Congs B will host Bradford Deaf. Littlemoor are at St Andrews A and St Andrews B are at Princeville. Congs A will sit out, but may be involved in getting the postponed match completed.

One of the Individual matches has been played already between Phil Hirst and John Allan. John was the winner of that one 200-184. I'm advised that John had a 36 break early on which caught him up. However, Phill battled well to keep the scores around level for most of the way and in fact he was in the lead by about 10 and on 184 when John ran out with a 26 unfinished. Well done John and hard luck Phil.

Can I also please remind you all to get your Individual and Pairs matches arranged and played? They need to be played by the 19th February. The next league meeting is on the 27th February 2026 at St Andrews. 

By Dave Howarth

League Secretary