Sembi stars but Hotshots suffer a rare setback

The Division One leaders slipped to only their second loss of the season as they went down 3-2 at Willenhall Liberal A.

Bal Sembi rolled in a fine 102 break for Hotshots, but that couldn’t prevent Willenhall pulling off a fine victory.

Lee Thomson and Simon Gough set the hosts on their way before Mark Sutton, with breaks of 42 and 34, and Sembi levelled the scores.

But Willenhall were not to be denied, with Lee Bannister claiming the decider with the aid of a 45 break.

Shifnal’s Matthew Davies was another centurion, knocking in a 106 in his side’s 5-0 home win over Smethwick LC.

Pennfields A picked up what could prove to be an important win in their quest to stay up.

They opened up a five-point gap to the bottom three thanks to a 3-2 victory over visiting Wednesfield Cons B.

Simon Thomas, Richard Davies and Paul Dunn took the first three frames before Oliver Spooner and Bill Stanton, with a run of 59, took the final two frames.

The Division Two promotion race is hotting up after defeats for the top two.

Leaders Sedgley WMC C were beaten 3-2 at in-form Woodfield C.

Lee Edwards and Ashley Wall picked up the frame wins for Sedgley, but it wasn’t enough as victories for Enzo Mongiovi, Dwyer Evans and Shaun Eaton-Lees saw Woodfield home.

Second-placed Sedgley WMC B succumbed to a 3-2 home loss to Poets Corner.

Pommy Kang, Billy Stephenson and Colin Davies won for the visitors. Shaf Hussain and Steve Spicer replied.

Dartmouth Central A boosted their survival hopes with a second successive 4-1 win. Dan Ward, Michael Douras, Dean Churchill and Liam Wright saw them to victory over Shifnal WM B.

Landywood B put some distance between themselves and the bottom three with a 5-0 win at struggling Sedgley Ex-Service B – Ian Esprey, Dean Gibbons, Paul Hodgkiss, Paul Burgin and Michael Hodgkiss were on the mark.

Division Three leaders Golden Cue B chalked up a 4-1 home win against Sedgley Ex Service D.

Ryan Hamilton took the opening frame to keep his unbeaten run intact before Adam Hartshorn levelled.

But that was as good as it got for the visitors as Adrian Holmes, Stephen Platt and Scott Smith secured victory for Cue.

Sedgley Ex-Service C have moved into the top three following a 4-1 triumph at Fordhouses CC A.

Stuart Williams took the opener for the hosts on the final black before Ian Cleary repeated that feat to make it 1-1.

Darren Peake, Colin Showell then Lee Slater completed an impressive win for the visitors.

At the other end of the table, Codsall remain just inside the bottom three despite a 4-1 home win against Bushbury Grid B.

Steve Heath knocked in a break of 33 on his way to taking the first frame, with team-mates Steve Platt, Dan Roberts and Ben Allen joining him in the winner’s enclosure. Dave Bolshaw took the final frame to stave off the whitewash.