Big cup shock on opening weekend of the season

The highlight of the round was Division Five’s Essington C overcoming Division One’s Wednesfield Cons A, running out 468-397 winners after starting with a 208 handicap headstart.

Wins for Wednesfield’s Andy Price, Oliver Spooner and Alan Hathaway was not enough as Ian Tonks and Stuart Hemming triumphed for the hosts.

Fordhouses A overcame a 64-point deficit against Forty Four Club C thanks to Stuart Williams, Chris Ray, Ian Tranter and Satish Mahay. Paul Craig took the only frame for Forty Four.

Also through to the next round are Beechdale, Charlemont A, Codsall Firs B, Landywood E, Poet’s Corner A and Hotshots A. Ricky Sadler of Charlemont A made the highest break of the round with 47.

In Division One, reigning champions Hotshots A got off to a winning start away at Landywood A.

Landywood’s Jack Harris made the division’s highest break of the week with 59, while Robbie James also triumphed, but wins for Callum Downing, Paul Deaville and a decider from Karl Ashmore got the champions off to a great start.

Shifnal A also won away at Charlemont A. Ricky Sadler and Milan Kristanovic scored for Charlemont, but wins for Tom Maxfield (41), Matthew Davies and Keith Price made it a good night for Shifnal.

In Division Two, three teams secured 4-1 wins on the opening week. Bilston Bowling Club B overcame Landywood E thanks to Lee Edwards, Ashley Wall, Nathan Edwards and Rhys Lampitt; Shifnal B defeated Codsall Firs A courtesy of Nick Browne, Chris Petford, Aaron Sparkes and Paul Harper, who had the highest break of the week with 55; and Baggeridge B won at Wolverhampton Electric A with frames for Mark Smith, Mark Gilbert, Wayne Dwyer and Wayne Cooper.

In Division Three, Poet’s Corner D got their bid for a third successive promotion off to a fine start with a 4-1 triumph at Golden Cue B – Stephen Lloyd, Joe Woodhouse, Lee Dennant and Chris Lane were on the mark.

Poet’s Corner C also won by the same scoreline at Sedgley Ex D, thanks to Tom Burgess, Ben Onions, Lee Roberts and Sean Newman. David Collins of Dartmouth Central made the division’s highest break of the week with 48.

All seven matches in Division Four finished 3-2 in the opening week, including Bilston S&S triumphing at Sedgley WMC B courtesy of Raggy Sangha, Kevin Raindi and the decider from Amo Sandu.

Carl Wolverson, Tim Phillips and Chris Rawlins helped Goodyear Pavilion overcome Codsall Firs B.

Hasan Hassian (Hotshots C) made the division’s highest break of the week with 42.

In Division Five, the association welcomed Snooks and Lea Hall WMC to the league. Snooks won 3-2 at home to Forty Four B with frames from Mike Greening, Tom Gannon and Andrew Docherty, but Lea Hall lost 4-1 at Forty Four Club A despite Adam Clayton making the division’s highest break of the week with 26. Steve Mullett was Lea Hall’s only winner, while Dave Walker, Phil Jones, Darren Baker and Alan Rogers triumphed for the hosts.