The destination of the First Division crown looks very likely to be heading to
Southport for an amazing seven successive season in the Ormskirk & District
Amateur Snooker League. The week saw the top two sides clash in Fleetwood
Hesketh SSC and Red Lion Social Club A in obviously a very important showdown
and at the end of a fine evening of tense and excellent snooker it saw the Southport-
based team come out on top with a very solid 4-2 triumph. This result sees them
move two points clear of this week's opponents and they also have a very important
match in hand over them so find themselves in an incredibly strong position with
just five matches remaining. This match also saw Red Lion A's Chris Connolly
capture this week's 'Break of the Week' prize with an excellent break of 46 in his
frame win.
Chris's break began with a straightforward red ball pot which was quickly followed
by the yellow, off it's own spot, were he screwed down the table towards the pack of
reds. Chris finished perfectly on his next red were he dispatched it to gain ideal
black ball position. He potted that black ball and a further two reds quickly
followed, both with black balls, in that quick fire style of his coupled with very
steady potting and fine positional play. He faced his first real test of the break as he
had to overcome a tricky red on the cushion but had to play with a little running side
which made the shot very harder. He played that red with aplomb and was swiftly
followed by another black to take his break to thirty five. Chris finished a little short


on his next red so took a nice long red into the yellow pocket were he cleverly
flicked the pink over the centre pocket. The pink was potted followed by another
red and green but with two reds of the frame left he took on a very difficult red and,
sadly, just failed to pot it to bring an end to a superb break on forty six.
Chris joined the Ormskirk League at the commencement of the 2016-2017 campaign
and has been a leading player for Red Lion Social Club A team (formerly Maghull
RBL A) ever since then.
Aughton Institute E continue to have a fine season and this particular week they
recorded their eleventh victory of the current campaign from fifteen match played to
date so far with a 4-2 win at the expense of Upholland Social. This outcome sees
them move up a place in the league standings and into third position were they sit
some five points off the leaders but are only three points adrift of the side directly
above them but have an important match in hand over them. The match also saw
Aughton E's Dave Jones in good nick with a nice break of 32 in his frame success.
The match scheduled this time around between fourth placed, Olympic BC B and
`Lathom & Burscough RBL, who lie in fifth slot, was postponed to later in the
month.
Aughton Institute A equalled their best win of the season, incidentally against the
same team, with a superb 6-0 demolition of bottom club, Scarisbrick NSC to make
it a 'clean sweep' over this particular side. This result sees the Aughton A outfit
remain in seventh in the league proceedings but close to within just a point of the
side directly above them with a match in hand over them.
The other match played this time around saw Red Lion Social Club B in fine form
with an excellent 5-1 victory over Olympic BC A. They quickly raced into a 2-0
advantage early in the encounter and that was soon followed by a 4-0 scoreline and
only just failed to capture the final two frames of the match too.
Rainford X SSC sat out their free week this week.
Other notable breaks this week were – A Booth (Fleetwood Hesketh SSC) 35,
P Tyndall (Fleetwood Hesketh SSC) 30 & R Wilson (Aughton Institute E) 30.
The Division One merit table saw new leaders as Red Lion Social Club B leapt up
three places in the table and to the top of the pile after their fine win this particular
week, they lie on 95 points. Scarisbrick NSC drop into second place after their very
heavy defeat this time around, they remain on 94 points. Lathom & Burscough RBL
drop into third spot after their match was postponed this week, they remain on 93
points. The eighteenth week updated table can be found below.


Division 2
It has surely turned out to be a two horse race for the whereabouts of the Division
Two title after this week's round of matches. Leaders, St Cuthberts are still in prime
position to win the crown and have almost certainly guaranteed themselves
promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking. The Halsall-based team
clashed with Skelmersdale Wardens C and at the end of the evening they recorded a
very solid 5-1 away triumph. This outcome sees them maintain their healthy five
point lead over their nearest rival but now sit a massive seventeen points clear of the
third placed side so a place in the top two at the end of the season is all but a
formality, the Skelmersdale C lads drop into fifth spot in the league standings. The
match also saw St Cuthberts Steve McBrinn in fine form with a nice break of 29 in
his frame success.
Skelmersdale Wardens A continue to churn out the results to hold on to the coat tails
of the pace-setters. This particular week they completed their night's work with an
excellent 5-1 victory at the expense of Farmers Club to see themselves in a great
position to return to the First Division at the first attempt after their unfortunate
relegation last term. This result sees them unchanged in second place in the league
table, those five points behind the top team, but they sit a huge twelve points ahead
of the side directly below them, the Farmers Club boys now fall into sixth in the
league proceedings.
Aughton Institute D are now starting to show the form that took them to a runaway
title last season but surely it's all too late to have an impact on the destination of the
crown. This time they probably engineered their best win of the current season with
a fine 5-1 home win over promotion-chasing, Stanley Club B. This outcome sees
the Aughton D outfit move up to fourth slot and are now level on points with the Stanley
Club B side who continue in third position. The match also saw Stanley B's Dave
O'Hare in good touch with a break of 20 in his frame but unfortunately it wasn't
enough to clinch it.
Aughton Institute C went into battle with Skelmersdale Wardens B this time around
and the Aughton C team produced a solid performance to seal a 4-2 home success,
their sixth win of the current campaign. This result wasn't enough to see them
advance up the league table but they do close up on the side directly above them.
The match saw Aughton C's Steve Moss in top nick with a nice break of 23 in his
frame victory.
The other match played this week saw Aughton Institute B met struggling Stanley
Club C and it saw the Aughton B guys prevail with a 4-2 success. The match was
delicately poised at 2-2 and it was looking like the Stanley C outfit could avoid
defeat for the first time this term but unfortunately for them the Aughton Institute B
team took the last two frames of the contest to confirm their win.
The previous evening the match between Aughton Institute B and Skelmersdale
Wardens C was played which was carried over from last week and it saw a 4-2
triumph for the Aughton B boys to complete an excellent week for them with the
two wins. The match saw Skelmersdale C's Steve Linsell in good form with a nice break
of 25 but alas it was not enough to win the frame.