NORTON Social A took maximum points from their home match with Hotshots SC B to regain outright leadership of the Stourbridge Snooker League's Premier Division by a single point.

They took three of the frames decisively but Steve Mason and Adam Ness were made to struggle against Dawid Konior and Russ Edwards respectively before completing the 5-0 scoreline.

West Midlands Police had been joint leaders but they had to settle for a 4-1 win at Moor Pool & Snooker A. The blue ball seemed to be the key to two of their frames, Gavin Sloan luckily potting his to win against Warren Fenney, while Eliott Bastable might well have lost had Chris Price not missed his chance on the blue. Richard Brookes secured a consolation frame for the home team.

Brandhall Labour remain poised to challenge, two points further away, after taking all five frames at Baggeridge Social, where Jason Hickman had a 56 break and Alan Hooper a 59, and Hotshots SC A forced their way into a share a fourth place, a further three points adrift, joining Amblecote Inst A, after beating them 5-0. Milan Krstanovic made a 57 break, although Luke Higginbotham and Roy Stokes had to dig deep to beat Andy Round and David Oakes respectively.

Meanwhile, First Division leaders Kingswinford Cons A had to fight hard to win at fifth placed Wombourne, with Tim Carter, Thomas Male and John Rees just securing a 3-2 result, but they were joined at the top by Kinver Constitutional B, who came away from Amblecote Inst B with a 4-1 win.

Kingswinford Cons B beat Moor Pool & Snooker C 5-0 to move into third place just a point off the top, with Dave Reece beating Dennis Pickett in the closest frame of the night, and Tony Davies coming out on top against Ben Wakeman. They edged past Moor P & S’s B team, who dropped to fourth position despite a 3-2 win at home against Stourbridge Inst A.

Richard Rudge, a last-gasp winner against Neil Gennard, and Paul Bates, who did well to beat Lee Whitehouse, won for the visitors, but Glyn Whitehouse, Simon Dingley and Ian Priest clinched the victory that leaves them only two points off the top of the league.

The player with most wins, Kinver C’s Adam Sprague, who’s lost only once, won again away to Stourbridge Inst B, but, although Graham Taylor won as well, the Institute battled their way back to take the honours through Nick Aston, Tommy Hamilton, with two fine pots on pink and black, and Simon Tyler in the decider.

There was a change of fortune for Norton Social A, who won 4-1 on the tables of Kinver Const A, with Luke Grosvenor and Joe Davies both winning on the final ball to complement the efforts of Carl Webb and Paul Bowen.

Amblecote RBL B were able to increase their lead at the top of the Second Division with a 5-0 maximum points haul at home to Stourbridge Inst C, including wins for Jack and Sam Ball. They now lead Old Edwardians by two points, although Old Eds will be pleased to have come away from fellow promotion chasers Kingswinford Cons C with a 4-1 win.

Amblecote RBL B won a closely-fought contest at Stourbridge Inst D 3-2 thanks to Paul Botfield, Paul Goldrick and Mark Mantom to edge into third, a position they share with Kinver Const D who bounced back to form with a 4-1 win at home to Amblecote Inst C.

Kingswinford Snooker Centre enjoyed their best result of the season when they entertained their old friends and former colleagues from Kingswinford Cons D; Steve Ballinger, John Jennings, Matt Surmacz and Paul Curry put them 4-0 ahead before Fred Dent struck back for the Cons.