Lions A leapfrog Whistlers

LIONS A have thrown the top-flight title chase wide open. Their 7-3 defeat of Whistlers A in week 15 of the championship put them two points clear at the top of the table, although Whistlers still have a game in hand.

Lions A raced into a 5-0 game lead: James Lesbirel beat Wayne Rihoy in the opening game 3-1; Jez Powell then secured an excellent and invaluable 3-1 win over Mark Pipet; Phil Ogier took out Phil Hunkin in a very tight match 11-9 in the fifth and deciding leg; Powell completed a straight-sets win over Rihoy and then combined with Ogier to beat Hunkin and Pipet in the doubles.

It was a disastrous start by Whistlers.

Hunkin delayed the inevitable by beating Lesbirel 3-0; then Ogier took on Pipet. The latter won the first two legs and had a convincing lead in the third, with Ogier looking dead and buried.

But Ogier hung in and pinched the third and after this never looked back, securing a 3-2 win and all the points for Lions.

Hunkin beat Powell 3-2, Ogier beat Rihoy 3-0 and Pipet beat Lesbirel 3-1 preventing what would have been the first time he had lost all three games in a league match since 1985-6.

Whistlers C also were in convincing form, beating their B team 8-2.

There were three wins apiece for the fast-improving Martin Gaudion and Gary Willcocks, Dawn Morgan and Richard Veale won one game each for the B team.

But with Derek Webb beating Helen Fooks, it was the C team's evening as they continued their recent impressive form.