LAST minute entry to the league - Elton Lib A - go into 2004 with an eight-point lead at the top of the B & G Engineering C Section.

Their latest success, a 7-2 win at Seedfield, was started by Les Ward in frame two before a strong finish in the last three legs secured a point.

New boys, Walmersley C, move into second place with an 8-0 whitewash of Stanley A. The match was closer than the score suggests with big wins for Walmersley not coming until games four and five.

Whitefield Snooker are again in the running for honours, only a point behind the top two despite a defeat at Hollins. A rare appearance from captain Ken Davis, together with Steve Hinds and Dave Wright, were the snooker lads' winners. Lawrence Myers was again the pick of the bunch for Hollins. His 74-48 victory in frame three, together with Eric Birkhead's 60-24 in the last decided the points.

Central A moved up to fourth place, their latest result a 7-2 victory at Buchanan. The Rammy lads' only successes came in frames one and six while a strong middle order from the Green brothers comfortably wrapped up the aggregate.

Bury Bridge had a comfortable 7-1 result at home to Tottington A. Captain, Graham Spencer, got his team off to the best possible start, and an excellent contribution from John Hampson in frame four was enough to claim the bonus points. Young Craig Johnson was Tottington's only success.

Bury Snooker D are rooted at the foot of the division, losing 7-2 at home to their closest rivals. Two black ball games for the Paper Mill boys helped them in their relegation battle.

Huntley A go into the second half of the season on top of the A Section. They were indebted to John Dearden and Darren McHugh, as their two successes were enough to offset the Klondyke's four-frame wins. Young Simon Fitzsimmons seems to have recovered from his early season lesson from the Chairman.

Last season's runners-up Elton Lib B, helped by their two new signings, are striving to go one place better this season. Their latest result, an 8-0 demolition of Fishpool Lib, an aggregate score of 529 is possibly the biggest ever in the history of the league. Six breaks from the top three players left Fishpool the wrong side of a 115 deficit, from which they never recovered.

Last year's champions, Elton Lib C, caught Tottington D on one of their better days. A massive 125-45 win for Andy Rhodes in the first frame, followed by comfortable wins in frames five and six from Messrs. Daulby and Bury, secured the match. Phil Hamer's victory in frame four being the New George Street boys' only success.

Bury Snooker C move up into fifth place, while they are conceding frames it is left each week to a different individual to take the match points. In this instance, it was Tom Gay, with his 100-38 victory in frame one. Morris Ryder and Dave Eckersley got the Paper Mill lads back in front, only for Gareth Haynes to pinch the closest of finishes, 338-331 for the Snooker Club.

In the mid-table match at Salisbury, the home side came back to win 6-2 after Walmersley D had taken the opening two frames. Jimmy Morrison and John Slymon were the main destroyers.

Heywood Reform continue their domination of the B Section. Danny Bleakley, with his 101-65 success in frame two, proved there is life after 50. Huntley B were the latest team to suffer, Seamus King and Andy Kearney being the Duck Club's only winners.

Walshaw A, after promotion last year, are in second place looking to make it a double this year, Salisbury B being the team on the wrong end of a 6-2 result. The match was never in doubt after Paul Davis and Ricky Vadasz had put 100 chalks between the teams in the first two frames.

Radcliffe St Mary's are making their way up the table after a slow start. Dave Brooks and Ted Nadin had got Tottington B off to a good start by winning the openers, but a strong finish from the Radcliffe lads, the pick being an 86-39 win by Geoff Farrington in frame five.

Stanley B got the better of their relegation fight with Walshaw B. Your correspondent has noted that two of the first three frames were won by members of the handicapping committee! Dave Hindle and Pete Appleton took the last two legs to secure a 6-2 victory.