BRIAN Tomlinson retains a three point cushion at the top of the individual merit leaderboard following his latest 21-18 home win.

But several of the following group won important games to maintain their bid for Player of the Year Award.

The Frenchwood contingent, led by Peter Wilding on 12 points, all won by clear margins to boost aggregate totals.

Mick Nelson and captain Rob Taylor both recorded the same 21-12 margin while Steve Edwards scored the best of the quartet 21-7.

Indeed, all these four players have boosted the overall performance of the Preston club and put them in the title race.

Stacksteads star Louis Stevenson has been a revelation this year with eight victories for 12 points and his latest 21-15 score gives him a plus 18 total.

Mick Lee has maintained his ranking for Witton and is clear number one after a crushing 21-11 win to yield 10 points.

A couple of defeats has left previous number one Colin Campbell on nine points, but Peter Slinger has improved his position to eight points after his third successive win.

Brian Haworth is the Sunnybank leader with nine points and a game in hand at this stage.

Bamber Bridge have three players in pursuit of first prize led by Geoff Pugh on 10 points, Keith Illingworth nine and George Gregson eight. Dave Barnish leads the Lostock surge with nine points and plus 32 narrowly in front of Dave Daley, also nine and plus 19.

A sixth win for Alex man Vincent O'Donnell moved him up the leaderboard on nine points.

Ken Topham remains the leader for Ighten Mount with eight points and plus 23, just one ahead of team mate Steve Crossley.

Leaderboard: Brian Tomlinson (Alexandra) 15 points, 57 total; Peter Wilding (Frenchwood) 12, 33; Louis Stevenson (Stacksteads) 12, 18; Terry Wood (St Annes) 11, 27; Mick Lee (Witton) 10, 48; Mick Nelson (Frenchwood) 10, 45; Dave Worthington (St Annes) 10, 36; Geoff PUgh (Bamber Bridge) 10, 29; Rob Taylor (Frenchwood) 10, 12; Dave Barnish (Lostock) 9, 32; Keith Illingworth (Bamber Bridge) 9, 31; Dave Darley (Lostock) 9, 19; Don Yeadon (St Annes) 9, 15; Colin Campbell (Witton) 9, 5; Brian Haworth (Sunnybank) 9, 5; Gary Burke (St Annes) 9, -1; Vincent O'Donnell (Alexandra) 9, -3; Alan Cottam (Alexandra) 9, -8; Mick Chapman (Alexandra) 8, 60; Steve Edwards (Frenchwood) 8, 44; Peter Slinger (Witton) 8, 34; George Gregson (Bamber Bridge) 8, 28; Ken Topham (Ighten Mount) 8, 23.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.