By Mulligans Trojans open up gap at top of Scunthorpe Pool League with huge win
Division One in the Scunthorpe Pool League witnessed two of the season’s key matches, which could potentially have a big impact on the title and relegation picture by the time July rolls around.
Mulligans Trojans scored an emphatic 10-2 win over closest rivals Showmans Fu Cue to go five points clear at the top.
Ninth-placed promoted Showmans Improvers earned the first victory of their campaign, claiming an 8-5 away win at eighth-placed clubmates Cobras to bridge the gap to just three points from safety.
Third-placed Showmans Army are now 10 points adrift of the top spot after they were held to a 6-6 draw by fourth-placed Chaos
Both fifth and sixth-placed Broughton Club and Mulligans Majestic Sausage Dogs earned 8-5 away wins at Redbourne Mods and Beacon A to maintain their mid-table positions.
In Division Two, the league standings remain pretty much as you were, with three scorelines finishing as stalemates and the other two resulting in 8-5 away victories.
One of these victories came at Cocked Hat, as the previously second-placed side surrendered their promotion place to visitors Messingham Crown.
The other win this week came at Division Three runners-up Fedoras, with Brumby Hall securing a deciding frame victory to move up to fifth, reigniting the relegated side’s promotion aspirations.
Down at the bottom, Brumby Hall-Stars avoided defeat for the first time this season, holding ninth-placed Black Beauty A to a 6-6 draw. Hall-Stars were the final team across all seven divisions to register a minimum of a draw this season.
Winterton Jubilee remain top with a three-point cushion after they came away from Mill Road Black Cats with a share of the spoils.
Just 13 points separate the top and bottom sides in Division Three, which makes for fascinating viewing for the neutrals.
The scorelines were once again very tight during round seven. Bottesford Town remain top following their 7-5 victory against Showmans Spartans, as they look for back-to-back title successes.
Ashby Crown could only muster a 6-6 draw at Pig & Whistle, missing out on the chance to go top this week. The whistlers started off the season as likely relegation candidates, but a string of encouraging results has lifted them up to sixth and just eight points off the top.
Recent Division Four champions Cocked Hat A find themselves propping up the table. This week the hatters slumped to an 8-4 defeat at Glennys Bar, elevating the Poachers out of the relegation zone.
Joining Cocked Hat in the bottom two is Mulligans Tight Rack, who managed a 6-6 draw away at Old Farmhouse this week.
Meanwhile, Mulligans ST edged themselves into the promotion picture with a 7-5 win against fifth-placed Harry’s Bar.
Showmans Bandits find themselves in a familiar position, topping Division Four as they seek a fourth league title on the spin. The Bandits managed to pull five points clear this week, as they came away from Mulligans Misfits with an excellent 10-3 victory.
Not far behind come Mill Road Dynamite, who won comfortably at home to relegation-threatened Redbourne NnC.
The key game at the bottom was at Redbourne Club, where Madness earned a 7-5 victory over RHH Hospital Club to leapfrog the visitors into eighth position.
The first Chancel derby of the season went in favour of the A team, as they threw a spanner in the works of the Flyers’ promotion challenge with a decent 9-4 away victory.
Meanwhile, Broughton WMCA edged out fellow mid-table side Liberal Club with a 7-5 win.
The match of the day in Division Five was at Harry’s Bar, as they welcomed Beckwood Sex Panthers in a top-of-the-table clash. In the end, it was the Harriers that picked up the victory, winning 8-4 and subsequently opening up a four-point gap at the top.
In second place come Showmans Hornets, who remain in the promotion zone following an excellent 9-3 victory over Roxy Rack Em, while Ashby Crown B also won by the same scoreline this week against Mulligans Youth.
Beckwood Bombers managed to pick up a victory for their venue this week against Beacon Sailors to keep them outside the drop zone.
Mill Road B missed out on the chance to keep up with the promotion chasers after they narrowly fell to defeat away at Black Beauty B.
Showmans Runaways are now the only team in all seven divisions to have won all their league games this season and they carried it on in style this week with a 10-3 win away at Beacon Rats to remain top. Schnapps A stay second after their 8-4 win against Beacon B.
Schnapps Elite earned the result of the day this week with a crushing 12-1 win away at Foxhills Club, while Foxhills Bulldogs also fell to defeat away at fourth-placed Mulligans Unique.
Keadby WMC moved up to sixth as they continue their ascent with another victory this week again Brumby Hall B.
Competing for promotion places come Refs Corner Pocket and Talbot, who shared a 6-6 draw.
Schnapps Retro B kept up the momentum at the top of Division Seven, winning 9-3 at home to Priory, with Bottesford Town B closing the gap to just four points with an 11-2 away success at Mulligans Warriors.
Lord Roberts remain in the hunt after their 7-5 win against under 18’s side Mulligans Spurs to stay third.
Newcomers Royal Hotel rocketed up into fourth with their 10-2 victory against Grosvenor.
Redbourne Z continued their gradual climb with an 8-5 win away at Schnapps Retro A. A positive result in their game in hand would really throw them into the promotion picture.
Scunthorpe Bowl and Schnapps Reloaded shared the points in the only draw in this division this week.
Next week the league takes a break from league action, as the first round of the team knock-out takes place.
