GLADSTONE C, seeking to recapture the Northwich and District League crown from Castle D, reached the table’s summit after recording a second successive whitewash victory.

Castle C were on the receiving end, and the two-time champions now have a six-point lead.

Eric Webber set them on a course towards a fifth successive win when he chalked up a second maximum break of the campaign in the opening frame.

Gladstone A ended a wait to celebrate a first league win and climbed from the foot of the table after beating Rudheath.

Elsewhere Gladstone E recovered from 2-0 down to edge out Castle A, but Gladstone B could not complete a sweep for their club when they went down 4-3 at home to third-placed Barn Owl E. Steve James notched a sixth win of the campaign for the Barnton outfit, and occupies top spot in the averages.

Owley Wood B inflicted a second defeat of the season on leaders Witton Chimes A in Division Two, rising to third spot as a reward.

Castle C take over the lead in a race for promotion to the top-flight after squeezing past Wheatsheaf, who led 3-1 before Les Savage won a deciding frame for the hosts.

Improving Lion A extended a winning run to three matches by seeing off Owley Wood A, although the section’s biggest winners were Barn Owl B.

They restricted struggling Greenbank C to a single frame.

Slow & Easy scored a first victory of term in Division Three at the sixth attempt, surprising second-placed Iron Bridge A in the process.

They lost the first two frames before taking the next five.

Broken Cross took advantage, and established a six-point lead at the top of the table after hammering Iron Bridge H.

Paul Oldman preserved an unblemished record by contributing to a 5-2 win for Green Dragon against Blue Barrel A.

Blue Barrel B fared better against Moulton Legion, while Adam Prestage won a deciding frame to spare Witton Chimes B’s blushes after they had blown a two-frame lead against Greenbank B.

A break from league action follows tonight, Wednesday, when the Alan Backhouse Team Knockout resumes at the second-round stage.

The Supplementary Shield, for sides eliminated from that competition, starts too.

Results

Northwich and District Pool League

Week Six

Division One: Castle B 0-7 Gladstone C; Gladstone A 6-1 Rudheath; Gladstone B 3-4 Barn Owl E; Gladstone E 4-3 Castle A. No game: Castle D

Division Two: Castle C 4-3 Wheatsheaf; Gladstone D 5-2 Greenbank A; Greenbank C 1-6 Barn Owl B; Lion A 4-3 Owley Wood A; Owley Wood B 5-2 Witton Chimes A

Division Three: Blue Barrel B 5-2 Moulton Legion; Green Dragon 5-2 Blue Barrel A; Iron Bridge H 1-6 Broken Cross; Slow & Easy 5-2 Iron Bridge A; Witton Chimes B 4-3 Greenbank B

Additional reporting by Rob Winnington