TAKING on top of the Tavistock Snooker League table Conservative A, on paper this was never going to be an easy one for Conservative Z and in reality so it proved.

Fitzsimmons for Con Z kept pace with Con A's Longden but despite a good performance stumbled at the last hurdle as Longden held it together to pot the deciding black.

Con Z team's Hall again came close with a black ball game against Bell but failed to inflict the final coup de grace. It was becoming an evening of what might have been for the Z team. Dodd tried in vain to stop the rot, but Tom Evans gave Dodd little or no chance to get into the game, as the A team went 3-0 up.

A poor break from Con Z team's Mansfield let in Carruthers, who needed no second invitation as he notched up the season's highest break of 48 on his first visit to the table. From then on Mansfield was just chasing the game, which had whitewash written all over it. However, Jankowski for Con Z pounded Lacy into submission with tenacity and some splendid potting, salvaging a vital point against the league leaders.

Recent West Devon local derbies have been making a habit of producing close games and West Devon C against West Devon B was no exception. Hodge for the C team succumbed to the wily skills of a resurgent Bath only for Pinkney (27) to pull it back again for the WDC as he tamed Roger Rich (senior) in a one sided encounter.

A captain's innings for WDC's Elliott saw him keep his cool to beat off the challenge from the WDB's Toland on the black ball.

Williams produced a good performance against Gilchrist to secure the match for the WDC team.

WDB team reduced the arrears with a solid potting display from Hoar with two 20 plus breaks proving far too much for Shrimpton (senior) to deal with.

This win pulled the West Devon C up to joint third spot in a tight league.