IN the Tavistock Snooker League clash of the ‘big beasts’ between Conservative A and Tavy A, it was the former that came out top with a resounding maximum five win.

The win over last year’s champions take Con A to the top of the league, level on points with West Devon A but with a game in hand.

That is not the whole story though, as this game was a lot closer than the score line suggests.

Con A’s Bell left it late but eventually managed to put aside a spirited showing from Lyall, who keeps knocking at the door for his first league win. Carruthers’ game against Tavy A’s Dent would normally be associated with free flowing potting but not this time - both had to dig deep with Carruthers digging the deepest to overcome his opponent, a 21 break doing the damage.

Likewise Wiles v Tavy A’s Hicks (20) looked like a stalemate until Wiles performed one of his customary late 27 clearances to snatch the frame, and the match for the Con A.

Babb and Evans seemed content to pot reds, and not much else, as both struggled to impose themselves on the frame, that was until a late slick 22 clearance from Babb decided matters in favour of the Con A.

A solid as ever Evans (21) made it a maximum for Con A with one of his text book match-play performances to take out Tavy A ‘main man’ Monk.

Con A have now played five games and only dropped one frame, sending out a statement of intent, while Tavy A with players like the Anderson twins missing, are struggling to impose themselves on opponents.

Conservative Z are floundering this season and there appears to be little remedy for their malaise. Wright, whose debut this was for the Con Z team, performed admirably against Dee of the Golf Club B but was out performed eventually in an intriguing contest.

Ewings for Con Z rode his luck in a tight game against Treble and fortunately gained Con Z team their only point of the evening. Appleton of Golf Club B contained McKechnie in a close run thing to take the point for his team. It was still recoverable for Con Z team but Fitzsimmons failed to make a dent in the progress of  Gawan’s controlled  performance and it was game to the Golf Club B. It was left to Mayors to salvage some semblance of respectability for Con Z but Congo had other ideas and maintained the momentum his team had shown all evening. A fine display from the Golf Club B who were last season’s underdogs, but who have moved to a whole new level this year.

West Devon B moved out of the bottom two, leapfrogging Con Z with a well earned 4-1 win over bottom side West Devon D.

John Rich got the B team off to a good start taking out WD D team’s Shrimpton (senior), followed by Boyd stretching the lead as he kept his composure to beat Williams in a thrilling ‘black ball’ finish.

Potting galore followed with Roger Rich coming out on top in a high scoring 73-60 win over the D team’s Murton. Another high scoring frame allowed Daniel Rich to keep up the good family run on the night with his victory over Decieco.

The only piece of good news for the West Devon D team on the night was Shrimpton (junior) with his last frame win over Bluett.