This week saw no change at the summit of the top flight of the Ormskirk & District Amateur Snooker League.

Firstly, joint leaders, Aughton Institute E went into battle with Lathom & Burscough RBL and after a tight, tense match it saw both sides unable to be split as a 3-3 stalemate was reached. The Aughton E lads will feel a little relieved as they battled back for a 0-2 scoreline early in the encounter. This result sees them continuing as joint pace-setters at the top of the table on thirty points, the Burscough outfit are unchanged in fifth slot and are having a fine season to date. The match also saw Aughton E's Richie Green in good touch with a nice break of 30 in his frame success.

The other team to remain at the top of proceedings are Red Lion Social Club A as they came up against the excellent Olympic BC B team and, again, after another tough battle it produced a 3-3 draw. The final score will see The Red Lion A boys a little happier than their opponents as they dug deep to grab the final two frames of the contest to record the stalemate. The Walton side continue in four place in the league standings, some six points adrift, but do have that important match in hand over the two leaders. The match also saw Olympic B's Paul Williams claim this week's 'Break of the Week' prize, his second of the campaign so far, with a superb break of 56 in his frame victory.

Paul's break began very early in the frame as he powered in an excellent red to gain pinpoint position on the black ball. After potting that black ball, Paul very quickly, in that quick fire style of his, potted a further three reds with high valued colours with fine positional play to reach the thirty point mark. Paul's next shot was a little awkward as he came a little 'low' on the red ball so he decided to screw up the table for a baulk colour. After dispatching the red he came nice on the green ball were he stunned back down the table to gain ideal position once again. A further three reds with high valued colours followed as Paul's excellent break reached fifty six. Unfortunately, Paul missed his next red to bring an end to a fine contribution.

Paul narrowly missed out on becoming Individual Handicap Champion for the fourth time in the last five seasons two campaigns back as, unfortunately, he was beaten on the final black ball in the deciding frame of the contest. He has also been Individual Champion of the league twice in the last six seasons in 2012-13 & 2014-15 and not to mention Pairs Champion with his partner, Ian A Jones in successive campaigns in 2012-13 & 2013-14 as well as runners-up in 2015-16. In fact, Paul amazingly, captured all three Individual and Pairs Titles within our league in the 2012-13 campaign. To put this all into perspective, no player until then, in the seventy two year history of the Ormskirk & District Amateur Snooker League has achieve this monumental feat, in fact, only two players have ever won the Individual Championship and Individual Handicap in the same campaign which were Malcolm Cowley back in 1976-77 season and more recently, John Wade in the 2003-04 campaign. Paul, an ever present member of the Ormskirk League Representative Team, was again part of our victorious squad that won the UK League snooker Tournament in 2016 for an amazing third time after wins in 2010 & 2012 as well as runners-up in 2011 & 2014 an unbelievable achievement for a small league like ourselves. He will be, yet again, representing us for an amazing tenth consecutive time nextweek as we head off to Leeds for this year's renewal. Paul started playing in the Ormskirk League at the inception of the 2001-02 campaign representing Aughton Institute A until the completion of the 2009-10 season were his side finally captured the coveted Division One Crown after finishing Runners-up the previous four campaigns, with the sad split of that title-winning side, Paul joined Les Dodd SC with some of the winning Aughton team for one season finishing Runners-up in their league campaign and capturing the Le Rose Cup. Paul now represented Olympic BC after the sad closure of Crosby Village SC last year who joining our league at the start of the 2012-13 season. Paul has also won the Kenney Cup and Le Rose Cup twice with his old Aughton team and in his debut season in the League was victorious in winning the Mac Trophy (Individual Handicap).

The team to benefit the most this time around were Reigning six-times Champions, Fleetwood Hesketh SSC, as they ended their evening's work with a 5-1 home triumph at the expense of Olympic BC A. This outcome sees them close to within four points of the two sides directly above them with that all-important match in hand over both of them and obviously very well placed as they chase that staggering seventh successive league crown. The match also saw the amazing Gareth Hibbott in his usual top nick with a very nice break of 44 in his frame win.

The other match played this week saw Red Lion Social Club B make it back-to-back victories with a very solid 4-2 home win over current Merit League Champions, Aughton Institute A. This result sees the Red Lion B team gain an impressive ten points from a possible twelve during this period and their efforts sees them move into seventh in the league proceedings.

The match between between Scarisbrick NSC and Rainford X SSC was postponed and will be played at a later date.

Upholland Social sat out their free week this particular week.

Other notable break this week was – A Booth (Fleetwood Hesketh SSC) 39.

The Division One merit table sees Scarisbrick NSC continue as leaders despite their match being postponed this week so still hold their eight point lead, they continue on 86 points. Rainford X SSC remain in second position on 78 points with that match with the pace-setters being cancelled to a later date. Third spot is held by Red Lion Social Club B after their excellent success this week, they lie on 71 points.

Division 2

After this week's round of matches in the Second Division it saw leaders, St Cuthberts, put a little distance between themselves and their nearest rivals. The Halsall boys went into battle with fellow title challengers, Farmers Club and at the end of proceedings were thrilled as they produced a superb performance with a 6-0 demolition of their opponents, amazingly their third of the current campaign in their first nine matches. This outcome sees them four points clear of their nearest rival and are very well placed for a possible quick fire return to Division One, the Ormskirk outfit drop into fifth spot in the league table.

Stanley Club B, chasing their second Division Two crown in the last three campaigns, went into battle with the very much in form, Skelmersdale Wardens C and after an excellent battle
it saw the spoils being shared in a 3-3 stalemate. The Burscough outfit will definitely be a little happier than their rivals as they battled back from 0-2 & 1-3 down to force the draw. The result sees the Stanley B side remain in second position, those four points off the pace and the Skelmersdale C team move up into fourth position for their efforts. The match also saw Skelmersdale Wardens C's and current Individual Handicap Champion, Neil Telford in good nick with a break of 20 in his frame success.

Skelmersdale Wardens A came up against defending Champions, Aughton Institute D this particular week and it saw both sides unable to be separated in a 3-3 draw. The Skelmersdale A boys will definitely be the happier of the two as they fought back from a 0-2 as well as a 1-3 deficit to achieve parity at the end of the encounter. The outcome sees Skelmersdale A now occupy third place solely and lie six points off top spot.

Skelmersdale Wardens B got straight back to winning ways after last week's 'Derby' disappointment. This time they engineered their best result of the season with a 6-0 demolition of bottom side, Stanley Club C. This fine effort sees them move up two slots in the league standings and into sixth and well into the mix for possible honours this current campaign.

The other match played this time around saw yet another Aughton 'Derby' match as Aughton Institute C and Aughton Institute B came up against each other and it saw another stalemate reached this week as both teams shared the points in a 3-3 draw.