When the Pirates met stablemates, Ship Inn Dales, they were hoping to take their revenge for an early season beating last October. Instead they had their Jolly Roger lowered as the Dales stroked their way impressively to a second successive 5-0 score line.

Nearest challengers Marquee C struggled at the Boscarn before coming from behind to beat the Drifters 3-2 but they now trail by eleven points.

Third placed Pelynt B are a further six points adrift after they too had to play catch up before edging out the Wreckers 3-2. Steve Eastley and Dave Ede both won on doubled blacks (the former with a lot af luck and the latter planned) whilst Will Doidge took a more conventional route to his 2-1 victory. Will's appearances in our league are rare occurrences nowadays since he moved with the times to play World Rules, playing most of his pool in the East Cornwall League along with ex- League secretary Brian Phillips jnr. I am sure all the players and officers of the Looe and District League will join with me in congratulating Will on recently becoming county champion.

The Legion A had their best result of the season as they condemned Henries A to a second consecutive blank. Alan Phillips, Ron Hutley, Shaun Wakeham, Brian Phillips and Kevin Hinton (8-ball) sent the fans home happy. The Russell came close to an upset at Henries D when Ray Tomlin and Ray Hemley answered the opening gambit of Paul Adams, but Karl Bowden and Rustler rescued the situation to claim a 3-2 victory for the hosts.

Results: Drifters 2-3 Marquee C (5-6); Henries D 3-2 Russell (6-5); Legion A 5-0 Henries A (10-3); Ship Inn Dales 5-0 Pirates (10-2); Wreckers 2-3 Pelynt B (7-7).

Eight Ballers - Kevin Hinton (Legion A) v A Saunders (Henries A).

The card from last week's Bar 1 A v Jolly A match is still outstanding, but Jolly are back within a point of the leaders Noughts A after sinking Ship Polperro B 5-0 via Murray Collings, Keith Machin, Whippet Williams and Darren & James Griffiths. Joe Kidger managed a single frame to prevent the whitewash.

Boscarn B almost matched the Jolly's feat as Billy Roberts, Richard Kitt and the Bowdler's (one flat, one bumpy) struck against Henries E, but Mark Bettinson sent top marksman Carl Cook tumbling to defeat for the 2nd week running to give Henries a point.

After hitting the top last week, Noughts A were staring disaster in the face as they found themselves 2-0 down at home to Ship B with star man Lee Bryant also in trouble, but Lee came through to win 2-1 and Jon Perry and Jason Mark completed the fight back for a 3-2 win which keeps Noughts on top of the pile. Clive Pearn and Barry Evans scored for the Ship.

Globetrotters looked to be on their way to another heavy defeat as Cris Woods, Rob Dewe and Adam Shaw took Bullers to 3-0, but Tom Bee and Ian Chudleigh fought back to earn the bottom club two points. For the second week in a row there was no card from Bar 1 A (v Lugger).

Results: Boscarn B 4-1 Henries E (9-2); Bullers 3-2 Globe Trotters (7-4); Jolly A 5-0 Ship Polperro B (10-1); Noughts A 3-2 Bombarders (7-6).

Social have had a pretty dismal run since Christmas, but they finally came good with a 5-0 victory over Henries C courtesy of Paul Goldthorpe, James Bull, Steve Spree and Mark & Chris Powell. Henries must have felt rather aggrieved to have taken nothing from the match though, since all but one of the games went to a decider.

The top of the table clash between Strugglers B and Boscarn C was predictably tight. The Looe lads started well through Darren Evans and Piran Clements only for their Seaton opponents to level through Steve Fisher and Doug Jones, who knocked in yet another 8-baller, but the decider went the way of Boscarn C's Grant Gough to wrap up the victory and enable the C's to close within two points of their rivals.

Jolly B could well be involved in the title battle once their games in hand are sorted out, but Marquee D did them no favours at all as Kevin Small, Duncan Putt and Francis Tucker condemned them to a 3-2 defeat, though Paul Jowitt and Steve Pote kept the margin to the minimum.

Rowett are on the move and gave their best display of the season in beating Boscarn E 4-1 to record their 3rd win in a row through Paul Matthews, Simon Manley, Daniel Stringer and Jon Puckey. At the turn around they looked to be racing certainties for the wooden spoon, but with their new found confidence they might even fight their way to safety. Pelynt A's Paul Boxall inflicted a first defeat of the season on Bar 1 B's Darren Reynolds but that was Pelynt's only success as Richard Chapman, Andy Giles, Richard Coombes and Ryan Tedder helped Bar 1 to a 4-1 victory.

Results: Boscarn C 3-2 Strugglers B (6-6); Boscarn E 1-4 Rowett (3-9); Henries C 0-5 Social (4-10); Marquee D 3-2 Jolly B (7-5); Pelynt A 1-4 Bar 1 B (4-9).

Eight Ballers - Doug Jones (Strugglers B) v Marcus Wills (Boscarn C).

With the Foreigners team of Andy Thomson, Matthew Brett, Tony Modesto, Geoff Hicks and Marcus Hicks (8-baller) notching up yet another 5-0 victory, this time against the Islanders, it looks as if they are virtually past the winning post; but just below them the promotion struggle is really starting to warm up, with four teams separated by only two points.

Crumplehorn are the team in form at present and their 4th win in 5 matches lifts them into the thick of the battle. Their latest victims were Millendreath, who went down 4-1 to Ray and Martin Jordan, Geoff Dawkins and Phil Richardson.

After spoiling the Foreigners 100% record last week, Noughts B were hoping to upset high flying Destroyers for an encore, but with the scores tied at 2-2 it was Destroyers' Steve Jones who delivered the goods. The result puts the Ship team clear in 2nd spot. Stuart Butler and Andy Grant were their other winners and Paul Hoskin and Cerys Jones replied.

Results: Crumplehorn 4-1 Millendreath (9-5); Destroyers 3-2 Noughts B (8-5); Foreigners 5-0 Islanders (10-2).

Eight Ballers - Marcus Hicks (Foreigners) v Shaun Mansell (Islanders).

Player Feature - Marcus Le Page

Star of the all-conquering Ship Inn Dales team, Marcus has been a regular in the League since the early 80s. A deadly potter who can clear up from seemingly impossible situations, he played for the Cornwall for several years before opting out of the county scene and has recorded victories over some of the best known names in the game - the most recent being a 2-0 win against World No.5 Jason Twist in an exhibition match in 1998.

Winner of the League Singles, the Charity Singles and the Div.1 Most Wins trophy that year, Marcus missed out on individual honours in 1999 (although he did help his team to a League and Cup double) and he is determined to put matters to rights in the year 2000. Already he has booked his place in the finals of the Charity Singles, Doubles (with Jason Bond) and Trebles (with Jason Bond and John Storer) and has reached the last 16 in the League Singles.

In addition he heads the Most Wins rankings with a perfect 15-0 record . . . Time to build another shelf, Marcus!