After fourteen weeks of battle Allstars have been crowned the South London & Kent Pool Alliance Elite League champions in their first season together. 

It was a difficult start for the new boys, losing their first couple of games but they went on to win nine of their twelve matches, including this week’s, 3-0 & 11-4 triumph over Hustlers Simply Lovleh. 

This proved a double blow for Simply Lovleh, as not only did most of the Allstars come from Simply Lovleh but this result meant they would be relegated from the top division for the first time in their history. 

It was a three-way fight to avoid relegation between Simply Lovleh, Eltham Terrace Rovers and Eltham Terrace Nuthouse for just two places and it was Rovers who joined Simply Lovleh, as they finished bottom after this week’s, 2-1 & 9-6 loss to Eltham Terrace Club A. 

This was somewhat of a surprise after they finished second in the last winter season but that just goes to show how competitive the top division of the SLKPA is. 

Sitting in the relegation spot for the majority of the season were Nuthouse but they had a fantastic result against title chasing Hotshots to lift themselves to fifth, one point ahead of the relegation zone.

With Nuthouse looking to avoid relegation and Hotshots going for the title this was always going to be a tense game, but it was Nuthouse who got off to a flyer, taking a, 3-1 lead for the first set. 

Hotshots fought hard and won the next four frames to take a, 5-3 lead and tie the match in sets, one all. 

The last two frames of the second set were shared, giving Hotshots a, 6-4 lead going into the final set. 

Richard Chapman made it, 7-4 but Shane O’Reilly got one back for Nuthouse, before Danny Kelliher secured the bonus point for Hotshots, making it, 8-5 overall. 

However, it was only, 2-1 in the set with two frames to play and Dave Sparey set up a final frame decider by taking the penultimate frame for Nuthouse. 

Steve Krishnan met Nuthouse Captain, Craig Jones and they both had won their previous two frames, so something had to give, and it was Jones who kept his emotions in check to remain unbeaten with a hat-trick and give his side the set. 

So, Hotshots scored more frames, 8-7 but Nuthouse won the match in sets, 2-1 to give both teams two points and it was fitting that Jones won the frame to keep his side in the top division next summer season. 

Like Jones, Hotshots Chapman also finished unbeaten on three frame wins. 

Also culminating this week was SLKPA Tier Three and there was a race to see who would join New Eltham Club in gaining promotion to Tier Two, and they still had to secure the championship. 

Bexleyheath Working Man’s Club took their spot, claiming second place with a, 2-1 & 9-6 victory over Lord Kitchener. 

They did the damage in the first set taking it, 4-1 and they went on to win the second set, 3-2 before taking their foot off the gas in the final set, allowing Lord Kitchener a, 3-2 victory. 

This result sent Lord Kitchener to the bottom, as Real Hustlers had a, 3-0 & 10-5 triumph over Happy Hustlers. 

The match was closer than the score line suggests as the first two sets were won by the odd frame, 3-2 but Real Hustlers turned it on in the final set taking it, 4-1. 

Back to the top of the table and Academicals were three points behind New Eltham Social Club in third going into this week, so nothing but a win would do for them and they achieved just that, with an emphatic, 3-0 & 10-5 triumph over Red Barn. 

Academicals started as they meant to go on, with a, 4-1 win in the first set and they went on to take the last two sets, 3-2 to do all they could to win promotion. 

Academicals now had to wait on the result between neighbours New Eltham Club and New Eltham Social Club and there were going to be no favours, as New Eltham Club still needed points to clinch the title. 

New Eltham Club showed they were taking no prisoners by winning the first three frames, but New Eltham Social Club hauled themselves back with the last two frames of the set. 

The first four frames of the second set were shared with New Eltham Social Club’s Gary Dixon winning the final frame decider to tie the match at one set and five frames all. 

All to play for in the final set but New Eltham Club soon killed that off with the first three frames of the set to give them the set, match and bonus point. 

New Eltham Social Club did finish with a flurry, taking the last two frames, making the final score, 2-1 & 8-7 in New Eltham Club’s favour. 

This meant that New Eltham Club finished three points ahead of second and secured the title, but New Eltham Social Club ended on the same points as Academicals but as Academicals won one more game they finish third and are promoted to Tier Two. 

Dixon did his best to earn his team promotion, winning all three of his frames but it just wasn’t enough in the end. 

New Eltham Club’s Paul Cobbold also ended with an unbeaten hat-trick and team mate Graham Levingbird was also unbeaten, winning his only frame. 

SLKPA Tier Two still has a week left to play and everything is already decided apart from the promotion play-off place in Tier Two West. 

Currently occupying second place are Rose Inn, who had a surprisingly close game against Fox & Hounds this week. 

Fox & Hounds got off to a great start, winning the first set, 3-2 and they went on to take the first two frames of the second set, but Rose Inn brought it back to two all, sending the set into a final frame decider.

The ever-dependable Dean Greany-Parr beat Glen Ward to tie the match at one set and five frames each. 

The final set also went to a final frame decider, but this time Leighton Aston defeated Clive Forrest to give Rose Inn the, 2-1 & 8-7 triumph. 

Fox & Hounds’ Les Ryan won both of his frames, but Jack Wilson went one better with an unbeaten hat-trick for Rose Inn. 

Woolwich Wolfpack are the other contenders for the play-off spot and they joined Rose Inn on 39 points this week, with an impressive, 3-0 & 10-5 victory over Crayford Social Club Rugrats. 

The first set was close, going to a final frame decider, which Scott Reeves won for Wolfpack and they went on to take the first three frames of the second set, before winning it, 4-1 to give them a, 2-0 & 7-3 lead. 

Wolfpack also won the first three frames of the final set to collect maximum points, but Rugrats took the last two frames to make the score a little more respectable. 

Rugrats Captain, Scott Shephard led from the front, winning all three frames but it was a night for the Biggs family, as both Trevor and Alex were unbeaten, with dad Trevor victorious in his only frame and Alex scored a hat-trick. 

Next week it will be winner takes all as Wolfpack go to Fox & Hounds and Rose Inn have a top of the table clash with newly crowned champions Sharks. 

Sharks only needed a point this week to secure the title, but they ended up with a maximum four points against already relegated Bellegrove Superstars. 

Sharks initially showed no mercy and got the point they needed in style, whitewashing the first set, 5-0 but the next two sets were a lot closer, with Sharks taking them by the odd frame, 3-2 and the last set went to a decider, which Chris Mackenzie took to give his team the, 3-0 & 11-4 triumph. 

Mackenzie’s win in the decider gave him his hat-trick, he was joined by Rahat Munim and they were supported by Vu Son with an unbeaten brace. 

Sharks will be joined by New Eltham in the Elite League next summer season, as they have been crowned Tier Two East champions despite losing, 2-1 & 8-7 to Royal Oak. 

This was an incredible game, with each set going to a final frame decider. 

Phil Tworek took the first set for Royal Oak against Dean James, but James recovered and won the second set however, he faced Tworek again in the final set and couldn’t get his own back, allowing Tworek to win the match for Royal Oak. 

Tworek made it three out of three with a win in the second set and he was joined by Paul Clements. 

Unfortunately, for Royal Oak this win wasn’t enough to be able to catch North Heath Social Club in the promotion play-off spot, after they beat bottom team Bellegrove A. 

The first set was tight, with Brett Crawley winning the decider to give North Heath the first set. 

This win was the first of five in a row for North Heath, giving them the second set as well, but in a strange twist of fate Bellegrove won the final six frames to whitewash the final set and make the score, 2-1 in sets to North Heath but, 8-7 in frames to Bellegrove. 

Eltham Terrace Rack Pack lost their faint chance of avoiding the relegation play-off by losing the first set against CSC Mr’s & Miss Q’s, 4-1. 

The pressure was now off, and Rack Pack won the next four frames and the second set, 4-1, then Rob Young gave them the perfect start to the final set by potting three balls before doubling the black. 

The set became evenly poised at two all, with the match at seven all, before Chris Parlett triumphed in the deciding frame to give Rack Pack the, 2-1 & 8-7 victory. 

Rack Pack will now play Fox & Hounds in a couple of week’s time to see who will stay in Tier Two and who will join Bellegrove A and Bellegrove Superstars in Tier Three. 

North Heath will have to wait another week to see whether they will play Rose Inn or Wolfpack and join Sharks and New Eltham in the Elite League. 

For more information on the SLKPA including league tables visit our website at www.slkpa.com or contact our Secretary, Paul Gafa on 07443 456662 or secretary@slkpa.com with any queries.

The league is looking at potential sponsors; any interested parties can also contact Paul Gafa.