The first round of the South London & Kent Pool Alliance team knockout tournament, The Founders Cup, saw no shocks with all ten Premier Division teams making round two however, New Eltham didn’t have it all their own way against second division neighbours, New Eltham Social Club.

This was an incredibly close match and there was some excellent tactical play, especially from the lower division side, as they took a, 4-2 lead.

New Eltham chipped away and reduced that lead to, 6-5 before winning the next two frames to surprisingly take the lead for the first time in the match, 7-6.

New Eltham Social Club won the penultimate frame to take the tie into a final frame decider, which Dean James won by potting the black off the top cushion, to give New Eltham the victory, 8-7 and put the Premier Division team into the next round.

Rugrats have been finding life tough in the top division this season, so they would have welcomed lower division opposition in the form of Just Bellegrove, who are struggling themselves, towards the bottom of Division One.

The gulf in quality showed, as Rugrats picked up their first win of the season, 8-2 with Mark Burton, Mark Knevett and Dafydd Ruffell all winning both their frames.

Another side struggling in the Premier Division, Sharks had much better fortune against a lower division side.

Currently bottom of Division Two, Lord Kitchener were the bait, as Sharks mauled them by 8 frames to 1, with Jeff Laporte the only loser for the victors.

Eltham Terrace Rovers made it a hat-trick for the Premier Division bottom three but they had a much tougher time, as they faced top of Division One, Crayford Arms and eventually ran out, 8-5 winners.

The only team from outside the top division to play and win through to the second round was Eltham Terrace Rack Pack, who beat Happy Hustlers, 8-4 with Steve Heather winning all three of his frames for Rack Pack.

Bellegrove A had a tough match against the Premier Division leaders, Allstars and they made that even more difficult by only having four players.

They battled hard though and only lost the first set by the odd frame, 3-2 however, they were only to win one more frame on the night, as Allstars’ class showed, going on to win, 8-3.

Jack Taylor, Dan Brown and Eddie Rukuiza were the three winners for Bellegrove.

Hustlers were clinical in their, 8-2 demolition of Fox & Hounds, with Tony Stork, Steve Dixon and Elliott Giles all unbeaten.

Faring slightly better against formidable Premier Division opposition were CSC Sorry in Advance, who succumbed, 8-4 to a Hotshots side firing on all cylinders.

Fourth in the first division played fourth in the Premier Division and if Academicals had taken their chances in the first set against their Premier Division opponents Eltham Terrace Club A, then an upset might have been on the cards, instead Terrace took the first set, 3-2.

Terrace then went on to show some class and coupled with a little rub of the green, ended up victors by 8 frames to 5.

Well done to all those winning through to the second round, they will be joining those who received byes in the draw, which will be broadcast live on our Facebook page on 2 December and the next round will be played on 3 January.

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.