Wem cut gap to just three points in late survival push

Wem’s 7-5 success, with welcome away bonus points, reeled second-bottom Adderley in to just three points between the two sides.

Adderley put in an impressive performance on the road of their own in taking four games from sixth-placed Hanmer, coming out on the wrong side of a high-scoring 230-204 aggregate. But Wem were the beneficiaries of a tight contest and came out on top by just five chalks at their hosts’ Bridgnorth base 222-217.

Notable head-to-heads saw Luke Boniface and Ian Metcalfe see off Jamie Taylor and Matthew Ealey respectively, 21-20.

Ben Parkes (21-8) had the visitors’ best result. Scott Harries chalked up a 21-9 success.

Adderley fell 26 chalks short in Wales. Hanmer’s Graham Bennett saw off Chris Elsbury 21-8. Adderley winners were Connor Whitehall, Edward Proudlove, Gary Whitehall and Jack Hazeldine.

Sir John Bayley retain their six-point lead at the summit with more away joy, with the leaders 8-4 victors at Chester Road.

The tight 213-203 win featured impressive wins for David Lloyd (21-8) and Alex Jones (21-9). The hosts’ best came from Paul Griffiths (21-9) and Daniel Hand (21-10).

Chasers Castlefields also claimed 12 points, with a comfortable 10-2 victory over fifth-placed Ifton. Michael Beer and Hayden Lewis shared Fields’ top result of 21-7 but the hosts were consistent throughout. Wrockwardine Wood lost ground to St Georges in the race for third having lost 7-5 on the road at Burway, who are down in 10th.

The contest was tight in games but less so in chalks as the south Shropshire hosts were relatively comfortably clear 177-149.

St Georges cut the gap to six points by seeing off 11th-placed Highley in Telford 9-3 (234-177). Peter Farmer enjoyed an eye-catching 21-5 contest with Dave Scriven.

Hanwood, in seventh, put more distance between themselves and neighbours Meole Brace in eighth after a 7-5 (231-208) home win.