MARTIN Gunn was made to work hard for his hat-trick as Kingfisher A won a tough match at Tidmarsh A 8-2 in Division One of the Reading & District League, Martin Adams also recording a maximum for Kingfisher.

Neil Hurford managed a fine 11-8 11-9 9-11 9-11 11-7 win against Hari Gehlot, however it wasn’t enough to gain a much-needed point for his YMCA team as Kingfisher B pulled clear from 3-3 to win 7-3.

Nigel Rowland’s excellent 11-5 11-7 11-7 win against Jon Willis and a fine double from Catherine Venning helped Tilehurst Methodists A secure a valuable point from their Division Two match against third-placed Curzon Club A.

Leaders Kingfisher F beat a two-man Sonning Common & Peppard C team 7-3, Danny Dockree with a good 11-8 3-11 11-9 11-9 victory against Ivor Hardman for the losers, while Our Lady of Peace C beat Kingfisher E 6-4 with Chris West starring with an excellent treble.

Tidmarsh C have moved three points clear at the top of Division Three after two wins since the turn of the year. First up they defeated Springfield A 6-4 with a maximum from Lee Calcutt in a match which also saw him take Phil Burke's 100% record in a classic fluctuating five-game tussle 11-4, 6-11, 3-11, 11-4, 11-6. Chris Webb also contributed two wins - although he only just got home 11-9 in the fifth game against Adam Sheen.

Tidmarsh then travelled to Kingfisher H and, largely thanks to another maximum from Calcutt, came away with another 6-4 victory. Both Willis Ma and Jarek Chmielowiec hit doubles for the home team.

Pangbourne WMC B kept up the pressure on the leaders with a 7-3 success against next to bottom Our Lady of Peace D.

Ray Webb was once again the star man for Pangbourne with a treble whilst Clive Taylor marked his return from injury with a double - as did Leroy Wilson. Alistair Richardson and Dave Godfrey fought hard for OLOP and each had a good win as well as combining for victory in the doubles.

Milestone A moved into third place on sets difference after thumping bottom of the table Tilehurst Methodists C 9-1. Captain Arun Rajagopal led the way with a straight games maximum, well supported by Chris Collins who also hit a treble. Reserve Sachin Mundra also played his part with two wins.

For Tilehurst Martin Wetherill saved the whitewash by defeating Sachin and was unlucky to only lose 9-11 if the final game to Chris. Springfield A returned to winning ways at home to Sonning Sports A - another 7-3 scoreline - Phil Burke back to maximum form in this match, well supported by Ludo Couillard with a double. Bob Woodmansee hit a double in reply for the Sports.

The inter-club tussle at Kingfisher went the way of Kingfisher J against Kingfisher I - but only just - Nils Wedi completing a personal maximum in a tense final set which included two deuces against Steve Woolnough.

Earlier Joaquin Sabater was only denied his own personal maximum by Carol Byers' tenacity in the final game of their marathon encounter which Carol edged 17-15.

Curzon Club C gained two vital points in Division Four by beating Tilehurst Methodists E 6–4 mainly due to a great John Walker maximum and a double from Linda King.

Curzon then held Reading FC A to a 5-5 draw with Linda King and Carine Bey both winning two each besides teaming up to win the vital doubles set.

In a bottom-of-the-table clash Kingfisher K beat Our Lady of Peace E 7–3 with Gwynne Penny and David Wells both obtaining trebles.

Curzon Club B held Springfield B to a 5-5 draw thanks to a Geoff Johnson maximum and a double from Jim Brent, while Milestone B beat Tilehurst Methodists E 7–3 with Zoltan Kelemen and Sachin Mundra both winning all three.

Tilehurst Methodist D lost at home to Tidmarsh D 6-4 for whom Andy Stephens and Dave Edwards both hit three straight trebles.

In Division Five, it was business as usual for leaders Our Lady of Peace F, who beat the BBC Club 8-2, thanks to maximums from Laurence de Ste Croix and Andrew Adair, as well as a single from Mariusz Paluszkiewicz. For the BBC Club, there were consolation singles for Dave Pearson and John Lancashire. Wayne Alleyne won his first maximum of the season, as he led Reading FC C to a 6-4 victory, over Sonning Common & Peppard H, helped by a brace from Derek Anderson.

For SC&P, Mike Casserley won two, only losing 8-11 9-11 11-3 11-9 12-10 to Alleyne, while Julian James and Steve Knott each won one. Struck down by injuries, Milestone C lost 10-0 to Sonning Common & Peppard G, with Mikey Legg, Marko Madzar and Jamie Legg taking home the points.

Kingfisher L kept up the pressure on the leaders, with a closely fought 6-4 win over Reading FC B, thanks to a treble from Ken Robb and a brace from Clive Gold, the latter losing for only the second time this season.

In reply, Reading FC’s Joe Bull ended the evening with two wins, and there were single wins for Keith Greene and Paul Brown.

Sonning Sports B emerged triumphant from their match with Springfield D, running out 8-2 winners, a score line which didn’t do justice to the epic contest which took place, thanks to further maximums from Florin Dimofte and Sally James, along with a single from Cris Reynolds.

For all their efforts, Colin Jones and Stephen Leggett only emerged with a single win each, while Paul Martin left with nothing to show for his efforts, just losing to Sally 7-11 11-8 12-14 12-10 12-14, in his final match of the evening.