PREMIER Office Supplies Division One champions Potters A were held to a 4-4 draw at Park Hotel in their tricky opening away fixture in the Blackburn and Darwen Snooker League.

The holders found themselves trailing 3-1 thanks to impressive wins for the returning Dave O’Kane - who slotted in a nice run of 41 - and Mark Jennings before Chris Alker and Ibby Khan pulled one back in the pairs.

Danny Haworth showed glimpses of his old form to beat Khan and Mick Almond was unlucky to lose to an impressive Murad Iqbal. Iqbal stayed at the table with partner Jake Fuller to level the match in the next and Haider Ali overcame Steve Aspinall to put Potters on the brink of victory.

But a classy Baz O’Kane was too much for Dion Holcroft in the last and the spoils were shared.

Last season’s runners-up, Rishton Con, set off like a train in the derby clash against Rishton Golf Club. Wins for Chris Lawson and Craig Steele in the singles and doubles plus a winning performance from Alan Heaton gave the home side a 4-0 lead.

Bob Hutchinson pulled one back for the golfers and Tony Haworth and Liam Masterman pinched the last doubles to make it 4-2.

Solid wins for Con Club’s Gary Hampson and skipper Shaun Pendlebury completed the home side’s victory.

The clash of last season’s promoted teams, Mill Hill ‘A’ and Orchard Social ended honours even.

The first four frames were shared before Mill Hill’s Eamon Bufton gave the visitors the lead.

The last doubles was crucial for Orchard and they came through an edgy one with a win for skipper Paul Keryk and partner Dave Brown by the narrowest of margins, 39 -35.

John Ferguson put Mill Hill ahead in the next but Orchard’s Dom Hampson made sure of the draw, beating Dan Waite in the final frame. Fox & Hounds came out on top against Hoddlesden Con Club with a good 5-3 win.

Jim Ollerton put the visitors ahead before Ged Patton levelled it. Patton stayed at the table with partner Simon Ashe and saw off Jake Loftus and Julian Winkley to take the lead.

Jake O’Horo showed again what he is capable off with a black ball win over the highly-rated Loftus. Similarly, Ashe confirmed his rapid improvement with a 57-17 demolition job on Ash Taylor.

Joe Roebuck and Alf Illaria pulled one back for Hoddlesden and Roebuck beat Mick Webster to make it 4-3 - but a quality performance from Fox skipper, Derek Haworth, over Hoddlesden counterpart Dave Fenwick sealed the win for the Ewood outfit.

The division’s last match paired Blackburn Golf ‘A’ against Feniscowles ‘A’ and it was the visitors who emerged victorious. Golfers Mick Cotton got them off to a good start with a comfortable win over Ammi Dippolito and it should have been two but for a couple of in-offs from John Wilkinson that gifted the frame to Steve Furey. Wilkinson quickly made amends, teaming with Cotton to win the first pairs.

Craig Leach was 30 up and cruising in the next but suddenly hit a brick wall and a patient frame from opponent Andy Livesey gave Fenny the equaliser.

Baz Holden put Fenny one up in the next and teamed up with Dippolito to extend the lead to two frames in the last pairs.

Steve Bunyan put in a solid safety display to pull one back for the Golfers and Steve Williams took full advantage of some good running to take the last and seal an opening victory for Feniscowles.

In Division Two, the pick of the matches saw Feniscowles B take on Wilpshire B in an entertaining clash with the home side eventually winning 5-3. Alan Grogan showed his class with a well taken 65 break.

In Blackburn Mill Hill Eng. Division 2 early leaders Anchor took their 100% record to Darwen Golf Club. Once again Anchor were quickest out of the traps with good wins for Sean Bradshaw and the resurgent Jamie Costello. Golfers Dom Fitzgerald and Tom Maudsley took the first doubles before James Moran gave Anchor a 2 frame cushion in the next. Russ Baron has been a bit of an enigma in the last couple of seasons but there was no doubting his ability here with a crushing victory over the capable Steve Owen. A black ball win in the doubles gave Anchor a 4-2 lead but the Golfers are a more experienced crew this time round and took the last 2 frames courtesy of Andy Walker and John Haworth. Nearest rivals Potters B made it 2 out of 3 with a convincing 6-2 win over Longshaw Social. Classy wins for the youngster Danyal Hussein and Asaf Khan gave Potters a 2-0 lead before Khan and Darren Johnson made it 3-0 shortly after with a win in the pairs. Umraz Khan looked impressive against John Gaul to make it 4-0 and Shabaz Ditta kept up his good start to the season with another win to make it 5-0. Longshaw were on the ropes and it was skipper Lee Whittle who stopped the rot in the next before Sean Hammet took the last to give the scoreline a little more respectability.

Feniscowles B entertained Wilpshire B in what turned out to be a highly entertaining affair. Lewis Taylor took the opener for the visitors before Alan Grogan showed his class with a well taken 65 break. Dave Sears and Andy Allen took full advantage of the handicap to put Fenny 2-1 up before Wilpshire captain John Avery levelled things. Leon Pinch restored the Feniscowles lead before Mark Edwards and Lewis Taylor took the last pairs to make it 3-3. Feniscowles wrapped up the victory with good wins for Sears and the perennial Keith Grogan. The evenings final match pitted Wilpshire A against Blackburn Golf B. Golfers skipper Mark Gorzella took a scrappy opener and it should have been 2- 0 but for an inexplicable mistake from Dan Marsden. Marsden had played well against Ian Nixon but for some reason potted the brown when he was on the green! The mistake gave Nixon the push he needed and a well taken blue, pink and black levelled the match. The first pairs went to Wilpshire thanks to a good clearance on the colours from John Harrison and Golfers Phil Wignall made it 2-2 in the next. Wignall was a little unlucky to get a kick on the black early in the frame that cost him a sizeable break. Paul Upton put the visitors back in front with a classy performance against Harrison, breaks of 24 and 36 being enough to take it. It was all square again after the last doubles, the Wilpshire pairing of Gorzella and Pete Zarak never really getting going against Dullenty and Nixon. Wilpshire had a bit of good fortune in the next when a double kiss on the pink from Stan Cook left it for opponent Bell to slot it home for the frame. An out of sorts Jim Amos was never at the races in the last and found himself 17 behind on the blue. When opponent Matt Dallison missed an easy blue the chance was there but Amos couldn’t take advantage and Dallison dropped the blue in for frame and match.