ELTON Lib B took advantage of their C team's open date to move back to the top of the Irwell St Metals A Section in the Bury Snooker League.

It was Mark Rowland in frame five who was the chief destroyer while Pete Lomas and Andy Davis took Walshaw's consolation points.

After losing the first two frames at home to Huntley, Heywood Reform staged a brilliant fightback by winning three of the last four legs.

The matchwinner, inspired by the captain's decision to let the steward have a game, came in the last leg winning 104-72 to take the aggregate by a single point.

Elton Fold's challenge took a knock as they went down 7-2 against Tottington D.

After three legs the Fold were 2-1 in front with all three frames going to the youthful element of Thornton, Rhodes and Cockcroft.

Phil Heaton turned the tide in frame four, his 87-50 result proving vital.

Bury Snooker C looked as though they might gain a useful win to help in their relegation fight when they were 3-2 up.

At Walmersley Kevin Bogden was the pick, but the in form Phil Jones had other ideas taking the last 86-48 to land the match 5-3.

Salisbury A moved out of the bottom two with their 8-1 thrashing of bottom club Fishpool.

Wally Kane was the home team's only winner while Jimmy Morrison, Dave Kean and Mark Rumens finished the match comfortably for the Sal.

In the B Section Salisbury B lost only their second league match of the season in a match that swung both ways.

St Mary's took the first two frames, Maurice Ryder and Tony Lowe coming back to form before John Smith started the recovery as the home side took three frames on the trot to lead by 28 chalks.

Paul Hewart was the toast of the Radcliffe lads as he gave a ten start and won his frame 63-32 to take the match 323-321.

Huntley C stayed in second place but moved four points closer to the leaders as they took seven points at home to Tottington B. Ian Meadowcroft and Tommy Walsh again did the damage for the home side. It was left to Pete Woroniak to claim the lone point for the visitors.

In a close fought match At Walshaw it was the home side who just prevailed 5-3.

A round of applause to the handicap committee as four of the six matches ended on the black. Ian Howarth and Derek Bury's 61-42 and 77-54 margins in frames four and five being the downfall for Bury Snooker.

Whitefield Snooker gave their chances of staying in the division a boost as they took six points at home to Central B.

Neil Craven had put the away side in a useful lead before Paul Stringfellow reversed the match in the very next frame.

It was left to ex-captain Ken Davies in one of his rare appearances to pull the game out of the fire by taking the last leg 60-28 and the match by just twelve points.

Tottington C took six points in their home match against Elton Lib A, Billy Smith and Tom Mawdsley giving the home side a useful lead.

Mick Walton and a great recovery from Luke Derbyshire secured the Libs only two legs.

Bury Snooker D took over top spot in the C Section, Peter Grey seems to have got his team of youth and experience just right as they took the first five frames at home to Seedfield.

Salim Amin by virtue of his 94-25, making sure of the bonus points as the first four frames were closely contested.

Huntley B drop down to second losing out to Central A 2-6. The Green boys again got the Radcliffe side off to a good start and despite Sean Hodgkinson and Paul Gill taking frames four and six for the visitors, it was not enough to clinch victory.

Stanley B failed to take advantage losing themselves 5-3 at Tottington. The match looked home and dry for Mr Treasurers lads as they took a 3-0 lead and a 50 point margin, but the three D's Farnworth, Johnson and Barlow had other plans and snatched the match 302-300.

Walmersley Con C got their season back to winning ways as they took seven points away at St Mary's B.

Messrs Lomax and Morley in frames three and six scored a massive 204 points between them to make sure the bonus points were never in danger.

Stanley A dropped only the first and last frames to Bernard Pratt and Alan Evason as they comfortably accounted for Hollins 6-2.

Jim Dalton's midfield four took the honours 268-142 to gain the much needed two extra points.

Bury Bridge stay bottom of the pile as they unluckily lost for the 13th time this season taking only two frames away at Buchanans.

The Rammy lads were indebted to Frank Kennedy and Steve Ryan who took the fifth and sixth frames 58-35 and 52-33 to pinch the aggregate 303-298.