Princes closing in
PRINCES St A (145pts) moved to within a couple of points of clinching their much deserved first division title after a no nonsense 1-9 victory at Crosby D.
Crosby C (116pts) without a match this week must now settle for second place, 29pts adrift with only three matches to play.
Argyle B (110pts) benefitted from Holy Trinity A conceding their match this week, making third place for them a very likely finish.
Crosby B just about held onto fourth position with 101pts, after falling to an 8-2 loss at Argyle A, who now lie fifth, 8pts behind with a match in hand.
With it virtually all cut and dried at the top, relegation fears were still haunting a couple of teams.
However, it became much clearer when all of the four teams involved played one of the others.
Already destined for the drop, Argyle C (32pts) put up a very good fight at Princes St B.
Home captain Josh Taylor and Ray Hibbs, both with two wins apiece, were pivotal in the 6-4 victory, which in turn lifted them out of the drop zone with 66pts.
Not so much good news for Southport A though, as once again they were totally reliant on their B team, to fulfill their home fixture with Argyle D.
No prizes for guessing the outcome of this one, a maximum win for the visitors, virtually ensured their survival on 68pts, whilst Southport who are still on 52pts, look to be waiting for some sort of miracle for them to survive.
After that conceded match Holy Trinity A drop down to 9th place 13 pts above the bottom two.
It is still all to play for at the top of the 3rd Division. Waterloo A (136pts) successfully completed the first part of their vital contests against their close rivals, with a 7-3 home win over 3rd placed Holy Trinity B (125pts).
Nathan Jago with two wins was again Waterloo’s star turn, but success in both doubles looked to be equally as important. Princes St C (133pts) still remain favourites for the title after a maximum win over their understrength E team. So with a match in hand on the leaders and with just three points to make up, then when they host the Waterloo outfit later this month on the 23rd, it could then be all decided.
Crosby E extended their impressive run, making it seven wins from eight