Thompsons and Brandon Air cancel each other out in epic

In an intriguing Sunderland League Division One encounter, the two pacesetters clashed as Brandon Air entertained Thompsons.

The away team got off to a flying start as Jim Stamas ended Lee Tinkler’s winning streak, and Max Duffin posted an impressive straight-game win over Geoff Salter.

The lead was extended when Chris Blake recovered from 2-0 down to take Jamie Lupton 11-7 in a tight five-ender.

Salter and Stamas then produced a feast of attacking play, but it was Salter who took the deciding end 11-9 to reduce Brandon arrears.

Lupton regrouped to edge the next five-end thriller; 11-9 over Duffin, and then beat Stamas in three.

Having seen their early lead evaporate, Thompsons found themselves trailing 5-4 going into the final set.

With the pressure on, Duffin produced a competent display to defeat Tinkler in four ends and salvage a draw for his team.

There was also a close call at True Roof Direct as they edged past West CA 6-4. James Bradbury hit a hat-trick, but was extended to five ends by Bernie Morris and Tom Fowle.

Shirley Gelder and Maurice Cheek achieved straight-game wins over Morris and Ken Lee respectively.

Fowle top-scored for West, including a five-end victory over Cheek, before team-mate Lee pipped Gelder 11-9 in another contest that went the distance.

In Division Two, there was a much-needed boost for St Gabriel’s C.

A star performance from David Revell was pivotal, and Steve Young chipped in with a brace as Gabriel’s overcame East Boldon Amigos 6-4 to rack up their first win of the season.

Another tight encounter developed when West B met Sacriston Bombers.

West’s early-season slump was arrested by the return of their top player Mario Hadjinicola who set the tone in the opening set.

Facing Ian McPherson, Hadjinicola was able to add patient push play to his usual spinny forehand tactic, and this was crucial as he clawed his way to an 11-9 fifth-end win.

In the other five-end tussle, Bombers’ Kevin Richardson fought back from a 2-0 deficit before defeating Dave Thomson 11-6 in the decider.

Elsewhere, the three leading teams, St Gabriel’s B, Unionist Club B, and Redby CA, all notched convincing home victories.

Division 3 leaders Backspin B sustained their form with a 7-3 success over East Boldon Cowboys.

Adam Butler, John Cook, and Alex Nicholl hit two apiece, but all were undone by the Cowboys’ Ethan Brown.

Second-placed Lanchester Eagles cranked up the pressure after disposing of Backspin C 9-1.

There was a treble from Edward Nicholson as Brandon Devils beat Fire 7-3, and it was the same score-line at Redby B where unbeaten displays from Istvan and Bence Franko eased the home team through against Lanchester B, who at least hauled themselves off the foot of the table thanks to sets from Joel Sanderson, Neil Forster and Billy Lee.