Bradford No 1 billiards side were buoyed at the weekend by finally gaining their first win of the season in the Yorkshire Inter District League at Queensbury Conservative Club.

Visitors Thorne got the perfect start when Brian Hoole made a run of 44 on his way to defeating Nigel Stebbings 200-125.

Trevor Kershaw was then in sparkling form for Bradford, making breaks of 70 and 40 to win 200-94 against Laurence Thorn, before jubilant captain Stehen Kershaw saw the side home with an impressive 200-122 victory over Dave Palmer.

The teams’ next match is at Queensbury Conservative Club on April 10, when they host Huddersfield No 2, followed by two consecutive weekends of fixtures to bring the season to a close towards the end of April.

In the Yorkshire Inter District Snooker Leagues, the curtain falls on the season on the weekend of April 24-25.

Bradford No 1 have only one match remaining and host Castleford No 2 at Undercliffe CC on April 18.

Bradford No.2 are scheduled to play Sheffield No 1 at Manningham Ward on April 11, with a must-win match at Castleford No 2 on April 25.

The teams in the lower divisions have now completed their fixtures, with an interesting situation arising in Division Two, where Harrogate and Wakefield No.2 have tied top spot on the same number of points.

As a result, a play-off will take place on neutral ground, with Bradford’s Undercliffe Cricket Club chosen as the venue for the tie on Sunday, April 25 (7.30).

Barnsley No 1 comfortably won Division Three, some 11 points clear runners-up Sheffield No 3.

Bradford’s Kevin Firth travelled to the Willie Thorne Snooker Centre in Leicester on Saturday to compete in the last 16 of the English Seniors Championship.

Firth was drawn on the day against former professional Les Dodd and, despite going into the contest full of confidence, it was Dodd who took the honours, making breaks of 44, 47, 37 and 77 to win 4-0.

Firth still holds the highest break of the competition though, making 123 in the qualifiers earlier this year.

The semi-finals of the Heys Trophy and Hopkinson Plate start next Thursday, with first leg matches in the Heys being Harold Club ‘A’ v Laisterdyke WMC ‘B’ and Laisterdyke WMC ‘A’ v East Ward Labour Club and the Hopkinson seeing Birkenshaw Libs ‘A’ v Great Horton Cons and Windhill Cons v Eccleshill WMC ‘B’. Second legs are to be played on April 22.

Eckington Snooker Centre in Sheffield is holding an open snooker tournament on May 2, with a guaranteed prize pot of £700.

The entry fee is £10, with the draw being made at 10am prompt.

Matches up to and including the quarter-finals are the best of five, semis and final being the best of seven.

Anyone wanting to enter must do so in advance by sending entries to Eckington Snooker Centre, Peveril Road, Sheffield, S21 4EW. For queries please contact the club directly on 01246-435759.