ACOMB suffered their first defeat of the season in the York Conservative Clubs’ Faber Shield Billiards League, going down 4-2 to defending champions Heworth.

Gary Rogers was in sparkling form as he won the first game with breaks of 55 and 59, then running out with an unfinished 65 break.

Paul Holmes continued his unbeaten run to level and Ken Bowser moved Acomb ahead.

Jason Milner and Keith Watkinson won the last two games, which secured the aggregate for Heworth.

Bootham ‘B’ moved level on points with leaders Acomb as a result of hammering bottom team Fulford 5-1.

Paul Mahoney, Alf Appleby, Ian Robinson and Matt Smith won the first four games and racked up a 277-point aggregate advantage.

Bob Plant gained Fulford’s only victory with a 42-point success.

Holmes heads the list in the Cameo Engraving Player of the Year competition, unbeaten with seven wins, and Ian Robinson is second with seven wins in nine games.

Rogers, meanwhile, leads the way in the Cameo Engraving Highest Break contest with his 85 break, while Fulford’s Terry Ward is second with 47.

Meanwhile, defending champions and current leaders Heworth came back from 3-1 down and overcame an aggregate deficit to beat Acomb 4-3 in the York Conservative Clubs’ Slater Cup Snooker Pairs League.

Acomb went 2-0 ahead, but John McCready and Keith Batty pulled one back with a crucial one-point victory.

M Frank and D Chapman restored Acomb’s lead and increased the aggregate advantage to 58.

P Hodgson and J Bedford reduced the arrears with a 24-point win, and F Mallinson and M Robinson then won the last to level the frame score at 3-3.

Their 35-point victory meant Heworth had clinched the aggregate by one point.

Bootham went 4-0 up against bottom club Fulford, with the highlight a 27 break by John Dawson.

Fulford fought back to take the last two games, but Bootham easily earned the aggregate.

Heworth are now 11 points clear at the top, with Acomb and Bootham joint second.