HEWORTH look certain to successfully defend the championship of the York Conservative Clubs’ Slater Cup Snooker Pairs League after defeating Bootham 5-2.

After three games Heworth led 2-1 in frames but were only three points ahead in the aggregate scores.

Bootham’s Ken Clifford and Pete Henderson levelled and gave them a 29-point aggregate advantage.

Then Joe Bedford and Peter Hodgson, with a 38-point win, and Jamie Faircliffe and Nick Hodgson, winning by 87 points, ensured Heworth a 5-2 win to top the table with a 13-point lead and only four matches left to play.

In a similar match, Fulford went 2-1 ahead with a five-point aggregate advantage only for George Rawling and Mike Bowker to level and give Acomb a 27-point aggregate lead.

Fulford took the fifth frame to go 3-2 ahead but Steve Bowker and Jim Barker, with a 44-point win, levelled the frame score at 3-3 and ensured Acomb gained the aggregate for a 4-3 win.

Acomb and Fulford are joint second with 25 points but Bootham have fallen to bottom.