FABER Shield billiards champions Acomb made a miserable start to the season, losing 5-2 to Bootham 'B'.

George Long and Chris Granger opened up a 73-point lead in the aggregate scores by winning the first two games before Keith Myers was able to claw back 18 points for Acomb in the third game.

Ray Stamp and Ian Robinson then extended Bootham's aggregate lead to 100 points. Ian Gillies secured Acomb's second point with a close win in the sixth game.

Colin Neal, Wayne Puleston and Richard Stroughair opened up a 3-0 lead for Fulford and an aggregate lead of 164 points, mainly from Puleston's win by 103 points.

But John Darley, Barry Rankin and Ken Taylor (61 break) playing off -80 handicap won the last three games to restrict Fulford to a 4-3 success.

Updated: 11:48 Thursday, October 03, 2002