Red-hot Ness on a roll for Norton

Ness warmed up for the contest with a 132 break in practice immediately before the contest and then rolled in a 108 to help the reigning champions edge home against Baggeridge Social.

Norton had been expected to brush aside their newly-promoted rivals, who went into the clash still searching for their first win of he season.

But they were made to scrap for the victory. Luke Whale, with a break of 44, gave Baggeridge a great start but Steve Mason, also with a 44, levelled the match.

Ness then powered to victory before Baggeridge's Frankie Bennett tied the scores at 2-2.

And the match looked to be Baggeridge's when Martin Collingridge established a 39-point lead with one red remaining against Ashley Aston.

But Aston claimed one successful snooker, followed by an unlucky in-off by his opponent, before clearing the colours to win and take Norton back to the top of the table.

Norton's title rivals West Midlands Police and Brandhall Labour went head-to-head with the Police bagging the win.

Eliott Bastable, Gavin Sloan and Maria Catalano won closely-contested frames to put the Police 3-0 up before Brandhall replied through Rob Howen and Alan Hooper.

The Police join Brandhall in second place, a point behind Norton.

Amblecote Institute A won 3-2 at Hotshots SC B, Rick Wooldridge winning the decider to leave Amblecote in fourth place.

The battle between the two Pockets SC teams also went to the last frame where the A team's Rich Pepperall beat Danny Rees.

Kinver Const B's Division One title hopes received a double boost as they beat Norton Social B 4-1 while second-placed Kingswinford Cons B were beaten 4-1 at Amblecote Institute A.

Keith Rollinson, who has been Kinver's most regular winner, lost to Luke Grosvenor, but his team-mates rallied round.

Only Tony Davies won for Kingswinford as Mick Cook, Roy Grainger, Sam Harrison and Mark Colbourne combined for Amblecote's win.

The gap at the top therefore widened to 10 points, and there is a further point to Kingswinford Cons A.

Kingswinford returned to winning ways as Thomas Male, Tim Carter and Sam Mattocks fired them to a 3-2 win against Kinver A.

Moor Pool & Snooker C ended a run of 10 defeats with a 3-2 triumph at Stourbridge Institute A. Steve Norton, Ben Wakemanand Paul Jones enough to take the match.

There was no change at the top of the Division Two with the first three teams enjoying 4-1 victories.

Stourbridge Old Edwardians won away to Kinver Const D, with both Gavin Dunn and Dave Woodall on the mark again.

Amblecote RBL A had to fight hard throughout to master Stourbridge Institute C. Barry Young had a break of 36 on his way to his seventh win in a row.

The Legion's B team also won 4-1 to remain level with their A team, five points off the pace. Geoff Foster, and Jack, Sam and Martin Ball winning at Amblecote Institute C.

Bottom team Stourbridge Institute D enjoyed one of their best results, with a 4-1 win at home to Amblecote Institute D.

Chris Sloan, Steve Ruffle, Steve Howell and Ron Peplow, were on the mark.

Stourbridge are through to the quarter-finals of the West Midlands Inter-Town competition.

A 5-2 win over Sedgley C at Norton Social saw Stourbridge progress.

Andy Smith and Steve Mason gave them a fine start before Sedgley hit back to level.

Adam Ness and Ashley Aston then made sure of the win before debutant John Betton made it 5-2. The team have another home draw on February 19 against Sedgley B.

Results – Premier Division: Hotshots SC B 2 (J.Bate, D.Konior) Amblecote Inst A 3 (A.Round, R.Clark, R.Wooldridge); Norton Social A 3 (S.Mason 44, A.Ness 108, A.Aston 27) Baggeridge Social 2 (F.Bennett 28, L.Whale 44); West Midlands Police 3 (E.Bastable, G.Sloan, M.Catalano) Brandhall Labour 2 (R.Howen, A.Hooper); Pockets SC B 2 (A.Kidd, Craig Homer 32) Pockets SC A 3 (M.Gunn, T.Fish, R.Pepperall). Byes: Moor Pool & Snooker A, Hotshots SC A.

First Division: Amblecote Inst B 4 (M.Cook 25, R.Grainger, S.Harrison, M.Colbourne) Kingswinford Cons B (A.Davies); Wombourne 3 (S.Taylor, M.Bastable, R.Mason) Kinver Const C 2 (S.Nicholls, G.Taylor); Kingswinford Cons A 3 (T.Male, T.Carter, S.Mattocks) Kinver Const A 2 (N.jennings, A.Tromans); Kinver Const B 4 (D.Banks, G.Tranter, P.Churchman, R.Jeffries 32) Norton Social B 1 (L.Grosvenor); Stourbridge Inst A 2 (R.Rudge, A.Cope) Moor Pool & Snooker C 3 (S.Norton, B.Wakeman, P.Jones).

Second Division: Amblecote RBL A 4 (B.Young 36, P.Botfield, M.Mantom,R.Boylin) Stourbridge Inst C 1 (S.Metcalfe-Taylor); Amblecote Institute C 1 (P.Willis) Amblecote RBL B 4 (J.Ball, G.Foster, Sam Ball, M.Ball); Stourbridge Institute D 4 (S.Howell, S.Ruffle, R.Peplow, C.Sloan) Amblecote Inst D 1 (Jade Taylor 21); Kingswinford SC 3 (M.Surmacz, S.Hill, J.Westwood) Kingswinford Cons C 2 (L.Bennett, S.Porter); Kinver Const D 1 (W.Spruce) S/b Old Edwardians 4 (G.Dunn, H.Hall, C.Cowley, D.Woodall 24). Bye: Kingswinford Cons D.