A DEFEAT away to British Legion was not enough to make Navy Club B surrender their place at the top of the Barrow Friday League Knockout Cup standings.

The visitors were narrowly beaten 16-14 in the penultimate round of matches and Legion got off to a good start by winning the snooker match 2-1.

Jack Arnold potted the final two colours to beat Dave Wilkie 39-35, followed by captain Alf Carruthers winning 52-30 against Andy Charnley. Joe O’Leary pulled one back for Navy with a win over Mike Smith.

Allan Edmondson led the way for the Legion in the billiards, winning the race to 100 against John Clamp with breaks of 38 and 20. Paul Kyle levelled it up with a win over Kevin Quinn, but Tony Norman secured a 2-1 win for the hosts by beating Dave Simpson.

Navy came alive in the darts match, winning 5-2 thanks to Ian Goodwin (100), Ian Large (140), Dave Rafferty – who hit four consecutive ton scores to win 601-425 – Chris Kirkby (180, 2x100) and Simpson.

But Legion had the edge at welch don, emerging 6-5 victors and sealing the win.

British Legion A are hot on the heels of Navy in the table, sitting three points behind the leaders after a 17-13 victory at Roose Cons.

John Tyreman’s win set the snooker team up for a 3-0 triumph, with Billy Burns and Dave Simpson scoring victories for Legion A as well.

Roose recorded a whitewash at billiards though, starting with Peter Roberts scoring a win. Ray Cooney then held off Tony Macmillan’s fightback from 30 points down and Rob Chissim sealed a 3-0 victory.

Legion A were in outstanding form on the oche, whitewashing Roose 7-0 at darts. Shaun McPoland (140,100) Keith Moscrop, Alan Fraser, Dave Macmillan, Steve Hetherington, Tony Macmillan and Simpson all won.

Cons won the welch don 6-4, but the visitors had done enough to take the overall win.

Barrow Football Supporters Club defeated Vickerstown Cricket Club 13-11, with the snooker match still to be played.

Gareth Willis and David Holmes secured a 2-1 win for the Cricketers at billiards, with Denis Plant pulling one back for BFSC.

Mike Fletcher (125, 140) won both of his darts matches to put BSFC on course for a 6-1 win, backed up by Harry Bateman (135,100), Brian Tucker (100), Mike Edwards (100), Barry Butterworth and Plant.

Vickerstown edged the welch don 6-5.

January 4 league fixtures: Roose Cons v Navy Club B, Vickerstown CC v British Legion A, British Legion v BFSC.