FELSTED turned the screw at the top of the Ridley League North Section table, completing a home-and-away double over Flitch Snooker to extend their lead to eight points.

A 180 from Kevin Rolph was almost all the Flitch had to cheer as the visitors took the honours in all but the women’s game.

The Retreat produced two maximums, by Andy Camp and skipper Peter Webb, but still had to give best again to Chelmsford City FC.

Des Vickers’ long-awaited return failed to improve City’s darts record – the Retreat won 5-2 and took the mixed) – but they cleaned up in the dominoes, Steve and Sam Richardson celebrating another massive win, by 38 holes.

It’s a measure of the state of the South Section that the Black Bull’s 14-1 revenge slaughter of the Cricketers (this, after dropping the first singles!) hardly dented Little Waltham’s lead at the top, which now stands at nine points.

Les Atkins produced another darts tutorial with a 180, a 127 finish, three 140s and a couple of other ton-plus scores, and with Nigel Chapman back in the groove, the Bull won’t have an inferiority complex when they tackle Waltham twice in three weeks in January.

The leaders had to fight to beat Hatfield Peverel Swan, skipper Mark Chapman helping win the pairs which decided the darts. Ian Middleton (Swan) equalled the season’s-best 158 finish – and still lost.

Chelmsford Bird in Hand won the basement battle against the New Barn. Dave Drummond’s 120 out shot was the Barn’s best in a 4-3 defeat and, though they took both pairs, the Bird pegged out all three dominoes games

The big freeze wiped out this week’s dominoes pairs event at CCFC. Fixtures secretary John Steele took no chances, calling it off 48 hours in advance. Next week’s singles may also be touch and go.