NEWCOMERS to Section One, Egerton B found the going tough against defending champions United Services Club.

Although they had three winners, the Eggie lost the game 123-180.

Best winners were, for Eggie D, Pryce (21-17) and, for USC, Jimmy Walsh (21-4).

Grapes Inn B, runners-up in 2006, finally got their season under way - running out winners at Pavilions A by 143-174.

Leading the way for the Grapes was John Brown with a fine 21-10 victory while Dave Ocego (21-11) countered for the wounded Lions.

Section Two sees Willow Brook jump to the top after a good win 146-166 over Frodsham Conservative Club B.

Last year's Section Two average winner Peter Okell spurred their success with a superb 21-5. Replying for the Cons was club secretary Mike Garner, a 21-11 victor.

Newly-promoted Castle Park moved into second place with an excellent 175-120 defeat of Kingsley.

Best result for the Park was P Murray's 21-4, followed closely by the 21-5 posted by Irene Perry.

Just seven chalks behind Castle Park in third place, despite a 150-148 defeat at Subscription B, are Helsby C.

Joe Naylor, with an excellent 21-3, inspired the Subs with Fred Hart (21-6) replying for Helsby.

The leaders of Section Three, despite only a narrow 158-153 win over league newcomers Manley, are Halton RBL. Manley had two single-figure winners in John Dickinson (21-7) and Joan Southerton (21-8) but were marginally outscored.

Alan Antrobus and Billy Marshall both won 21-11 for the Legion side.

Pavilions D lie second, only seven chalks behind after a hard-fought encounter against the other new team to the league, Kingswood B.

The Lions D were 158-140 victors. Their outstanding performance was Maurice Melvin's 21-1 in reply to a 21-6 by Kingswood's P Hudson.

A further chalk off the pace in third place are War Memorial A.

Playing against his old club Pavilions C, Paul Atkin came up trumps with a superb 21-1.

In fourth place, a further five chalks behind the leaders, having played two and won two, are Grapes A.

The Halton Road side had a tough encounter with Halton RBL B but eventually ran out winners by 163-150 courtesy of Jimmy Dobson's 21-7.

* The Abel Cup closing date has been extended to noon on Saturday, April 28.

The preliminaries are on Thursday, May 3 and finals night on Thursday May 17.

With the draw taking place on Saturday evening, players wishing to enter must have their names and entry fee of £3.50, including green fees, in the hands of the league secretary, Pat Crowe, by midd ay.