BRADFORD'S billiards team are top of the Yorkshire Inter-District League after thrashing bottom-of-the-table Doncaster 9-2.

Paul Devitt was in fine form for Bradford, and breaks of 38 and 27 in successive visits, sped him to a 200-23 victory over 87-year-old Branson Hoole to give Bradford a 3-0 lead.

Stephen Kershaw and Dave Palmer never showed their best form in the second game but a break of 31 from the Bradford captain squeezed him in front towards the end for a 200-189 triumph, which improved the home team's advantage to 6-2.

Steve Wilman was in good form and gave Doncaster's Graham Guest no chance, concluding the game with an unfinished break of 34 for a 200-52 win.

Bradford's last game of the season next month is away to second-placed Harrogate, who trail them by six points with a game in hand.

Huddersfield No 1 remain third, 16 points behind the leaders, but with three games to play.

Bradford's No 1 snooker side found that a lot can change inside a week.

After beating Wakefield on their own tables 5-1 the week before, the sides squared up again at Undercliffe Cricket Club, and it was the visitors who went away with a 4-2 victory.

Wayne Cooper potted the first eight reds with blacks, but turned down the chance of a maximum, instead electing to take blue and secure the frame win, the break ending on 70 for a 77-10 triumph.

The second frame became a frustrating one for ten-times Bradford champion Cooper, who was struggling to find the fluency that he showed in the first frame, and opponent Ashley Dean was solid, stealing it on the black 48-39.

Kevin Firth was outplayed in his first frame, Lee Hart taking it 75-41, but a 39 break gave Firth a 64-36 success in the second to tie the match at 2-2.

Lewis Walsh struggled throughout his match with Chris Hall, who made a 35 break in the first, which he won 69-30, and also took the last frame 54-20.

The draw for the quarter-finals of the Bradford Snooker Championships hav been made, and defending champion Cooper will take on city team-mate Firth in a mouth-watering encounter.

In other ties, 2004 champion Howard Mawson faces four-times winner Gareth Green, with Mark Ball meeting Russell Morgan, and Walsh playing the winner of John Wellham and Dean Parker, whose result was not available at time of going to print.

In the pairs semi-finals, Cooper and Firth face three-times winners Gareth and Anthony Green, while last season's runners-up Walsh and Mawson take on Chris and John Wellham.

The next rounds of the Hey's Trophy and Hopkinson Plate are to be played a week tomorrow and the following Thursday.

Details have been sent out by Eddie Ratcliffe.