SHIPLEY Club B made a great start to the Bradford Saturday League season, with a 25-5 home win over Hightown in the Observer League.

The hosts made the perfect start, carding the first five winners, with David Jacques 21-3 and John Sample 21-4 the pick.

Shaun Carter replied for the visitors with a 21-14, but eight home winners ensured a great triumph for Shipley.

Ladyhill B were another team off to a good home opener, with Lee Hicks 21-5, Eric Butler 21-8 and Chris Wilson 21-8 the best of seven B-team victors as Ladyhill defeated Greengates A 23-7.

Meanwhile, Simon Chaffer 21-7 and Stephen Bottomley 21-8 helped Horsforth Woodside A to a 21-9 home win over a strong Littlemoor B, despite a great 21-7 from Angela Carter.

Hove Edge A were many people’s favourites for the title, but opened with a 20-10 defeat at Wyke B, despite a great 21-8 win for Lynn Saxby.

Wyke carded an impressive eight home winners, with new signing Nigel Wormald’s 21-10 the pick.

Gary Murphy (Asa Briggs B) and Adrian Megson (Hipperholme A) exchanged 21-7 winning cards, but Asa took the game 19-11, while Carole Sharp’s 21-5 for Drighlington was the difference as they defeated Peel 18-12, despite carding five winners each.

Pudsey C will be firm favourites for the Haigh League title, if they can field the team that beat Rufford B 22-8 for the rest of the season, Mark Morris 21-5 and Mark Dobson 21-7 the pick of seven home winners.

Barbara Barstow and Nicky Jagger both carded 21-8 away wins for Harold Club, but found themselves on the losing side as Armley Cons took it 19-11, thanks to Kevin Gilroy 21-1 and Bobby Marshall 21-6.

South Leeds Cons scored a great 18-12 win at West Bradford A, with Keith Broughton 21-6, Bob Emerson 21-8 and Tim Newton 21-9 starring, although Gregg Fairhead replied with a 21-6.

Tyersal A were another to card an away win, edging home 17-13 at Hollies S&SC who are using Armley Liberal Club as their base this season, Wendy Shimbles 21-8 and Oliver Mordue 21-9 making the difference for Tyersal.

Harold Park beat Crowghyll A 16-14 in low-scoring game played at Harold Club, due to the poor state of the Harold Park green.

Philip Walker got Harold Park off to the perfect start with a stunning 21-1 card, and when Andrew Walker came off with a 21-6 success, the game looked to be up, but David Hodgson’s 21-1 brought Crowghyll within a point of a creditable draw.

Stanningley A started off with a 25-5 home win over Eccleshill C in the Riley League, thanks to five single winners, Jack Roberts 21-1, Terry Powell 21-5, Clifford Brogie 21-5, Derek Wilson 21-7 and Mabel Shaw helping Stanningley to take the aggregate by a massive 75 chalks.

Three away winners ensured Eccleshill left with five points, and it already looks like been a long season for them.

Kath Icke 21-2 and Alan Potter 21-9 helped Cleckheaton Sports A card a 21-9 home win over Bradford Moor A, Colin Wright replying with a 21-9.

Another team that looks like it is going to struggle are Royd House, who went down to 17-13 at home to Birkenshaw, who had Richard Hunter and Paul Kitson to thank as they both had 21-6 winning cards.

Andrew Matthews should surely be playing at a higher level as he started the season off with a 21-3 success for Royd House.

The other two games were both close as Hove Edge B defeated Brackenhill 16-14 and Queensbury A won 16-14 at Guiseley B.

Lynda Drury 21-5 and Lynne Hobson 21-9 ensured that Hove Edge edged the aggregate, as did Graham Pearson’s 21-7 for Queensbury A, although Martin Laycock replied with a great 21-3 for Guiseley.