Bradford No 1 remain top of Division One of the Yorkshire Inter-District League at the halfway stage, despite going down 4-2 at Sheffield No 1.

The home side got off to a fantastic start when 16- year-old star Joel Walker made a 128 break against Wayne Cooper, missing the final black for a total clearance of 135.

This was no one off, as in the previous match, Walker missed the last red on 112 heading towards a 147 break.

Cooper, though, is a class act and used his vast experience to turn the tide in the second frame, knocking Walker off his stride and levelling the tie, assisted with a break of 42, to win 73-39.

Lee Atkinson could do little in his first frame against David Birley, going down 66-20, but looked comfortable in his second frame until rattling a brown and eventually losing a black-ball game 50-47. Buoyed by a strong start, Mick Sanderson played some solid snooker to win 64-9, putting Sheffield 4-1 up and ensuring Bradford’s first defeat of the season, but captain Kevin Firth found the pace of the table and rescued another point by taking the last 68-22, which may prove vital at the end of the season.

The latest positions are as follows:

Division One (played six): Bradford No 1, 25 pts; Castleford No 1, 24; Sheffield No 2, 20; Leeds, 17; Sheffield No 1, 17; Harrogate, 14; Wakefield No 2, 9.

Division Two: Castleford No 2 pl 6, 25 pts; Bradford No 2 5, 17; Selby No 1 6, 17; Barnsley No 1 6, 16; Sheffield No 3 4, 14; Wakefield No 1 5, 10; Barnsley No 2 4, 9.

Jason Murgatroyd and Damian Wilks have both joined Dave Stirk in the quarter-finals of the Bradford Snooker Championship after comprehensive victories.

Chalks Snooker Centre-based Murgatroyd defeated Matt Yeadon, of QTips Snooker Centre, 4-1, while Yeadon’s clubmate, and current Yorkshire under-19 champion, Wilks beat Windhill Conservative’s Lewis Walsh 4-0, included breaks of 52 and 50.

The deadline for matches in the singles and pairs is February 12.

The deadline is also fast approaching for entries to be received by the Yorkshire Billiards and Snooker Association co-ordinator Terry Crofts for the 2011 Yorkshire Snooker Championship, with Bradford’s Gareth Green the defending champion.

Entry forms can be obtained from Richard Bakes (07940-651850) and forms must be received by January 31.

The E Rosse Hopkinson Plate preliminary round first legs are to be played a week tomorrow, with second legs the following week.

The two ties are: Salthorn WMC v Low Moor Club and Tong Liberals A v Manningham Ward.