COTTAGES Club got their Barrow Friday League Knockout Cup defence off to the perfect start as they beat Navy Club B 17-11.

Joe O'Leary won a black-ball decider in the MW Flooring-sponsored competition, beating John Tyerman 46-37, with Dave Simpson seeing off Dave Wilkie and Billy Burns getting the better of Andy Charnley 58-19.

In the billiards, Cottages captain Alan Fraser beat Ian Large and Tony Macmillan had the better of Paul Kyle 100-93. Navy captain John Clamp got a win for the visitors though, beating Paul Fieldhouse 100-79.

The darts saw the Cottages edge to a 4-3 win.

Shaun McPoland saw them off to a winning start with a 140 and 63 knock-up, and was backed up by Dave McMillan (100), new recruit Larry Vincent (100), Mala McCoy (116) and Bill Bowes

Charnley, Joe O'Leary and Chris Kirkby were the stand-out men for Navy.

The welch don saw the pairings of Walter Bowes and Dave Leech, and McCoy and McMillan win their matches 2-0. Captain Ray Procter and Pat Kyle, and Large and Dave Rafferty were the best for the away side.

Vickerston Cricket Club started in form as well as they defeated Roose Cons Club 19-11.

Jimmy Allen and Josh Francis won their snooker matches comfortably, with Rob Chissim beating the host club's Paul Fitzpatrick.

On the billiards tables, Gareth Willis won for the Cricketers with a break of 27 against Paul Bennett, David Holmes saw off Peter Roberts and Ray Cooney edged Peter Scott 100-90.

Willis (100) starred in the darts too, along with Allen, Bob Crosthwaite (both 85), Scott and Josh Francis. Bennett (100) and Mike Irving were the star men on the oche for Roose.

Points were shared in the welch don games, but the Cricketers came out on top 6-5 due to the new Knockout Cup rules of a point for every win.

Crosthwaite and Fitzpatrick, and Willis and Holmes were the best for Vickerstown, with John Warburton and Jimmy Johnson, and Peter Roberts and Irving winning for Roose.

Last year's runners-up Navy A enjoyed a 17-12 win over the British Legion, with Steve Benson getting the home side off to a good start with a win over Ray Gardner in the snooker.

Mike Smith and Alf Carruthers beat Dave Huitson and Barry Crawford respectively to ensure the other snooker games went the way of the Legion though.

Geoff Turner build on last week's good performance in the billiards to beat Allan Edmondson 100-91, running out on an 18 break. Last week he had a remarkable 51 run-out.

Ian Goodwin beat Peter Johnson and another 18 break from Kevin Quinn pulled one back for the Legion in a 100-66 win over Glenn Atkinson.

Navy dominated the darts though, with Brian Jones, Dave Armstrong (132), Pat Hunter (2x95), Neil Jones, Steve Benson and Ian Goodwin taking their matches, while Gordon Hutton was the only Legion darts player to win after he beat Barry Crawford (114).

The points were shared 5-5 in the welch don. Legion's victories came from Carruthers and Kevin Quinn, and Tony Woodward and John Sowerby, with Bryan Jones and partner, and Keith and Steve Benson winning for Navy.

Barrow Football Supporters Club had a bye.

Tomorrow's Fixtures: Roose Cons Club v Navy A, Barrow Football Supporters Club v Cottages Club, British Legion v Vickerstown Cricket Club. Navy B – bye.