ISLAND champion Martyn Desperques means business and big rival Adam Shorto will vouch for that. The feature match of the week’s individual league programme saw Desperques wallop Shorto 5-0, a result that will send shock waves through the local cueing fraternity.

As is often the case when the two meet, high breaks made way for quality match play.

More often than not Shorto built a 20-plus point lead only to come unstuck through Desper-ques’ ability to profit from well-laid snookers. The island champion now heads the table from Shorto despite having played a game fewer.

Having suffered two defeats, another 5-0 winner was Andy Travis. His victory included a best-of-the-week break of 57 in a sparkling performance against Stan Lester, having lost to him earlier in the week’s team match.

Adrian Holley and Glenn Le Prevost were also victorious. Holley cleared from brown to black in a pivotal third frame against Jez Rowe to win 4-1 after having lost the opener, while Le Prevost’s 3-2 scoreline consigned John Skillett to a second defeat.

Meanwhile, a missed blue cost Desperques a chance of a second century of the season in Ex-Service Chirpers’ match against Sporting Lions in the Image Group Premier Division.

Looking to move the white around the table when on 90, Desperques made the rare error of missing out on a ton in his opening frame of a 3-0 win against James Messenger. The Chirpers were made to work hard for an 8-4 result.

Gremlin Galacticos claimed their first win of the season at the expense of North Legionnaires and not for the first time it was comprehensive to say the least.

The opening frame was settled on the black in Le Prevost’s favour, but the champions then reeled off the next seven with aplomb, which included a 54 from Adrian Lihou in an 11-1 win.