LA VILLETTE GREMLINS have registered one of their best results in their three-year existence.

hey maintained their hold on the Image Group Premier Division after storming to an 8-4 win over Ex-Service Chirpers.

It is a position that they’ve held at the start of the season before only for it to slip away, but there’s a spirit within the team that suggests a proper tilt at the title could be on the cards.

The manner of the victory saw all four players contribute two frames, with none more important than Jez Rowe’s defeat of Martyn Desperques at the top of the match – the island champion’s first league loss since January. Ironically, that was also against Stan Lester’s team.

The icing on the cake came from Ian Platt with the Chirpers still in the match at 6-4 down when a timely 52 break secured their third win from three matches.

Contrastingly for the Chirpers, an opening day victory against the champions seems a long way off and they already trail Gremlins by eight points.

Three frames and a 56 clearance for Paul Le Sauvage in an uncustomary opening role saw Gremlin Galacticos take a 5-1 lead against Ex-Service Reds, but a large points haul was denied them as the final six frames were shared.

While Adrian Lihou took his three, Roscoe Cloarec produced an outstanding performance in only his third Premier match to beat island player Glenn Le Prevost. The resultant 8-4 victory keeps the Galacticos three points behind the leaders.

North Legionnaires recovered from losing the opening two frames, one of them on the black, to post a 7-5 win against Sporting Lions.

Shaun Mahy and Tom Brock both went on to win 2-1 in establishing a 4-2 lead before the teams split the remaining frames.

James Messenger took two for the Lions, while Paul Duncombe was prevented from going one better by losing the last on the black.

In the Skipco First Division, Ryan Le Page and Gavin Denning inspired Ex-Service Mavericks to two

wins that catapulted them to the

top of the table.

Denning took all four frames he played against Gremlin B and North Legion Young Ones, which included a 27 clearance, while Le Page fired the division’s highest break of 55, followed next match by another effort of 32.

Not to be outdone, Paul Sarre hit a 28 break as his team beat the Young Ones 6-2 and Gremlin B 7-1.

The two other matches played were both drawn.

North Social L-Plates and Ex-Service Hot Butts have enjoyed an intense rivalry in moving through the divisions and the latest meeting couldn’t separate the two.

Ross de Carteret put the L-Plates in charge by beating Clayton Le Noury and with Darren Hughes to come, a win was expected.

But Russell Wakeford had other ideas as he inflicted a first league defeat for Hughes since February 2006.

At the Sarnian Club, the Sharks couldn’t claim the win they craved despite taking the lead four times against the Numpty’s.

Respective skippers Andy Paul and Sean Simms both kept their 100% record intact.

A 6-2 win for Sarnian Breakers sees them top the Banks & Flouquet Second Division. David Bostock prevented the Gremlin Guzzlers from a whitewash having seen his team slip 5-0 behind when Kevin Norman cleared up with a 21.

North Social G and North Legion B both drew for the third consecutive match. Lee Roome’s sixth frame win put the Social within a frame of victory, but Ian Eggo took the last for North Legion Aces.

It was a similar story at the Legion as skipper Paul Cohu put the home side 4-3 up. Opposite number Jason Gilroy continued his good start to the season in ensuring Ex-Service Eagles remain undefeated.

In the Mariners’ Inn Third Division, Sporting Musketeers and Grannie’s Gremlins are stealing a march on the rest as they both won 5-3. The Musketeers won three of the last four frames against Gremlin’s Mixed Bunch, while Lisa Robilliard’s win was the difference for Grannie’s Gremlins against Giba Two.

Brian Dorey stays unbeaten as Giba Dorios were also 5-3 winners against North Legion Rousse Raiders.

The one billiards match saw handicap champion Kevin N. de Carteret lose his campaign opener by a single point to Milford de Carteret.