Jez Rowe enjoyed his first 3-0 success of the season. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 0425919)

SIX second-half frames for Ex-Service Chirpers against North Social L-Plates have preserved their lead at the top of the Image Group Premier Division.

It was yet another impressive performance from the top-flight new boys, with Darren Hughes’ fifth win of the season and Milford de Carteret’s 2-1 loss to in-form Adrian Holley seeing the L-Plates through to 3-3.

The opening frames of the second half for the Chirpers’ Ian Platt and Martyn Desperques were close affairs, but the joint aggregate toppers came through to seal a much needed and hard-fought 9-3 victory.

The result was enough to ensure that Gremlin Galacticos could not catch them 24 hours later against Ex-Service Winkers, but a comfortable 11-1 success means the Chirpers’ lead has been halved to two points.