League leaders Eastern All-Stars extended their unbeaten streak to three matches in a row with a comprehensive win over defending Pattex Federation Cup champions, Meadowvale Strikers, at Chelsea Jerk Centre last Sunday.

Meanwhile, Dragon returned to winning ways, handing hosts Rowe's Strikers their first defeat of the season last Sunday at the same venue. Dragon won 6-4. Eastern All-Stars came with a businesslike attitude and raced into a 4-1 lead over Portmore's Meadowvale in the curtain raiser. Meadowvale, who were losing for the second time in as many matches, seemed shaken up by the clinical mood of their opponents and staged a comeback which saw them trailing by 5-4 with two games remaining. But Eastern All-Stars, arguably the best team on paper, never relinquished their lead and surged ahead to take the match in the penultimate game.

Meadowvale then pulled one back to finish the match with a respectable 6-5 shoreline.

In the feature match, Dragon pulled off their second straight victory over Rowe's Strikers on the latter's table.

unpredictable last ball

The unpredictable last ball sinkers shot was again a key factor with several accomplished players failing to make the grade.

The opening match saw Anthony Barrett of Rowe's Strikers after outplaying Dragon's Errol Wright for most of the game, missing the sinkers shot terribly when he cued the last ball with too much force. Wright, a veteran of over 30 years, promptly steeped up to the table and gave Barrett a lesson in sinking the last ball.

Dragon then took a 2-0 lead when Rowe's Strikers captain Alphanso Stewart lost to Dragon's Seymour Bennett.

Rowe's Strikers then levelled the scores with victories from female player Ruthlyn 'Marcia' Bailey and pool player Colin Chandler.

But the team from Giltress Street would never fall behind as their captain, Clinton 'Fly Up' Thompson, outclassed Garfield 'Milligram' Samuels while Dragon's Clive Woolery was handed a game after Roy Facey was ejected for an ineligible strike.

Rowe's Strikercs then fought back when Karyl 'Chassy' Walker rallied to beat the veteran Winston Jordan, and Donovan Ashman outplayed Winston Downie.

With the scores at 5-4, last week's villain, Ronald Robinson of Dragon, was faced with the same dilemma of sinking the last ball and nearly muffed his chance after he played the sinkers shot too soft.

But his opponent, Winston 'Jubie' Nevins, fared no batter and played a soft sinkers shot as well. Robinson then calmly put away his second chance to send Dragon team members and supporters into wild jubilation. - O.C.